150 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK 30 DEC 1874 - 5 JAN 1875
This week's many stories include the New Year nosh-ups for the aged poor of Parr and Eccleston, the St Helens mayor's fall from grace on the icy pavements of Manchester, the man that died over Christmas who had neither relations nor friends, Cinderella continues at the Theatre Royal, Sir Robert Gerard's court baron at the Gerard Arms, the fearful railway accidents and St Helens Cricket Club decide to hire a professional player to boost their members' skills.
Every Christmas a dinner was given to the poor of Eccleston within the schoolroom that adjoined the Christ Church vicarage. This year's event took place on New Year's Eve and the St Helens Newspaper wrote:
"About 60 old persons were regaled in the most liberal manner with jovial old English cheer, roast-beef, plum-pudding, and beer. The room was beautifully decorated for the occasion with evergreens, and mottoes. Many good old songs were sung by the old people and amateurs, accompanied by the harmonium; and after many addresses made and toasts given by the Vicar and others, the party broke up, having enjoyed a most pleasant afternoon."
There was not a lot to admire about Joseph Greenough. The wealthy landowner was also a councillor who liked to take the contrary position on many matters – seemingly for the sake of it. When colliery owner James Radley had generously paid for St Helens' first illuminated clock to be installed on the Parish Church tower, Greenough was furious that the ratepayers would have to pay for the cost of illuminating and maintaining the badly-needed timepiece.
After hearing Greenough's objection, Councillor Allen told a council meeting: "I think Mr. Radley will take it as a compliment that Mr. Greenough differs from the general opinion. Whenever a character is canonised, it is usual for the devil's advocate to say something evil."
In 1877 Greenough would attempt to evict one of his tenants by destroying their house on Parr Moss! The inhabitants did not think much of that and came out shooting. Greenough was sentenced to 12 months in prison for his unlawful act but died within a matter of weeks. However, all that drama was still a couple of years away. For now Greenough was an important man who, like other such folk, liked to be seen to be doing the occasional charitable act.
Every New Year Greenough gave a free dinner to the aged poor of Parr and this year's event took place on New Year's Day itself. Sixty was the qualifying age to be considered old and the sumptuous meal of roast beef, plum pudding and beer was held in the schoolroom in Parr Stocks, with the meal cooked at the nearby Bulls Head. Eighty-five persons attended and the Newspaper wrote how the room had been "very tastefully decorated for the occasion".
The panto with the long-winded name called "Cinderella, or Harlequin Prince Tommy Dodd; The Little Glass Slipper; and the Seven Demon Cyclops of the Dark Valley", continued its run at the Theatre Royal (pictured above) this week. And it would continue until people stopped attending. Such shows were expensive productions and they wanted to wring every bit of revenue out of it. The panto's advert said: "Come and see this Christmas annual! Come and see the charming ballet scene! Come and see the great ball room! And the glorious transformation!"
I mentioned James Radley a little earlier. The colliery owner was also the Mayor of St Helens and the Newspaper on the 2nd described how he had badly injured himself in Manchester while dashing to the railway station. Radley had been walking on a slippery footpath when he went crashing down and fell on his face.
The Newspaper also reported how Sir Robert Gerard's court baron had been held at the Gerard Arms in Dentons Green. A relic from feudal times when the lord of the manor could inflict low-level punishments, the court baron was now a largely ceremonial affair – and a good excuse for a booze-up!
But they went through the motions of appointing officers and inflicting fines on those that hadn't turned up and then the chief officers adjourned to the Raven Hotel for what the Newspaper called a "sumptuous banquet". The mayor had been invited to the event but couldn't attend as he was at home nursing his poorly face after his fall from grace on the Manchester ice.
The Newspaper also covered national and international news and had regular columns devoted to railway accidents, murders and shipping disasters. There were an awful lot of all three most weeks of the year – even at Christmas time. This is what the paper wrote about the train crashes:
"Whilst to many the present season of Christmas has been one of rejoicing and merrymaking, to many it has been a time of sorrow and deep distress. The columns of the newspapers have during the last few days recorded some fearful railway accidents attended with a dreadful loss of life."
The worst incident had taken place near Oxford in which twenty-six persons had been killed and many had been seriously injured when a fast-moving express came off the rails after experiencing a problem with either a wheel or an axle.
St Helens Cricket Club had been formed in 1838 on the day of Queen Victoria's coronation when a "grand match" was played on a field in Duke Street. The club changed its location a couple of times before finally settling on Dentons Green.
Cricket scores 150 years ago tended to be very low and last year the Newspaper had described a farcical match in which only the captains knew how to play the game. Few would be able to watch cricket being played at county or test level and with no television to watch the game and acquire knowledge, it is hardly surprising that skills were low.
However, the Newspaper reported that the club intended to address the problem by hiring a professional cricketer for the summer season. An extraordinary general meeting of the members had been held to discuss the issue and not only was it considered that the existing players would benefit by improving their skills but hiring a pro would hopefully boost recruits.
The paper wrote: "There can be no doubt but that the club has hitherto been at a disadvantage as compared with nearly all the other clubs in the district, the members of which have had the advantage of professional tutelage. The many young members of the club, and the older members as well, will now have the benefit of a cricket tutor; and it is hoped that, if attention be given to his instructions and advice, a very great improvement in their play may be anticipated."
The Newspaper also described the sad death in St Helens of a man without friends or family. He was Charles Mayall who was only 35 and had only been living and working in the town for a short time. Charles had been staying at Bonny's eating house in Church Street but had not been in the best of health. This is how the Newspaper described his demise after leaving his accommodation on Christmas morning:
"He made his way to the Red Cat beer house in Baldwin Street, where he received every attention at the hands of the landlady and one of the lodgers. He felt his end approaching, and said so, and, in reply to those in the house, he said he had neither relations nor friends in the world. The deceased being a good scholar, he had been employed by Mr. Thomas Foster, who had been very kind to him, and at his own request he was carried to Mr. Foster's house.
"In the meantime, however, Dr. McNicoll had been sent for, and Mr. McNicoll, Jun. saw him about nine o’clock, and in his friendless state an order was obtained to move him to the workhouse hospital, it being an urgent case; but strange to say, no cabman could be got to take him owing to the foggy state of the weather. The man was accordingly taken to Mr. Foster's house, as already stated, where he gradually sank, and expired about six o’clock on Saturday morning [Boxing Day]."
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Oddfellows' generosity towards a blind miner, the mysterious deaths of three men in the canal, the battered wife who changed her mind over court action and the runaway husband who showed common sense.
Every Christmas a dinner was given to the poor of Eccleston within the schoolroom that adjoined the Christ Church vicarage. This year's event took place on New Year's Eve and the St Helens Newspaper wrote:
"About 60 old persons were regaled in the most liberal manner with jovial old English cheer, roast-beef, plum-pudding, and beer. The room was beautifully decorated for the occasion with evergreens, and mottoes. Many good old songs were sung by the old people and amateurs, accompanied by the harmonium; and after many addresses made and toasts given by the Vicar and others, the party broke up, having enjoyed a most pleasant afternoon."
There was not a lot to admire about Joseph Greenough. The wealthy landowner was also a councillor who liked to take the contrary position on many matters – seemingly for the sake of it. When colliery owner James Radley had generously paid for St Helens' first illuminated clock to be installed on the Parish Church tower, Greenough was furious that the ratepayers would have to pay for the cost of illuminating and maintaining the badly-needed timepiece.
After hearing Greenough's objection, Councillor Allen told a council meeting: "I think Mr. Radley will take it as a compliment that Mr. Greenough differs from the general opinion. Whenever a character is canonised, it is usual for the devil's advocate to say something evil."
In 1877 Greenough would attempt to evict one of his tenants by destroying their house on Parr Moss! The inhabitants did not think much of that and came out shooting. Greenough was sentenced to 12 months in prison for his unlawful act but died within a matter of weeks. However, all that drama was still a couple of years away. For now Greenough was an important man who, like other such folk, liked to be seen to be doing the occasional charitable act.
Every New Year Greenough gave a free dinner to the aged poor of Parr and this year's event took place on New Year's Day itself. Sixty was the qualifying age to be considered old and the sumptuous meal of roast beef, plum pudding and beer was held in the schoolroom in Parr Stocks, with the meal cooked at the nearby Bulls Head. Eighty-five persons attended and the Newspaper wrote how the room had been "very tastefully decorated for the occasion".
I mentioned James Radley a little earlier. The colliery owner was also the Mayor of St Helens and the Newspaper on the 2nd described how he had badly injured himself in Manchester while dashing to the railway station. Radley had been walking on a slippery footpath when he went crashing down and fell on his face.
But they went through the motions of appointing officers and inflicting fines on those that hadn't turned up and then the chief officers adjourned to the Raven Hotel for what the Newspaper called a "sumptuous banquet". The mayor had been invited to the event but couldn't attend as he was at home nursing his poorly face after his fall from grace on the Manchester ice.
The Newspaper also covered national and international news and had regular columns devoted to railway accidents, murders and shipping disasters. There were an awful lot of all three most weeks of the year – even at Christmas time. This is what the paper wrote about the train crashes:
"Whilst to many the present season of Christmas has been one of rejoicing and merrymaking, to many it has been a time of sorrow and deep distress. The columns of the newspapers have during the last few days recorded some fearful railway accidents attended with a dreadful loss of life."
The worst incident had taken place near Oxford in which twenty-six persons had been killed and many had been seriously injured when a fast-moving express came off the rails after experiencing a problem with either a wheel or an axle.
St Helens Cricket Club had been formed in 1838 on the day of Queen Victoria's coronation when a "grand match" was played on a field in Duke Street. The club changed its location a couple of times before finally settling on Dentons Green.
Cricket scores 150 years ago tended to be very low and last year the Newspaper had described a farcical match in which only the captains knew how to play the game. Few would be able to watch cricket being played at county or test level and with no television to watch the game and acquire knowledge, it is hardly surprising that skills were low.
However, the Newspaper reported that the club intended to address the problem by hiring a professional cricketer for the summer season. An extraordinary general meeting of the members had been held to discuss the issue and not only was it considered that the existing players would benefit by improving their skills but hiring a pro would hopefully boost recruits.
The paper wrote: "There can be no doubt but that the club has hitherto been at a disadvantage as compared with nearly all the other clubs in the district, the members of which have had the advantage of professional tutelage. The many young members of the club, and the older members as well, will now have the benefit of a cricket tutor; and it is hoped that, if attention be given to his instructions and advice, a very great improvement in their play may be anticipated."
The Newspaper also described the sad death in St Helens of a man without friends or family. He was Charles Mayall who was only 35 and had only been living and working in the town for a short time. Charles had been staying at Bonny's eating house in Church Street but had not been in the best of health. This is how the Newspaper described his demise after leaving his accommodation on Christmas morning:
"He made his way to the Red Cat beer house in Baldwin Street, where he received every attention at the hands of the landlady and one of the lodgers. He felt his end approaching, and said so, and, in reply to those in the house, he said he had neither relations nor friends in the world. The deceased being a good scholar, he had been employed by Mr. Thomas Foster, who had been very kind to him, and at his own request he was carried to Mr. Foster's house.
"In the meantime, however, Dr. McNicoll had been sent for, and Mr. McNicoll, Jun. saw him about nine o’clock, and in his friendless state an order was obtained to move him to the workhouse hospital, it being an urgent case; but strange to say, no cabman could be got to take him owing to the foggy state of the weather. The man was accordingly taken to Mr. Foster's house, as already stated, where he gradually sank, and expired about six o’clock on Saturday morning [Boxing Day]."
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Oddfellows' generosity towards a blind miner, the mysterious deaths of three men in the canal, the battered wife who changed her mind over court action and the runaway husband who showed common sense.
This week's many stories include the New Year nosh-ups for the aged poor of Parr and Eccleston, the St Helens mayor's fall from grace on the icy pavements of Manchester, the man that died over Christmas who had neither relations nor friends, Cinderella continues at the Theatre Royal, Sir Robert Gerard's court baron at the Gerard Arms, the fearful railway accidents and St Helens Cricket Club decide to hire a professional player to boost their members' skills.
Every Christmas a dinner was given to the poor of Eccleston within the schoolroom that adjoined the Christ Church vicarage.
This year's event took place on New Year's Eve and the St Helens Newspaper wrote:
"About 60 old persons were regaled in the most liberal manner with jovial old English cheer, roast-beef, plum-pudding, and beer. The room was beautifully decorated for the occasion with evergreens, and mottoes.
"Many good old songs were sung by the old people and amateurs, accompanied by the harmonium; and after many addresses made and toasts given by the Vicar and others, the party broke up, having enjoyed a most pleasant afternoon."
There was not a lot to admire about Joseph Greenough. The wealthy landowner was also a councillor who liked to take the contrary position on many matters – seemingly for the sake of it.
When colliery owner James Radley had generously paid for St Helens' first illuminated clock to be installed on the Parish Church tower, Greenough was furious that the ratepayers would have to pay for the cost of illuminating and maintaining the badly-needed timepiece.
After hearing Greenough's objection, Councillor Allen told a council meeting: "I think Mr. Radley will take it as a compliment that Mr. Greenough differs from the general opinion. Whenever a character is canonised, it is usual for the devil's advocate to say something evil."
In 1877 Greenough would attempt to evict one of his tenants by destroying their house on Parr Moss! The inhabitants did not think much of that and came out shooting.
Greenough was sentenced to 12 months in prison for his unlawful act but died within a matter of weeks.
However, all that drama was still a couple of years away. For now Greenough was an important man who, like other such folk, liked to be seen to be doing the occasional charitable act.
Every New Year Greenough gave a free dinner to the aged poor of Parr and this year's event took place on New Year's Day itself.
Sixty was the qualifying age to be considered old and the sumptuous meal of roast beef, plum pudding and beer was held in the schoolroom in Parr Stocks, with the meal cooked at the nearby Bulls Head.
Eighty-five persons attended and the Newspaper wrote how the room had been "very tastefully decorated for the occasion".
The panto with the long-winded name called "Cinderella, or Harlequin Prince Tommy Dodd; The Little Glass Slipper; and the Seven Demon Cyclops of the Dark Valley", continued its run at the Theatre Royal (pictured above) this week.
And it would continue until people stopped attending. Such shows were expensive productions and they wanted to wring every bit of revenue out of it.
The panto's advert said: "Come and see this Christmas annual! Come and see the charming ballet scene! Come and see the great ball room! And the glorious transformation!"
I mentioned James Radley a little earlier. The colliery owner was also the Mayor of St Helens and the Newspaper on the 2nd described how he had badly injured himself in Manchester while dashing to the railway station.
Radley had been walking on a slippery footpath when he went crashing down and fell on his face.
The Newspaper also reported how Sir Robert Gerard's court baron had been held at the Gerard Arms in Dentons Green.
A relic from feudal times when the lord of the manor could inflict low-level punishments, the court baron was now a largely ceremonial affair – and a good excuse for a booze-up!
But they went through the motions of appointing officers and inflicting fines on those that hadn't turned up and then the chief officers adjourned to the Raven Hotel for what the Newspaper called a "sumptuous banquet".
The mayor had been invited to the event but couldn't attend as he was at home nursing his poorly face after his fall from grace on the Manchester ice.
The Newspaper also covered national and international news and had regular columns devoted to railway accidents, murders and shipping disasters.
There were an awful lot of all three most weeks of the year – even at Christmas time. This is what the paper wrote about the train crashes:
"Whilst to many the present season of Christmas has been one of rejoicing and merrymaking, to many it has been a time of sorrow and deep distress. The columns of the newspapers have during the last few days recorded some fearful railway accidents attended with a dreadful loss of life."
The worst incident had taken place near Oxford in which 26 persons had been killed and many had been seriously injured when a fast-moving express came off the rails after experiencing a problem with either a wheel or an axle.
St Helens Cricket Club had been formed in 1838 on the day of Queen Victoria's coronation when a "grand match" was played on a field in Duke Street.
The club changed its location a couple of times before finally settling on Dentons Green.
Cricket scores 150 years ago tended to be very low and last year the Newspaper had described a farcical match in which only the captains knew how to play the game.
Few would be able to watch cricket being played at county or test level and with no television to watch the game and acquire knowledge, it is hardly surprising that skills were low.
However, the Newspaper reported that the club intended to address the problem by hiring a professional cricketer for the summer season.
An extraordinary general meeting of the members had been held to discuss the issue and not only was it considered that the existing players would benefit by improving their skills but hiring a pro would hopefully boost recruits.
The paper wrote: "There can be no doubt but that the club has hitherto been at a disadvantage as compared with nearly all the other clubs in the district, the members of which have had the advantage of professional tutelage.
"The many young members of the club, and the older members as well, will now have the benefit of a cricket tutor; and it is hoped that, if attention be given to his instructions and advice, a very great improvement in their play may be anticipated."
The Newspaper also described the sad death in St Helens of a man without friends or family.
He was Charles Mayall who was only 35 and had only been living and working in the town for a short time.
Charles had been staying at Bonny's eating house in Church Street but had not been in the best of health.
This is how the Newspaper described his demise after leaving his accommodation on Christmas morning:
"He made his way to the Red Cat beer house in Baldwin Street, where he received every attention at the hands of the landlady and one of the lodgers.
"He felt his end approaching, and said so, and, in reply to those in the house, he said he had neither relations nor friends in the world.
"The deceased being a good scholar, he had been employed by Mr. Thomas Foster, who had been very kind to him, and at his own request he was carried to Mr. Foster's house.
"In the meantime, however, Dr. McNicoll had been sent for, and Mr. McNicoll, Jun. saw him about nine o’clock, and in his friendless state an order was obtained to move him to the workhouse hospital, it being an urgent case; but strange to say, no cabman could be got to take him owing to the foggy state of the weather.
"The man was accordingly taken to Mr. Foster's house, as already stated, where he gradually sank, and expired about six o’clock on Saturday morning [Boxing Day]."
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Oddfellows' generosity towards a blind miner, the mysterious deaths of three men in the canal, the battered wife who changed her mind over court action and the runaway husband who showed common sense.
Every Christmas a dinner was given to the poor of Eccleston within the schoolroom that adjoined the Christ Church vicarage.
This year's event took place on New Year's Eve and the St Helens Newspaper wrote:
"About 60 old persons were regaled in the most liberal manner with jovial old English cheer, roast-beef, plum-pudding, and beer. The room was beautifully decorated for the occasion with evergreens, and mottoes.
"Many good old songs were sung by the old people and amateurs, accompanied by the harmonium; and after many addresses made and toasts given by the Vicar and others, the party broke up, having enjoyed a most pleasant afternoon."
There was not a lot to admire about Joseph Greenough. The wealthy landowner was also a councillor who liked to take the contrary position on many matters – seemingly for the sake of it.
When colliery owner James Radley had generously paid for St Helens' first illuminated clock to be installed on the Parish Church tower, Greenough was furious that the ratepayers would have to pay for the cost of illuminating and maintaining the badly-needed timepiece.
After hearing Greenough's objection, Councillor Allen told a council meeting: "I think Mr. Radley will take it as a compliment that Mr. Greenough differs from the general opinion. Whenever a character is canonised, it is usual for the devil's advocate to say something evil."
In 1877 Greenough would attempt to evict one of his tenants by destroying their house on Parr Moss! The inhabitants did not think much of that and came out shooting.
Greenough was sentenced to 12 months in prison for his unlawful act but died within a matter of weeks.
However, all that drama was still a couple of years away. For now Greenough was an important man who, like other such folk, liked to be seen to be doing the occasional charitable act.
Every New Year Greenough gave a free dinner to the aged poor of Parr and this year's event took place on New Year's Day itself.
Sixty was the qualifying age to be considered old and the sumptuous meal of roast beef, plum pudding and beer was held in the schoolroom in Parr Stocks, with the meal cooked at the nearby Bulls Head.
Eighty-five persons attended and the Newspaper wrote how the room had been "very tastefully decorated for the occasion".
And it would continue until people stopped attending. Such shows were expensive productions and they wanted to wring every bit of revenue out of it.
The panto's advert said: "Come and see this Christmas annual! Come and see the charming ballet scene! Come and see the great ball room! And the glorious transformation!"
I mentioned James Radley a little earlier. The colliery owner was also the Mayor of St Helens and the Newspaper on the 2nd described how he had badly injured himself in Manchester while dashing to the railway station.
Radley had been walking on a slippery footpath when he went crashing down and fell on his face.
A relic from feudal times when the lord of the manor could inflict low-level punishments, the court baron was now a largely ceremonial affair – and a good excuse for a booze-up!
But they went through the motions of appointing officers and inflicting fines on those that hadn't turned up and then the chief officers adjourned to the Raven Hotel for what the Newspaper called a "sumptuous banquet".
The mayor had been invited to the event but couldn't attend as he was at home nursing his poorly face after his fall from grace on the Manchester ice.
The Newspaper also covered national and international news and had regular columns devoted to railway accidents, murders and shipping disasters.
There were an awful lot of all three most weeks of the year – even at Christmas time. This is what the paper wrote about the train crashes:
"Whilst to many the present season of Christmas has been one of rejoicing and merrymaking, to many it has been a time of sorrow and deep distress. The columns of the newspapers have during the last few days recorded some fearful railway accidents attended with a dreadful loss of life."
The worst incident had taken place near Oxford in which 26 persons had been killed and many had been seriously injured when a fast-moving express came off the rails after experiencing a problem with either a wheel or an axle.
St Helens Cricket Club had been formed in 1838 on the day of Queen Victoria's coronation when a "grand match" was played on a field in Duke Street.
The club changed its location a couple of times before finally settling on Dentons Green.
Cricket scores 150 years ago tended to be very low and last year the Newspaper had described a farcical match in which only the captains knew how to play the game.
Few would be able to watch cricket being played at county or test level and with no television to watch the game and acquire knowledge, it is hardly surprising that skills were low.
However, the Newspaper reported that the club intended to address the problem by hiring a professional cricketer for the summer season.
An extraordinary general meeting of the members had been held to discuss the issue and not only was it considered that the existing players would benefit by improving their skills but hiring a pro would hopefully boost recruits.
The paper wrote: "There can be no doubt but that the club has hitherto been at a disadvantage as compared with nearly all the other clubs in the district, the members of which have had the advantage of professional tutelage.
"The many young members of the club, and the older members as well, will now have the benefit of a cricket tutor; and it is hoped that, if attention be given to his instructions and advice, a very great improvement in their play may be anticipated."
The Newspaper also described the sad death in St Helens of a man without friends or family.
He was Charles Mayall who was only 35 and had only been living and working in the town for a short time.
Charles had been staying at Bonny's eating house in Church Street but had not been in the best of health.
This is how the Newspaper described his demise after leaving his accommodation on Christmas morning:
"He made his way to the Red Cat beer house in Baldwin Street, where he received every attention at the hands of the landlady and one of the lodgers.
"He felt his end approaching, and said so, and, in reply to those in the house, he said he had neither relations nor friends in the world.
"The deceased being a good scholar, he had been employed by Mr. Thomas Foster, who had been very kind to him, and at his own request he was carried to Mr. Foster's house.
"In the meantime, however, Dr. McNicoll had been sent for, and Mr. McNicoll, Jun. saw him about nine o’clock, and in his friendless state an order was obtained to move him to the workhouse hospital, it being an urgent case; but strange to say, no cabman could be got to take him owing to the foggy state of the weather.
"The man was accordingly taken to Mr. Foster's house, as already stated, where he gradually sank, and expired about six o’clock on Saturday morning [Boxing Day]."
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Oddfellows' generosity towards a blind miner, the mysterious deaths of three men in the canal, the battered wife who changed her mind over court action and the runaway husband who showed common sense.