FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (2nd - 8th JANUARY 1973)
This week's stories include the Grange Park blaze hero, the New Year Euro-tot babies, a council U-turn over a free vasectomy service, the road safety lessons for Rainhill Hospital patients, the race against time to alleviate school shortages in Sutton and Sutton Manor and ex-Liverpool star Ron Yeats hands over a mini-bus provided by Vauxhall Viva workers to help Spina Bifida sufferers in St Helens.
We begin on the 3rd when members of the St Helens Health Committee decided to suspend their plans to provide a free vasectomy service through the town's Family Planning Association. Last month the Very Rev Hugh Fitzpatrick, the Dean of St Helens, had argued that male sterilisation was against the teachings of the Catholic Church, explaining:
"This kind of operation for the purpose of contraception is wrong. I am not criticising the Corporation or individuals whose conscience permits contraception, but the legislation which allows such schemes. The law's permissiveness goes beyond what we consider Christian teaching."
As a result the Dean had banned his congregation from using the planned new sterilisation service. At the committee meeting it was decided that further consideration of the plan was needed as more information had come to light – but members insisted that the church's opposition had not influenced their decision.
On January 1st the UK became a member of the European Economic Community and in its edition on the 5th, the St Helens Reporter wondered whether the five babies born on that day should be described as "the town's first Euro-tots". The first to appear at 12:05 am was an 8lb 10oz girl born to Maureen Critchley of Pennine Drive in Parr. The child was delivered at home and had yet to be named. The same applied to Norma Ballinger whose 8lb daughter made her appearance at her Ashtons Green Drive residence at 10:45 am.
Then at 7:55 pm, Alethea Warburton from Upland Road in Grange Park gave birth to a 6lb 12oz daughter. Also giving birth on New Year's Day were Ann Moss of Rainhill and Elizabeth Naylor of Crank. Both had boys at Whiston and Billinge hospitals, respectively, that were being called Philip. There were no New Year babies at Cowley Hill Hospital with its matron saying: "It is most unusual. It's the first year we haven't had any, and I've been here 20 years. Last year 957 babies were born here, and I think there were three on New Year's Day."
The Reporter also described how Shaun Lavelle had been recommended for a bravery award. The 15-year-old from Millom Grove in Grange Park had rescued 35-year-old William Hart from his blazing flat. "He saved my life", said Mr Hart. "I know that if Shaun hadn't seen me and dragged me outside I wouldn't be here now. He did a grand job and I can't thank him enough."
It had been a month earlier that the boy and some of his neighbours had spotted smoke coming from the burning flat. After getting no answer after banging on the door, Shaun broke the door open and despite the heat and smoke went inside. Neighbours helped keep the door open while William Hart was dragged out. Now St Helens Chief Fire Officer, George Wilson, had recommended that Shaun receive an award from the Society for the Protection of Life from Fire.
The lead story in the Reporter was that Lennons of St Helens were banning Distillers' drink products from their 30 supermarkets and 50 off-licences in a bid to get better compensation for thalidomide victims. Group chairman Terence Lennon told the paper: "Sometimes you have to take sides. I didn't start this campaign, but I have to say what I think. I am sure the public feel as strongly as we do about it. Even the Government are against Distillers."
The need for care in the community instead of in hospital was slowly gaining ground. This week the Reporter described how Alan Collinson, the St Helens Road Safety Officer, had been at Rainhill Hospital giving patients road safety lessons. Many inmates had been in the institution for a very long time but were expecting to be soon discharged. However, the roads had been far less busy when they'd been admitted as Mr Collinson explained: "With the changing scene on our roads, a patient going out for the first time in many years can find himself in another world. These lessons should prove considerably helpful to them."
The Reporter also warned of an impending crisis in school provision in parts of St Helens, writing: "Toddlers may have to travel to schools miles from their homes in an area, straining under a baby boom." The district where schools could not be built and expanded fast enough to cope with rising populations was the New Street area of Sutton, along with Sutton Manor. Young families moving onto newly built estates were the cause of the problem. In January 1969, Sutton Manor Primary had 274 pupils – but the Forest Road school now had 500 children on its books.
Similarly, St Theresa's RC School in Sutton Manor had almost doubled its roll call – increasing from 293 pupils in 1969 to 500 in 1972. Sherdley Primary in Mill Lane in Sutton had only opened in September 1971 providing 320 badly needed new places. But it had now added a new infants department, which would soon bring its register up to 560 children. Further relief was expected from a new primary school that was going to be built in Eaves Lane next year.
But Frank Yates of the Education Department felt that they were only treading water: "A lot of St. Helens people have moved out to Sutton from redevelopment areas in the centre of town and a considerable number have arrived from other authorities, mainly Liverpool. These families have young children. The problem is finding places for four-and-a-half to seven-year-olds.
"Every child on a school waiting list was taken in yesterday [at the start of the new term]. But we might be so pressed that we might have to temporarily transfer children to other parts of the town." As a contingency measure the St Helens Education Department had already given the go-ahead in principle for a daily bus service to take 4 to 7 year olds to schools nearer the centre of town.
Roy and Christine Speakman were featured in the Reporter complaining about the Manweb engineers that came to fix their central heating system. For instead of turning the heat on inside their Sutton home, the men knocked it out of action and caused a fire in a switchbox.
'Wedding Bells and Beautiful Brides' was the title of an advertising feature in the Reporter aimed at those planning to get hitched. The report began: "Something like 400,000 people get married each year in the United Kingdom, roughly one in 30 for every member of the population. So much for the permissive society!" The advertisers included J. Brunskill And Associates who claimed to be "the town's leading wedding photographers", now based in the YMCA Buildings in North Road, opposite the Capitol.
Barker's – "Your Interflora florist" – were promoting their wedding flowers with premises in Kirkland Street, Duke Street and St Mary's Market. Also advertising was Emmet's Taxi Service of Corporation Street – "Cars for all occasions" – who was offering to provide wedding cars and mini-buses. And Pimblett's College Bakery who said: "People come from far and wide for their individually designed wedding cakes."
The Grimethorpe Colliery Band performed at the Theatre Royal in St Helens on the 5th. When the ensemble came to play in Corporation Street, Grimethorpe Colliery still existed – but it would close in 1993.
From the 7th the ABC Savoy in Bridge Street began a week's screening of what they called "The screen sensation of 1972". That was Marlon Brando in 'The Godfather'. And at the Capitol cinema, a Hayley Mills and Hywel Bennett film called 'Endless Night' that was based on Agatha Christie's crime novel was shown.
On the 8th Tranmere Rovers player-manager and ex-Liverpool star Ron Yeats handed over a mini-bus to the St Helens and District Association for Spina Bifida (now called Shine) on behalf of car workers at Ellesmere Port. The men worked on the Viva assembly line at Vauxhall's plant and had raised over £1,100 to pay for the bus. The car workers had been swamped by 450 applications from all over the North of England from persons and organisations wanting the mini-bus.
But they decided that the St Helens Spina Bifida group – that catered for 34 children aged between six months and 12 years – was the most needy of them. The secretary of the association, Mrs N. Maddocks of Warrington Road, Rainhill, told the Echo: "This gift is absolutely wonderful. We are thrilled to bits, because it opens up a new life for our children. Now we will be able to take them to school in the bus, on outings and on holidays."
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the hunt for the Fleet Lane dog sadist, Whiston Council's rebel school milk scheme begins, the muddy state of Monastery Road and the head of Central Secondary declares a new car park a danger to his pupils.
We begin on the 3rd when members of the St Helens Health Committee decided to suspend their plans to provide a free vasectomy service through the town's Family Planning Association. Last month the Very Rev Hugh Fitzpatrick, the Dean of St Helens, had argued that male sterilisation was against the teachings of the Catholic Church, explaining:
"This kind of operation for the purpose of contraception is wrong. I am not criticising the Corporation or individuals whose conscience permits contraception, but the legislation which allows such schemes. The law's permissiveness goes beyond what we consider Christian teaching."
As a result the Dean had banned his congregation from using the planned new sterilisation service. At the committee meeting it was decided that further consideration of the plan was needed as more information had come to light – but members insisted that the church's opposition had not influenced their decision.
On January 1st the UK became a member of the European Economic Community and in its edition on the 5th, the St Helens Reporter wondered whether the five babies born on that day should be described as "the town's first Euro-tots". The first to appear at 12:05 am was an 8lb 10oz girl born to Maureen Critchley of Pennine Drive in Parr. The child was delivered at home and had yet to be named. The same applied to Norma Ballinger whose 8lb daughter made her appearance at her Ashtons Green Drive residence at 10:45 am.
Then at 7:55 pm, Alethea Warburton from Upland Road in Grange Park gave birth to a 6lb 12oz daughter. Also giving birth on New Year's Day were Ann Moss of Rainhill and Elizabeth Naylor of Crank. Both had boys at Whiston and Billinge hospitals, respectively, that were being called Philip. There were no New Year babies at Cowley Hill Hospital with its matron saying: "It is most unusual. It's the first year we haven't had any, and I've been here 20 years. Last year 957 babies were born here, and I think there were three on New Year's Day."
The Reporter also described how Shaun Lavelle had been recommended for a bravery award. The 15-year-old from Millom Grove in Grange Park had rescued 35-year-old William Hart from his blazing flat. "He saved my life", said Mr Hart. "I know that if Shaun hadn't seen me and dragged me outside I wouldn't be here now. He did a grand job and I can't thank him enough."
It had been a month earlier that the boy and some of his neighbours had spotted smoke coming from the burning flat. After getting no answer after banging on the door, Shaun broke the door open and despite the heat and smoke went inside. Neighbours helped keep the door open while William Hart was dragged out. Now St Helens Chief Fire Officer, George Wilson, had recommended that Shaun receive an award from the Society for the Protection of Life from Fire.
The need for care in the community instead of in hospital was slowly gaining ground. This week the Reporter described how Alan Collinson, the St Helens Road Safety Officer, had been at Rainhill Hospital giving patients road safety lessons. Many inmates had been in the institution for a very long time but were expecting to be soon discharged. However, the roads had been far less busy when they'd been admitted as Mr Collinson explained: "With the changing scene on our roads, a patient going out for the first time in many years can find himself in another world. These lessons should prove considerably helpful to them."
The Reporter also warned of an impending crisis in school provision in parts of St Helens, writing: "Toddlers may have to travel to schools miles from their homes in an area, straining under a baby boom." The district where schools could not be built and expanded fast enough to cope with rising populations was the New Street area of Sutton, along with Sutton Manor. Young families moving onto newly built estates were the cause of the problem. In January 1969, Sutton Manor Primary had 274 pupils – but the Forest Road school now had 500 children on its books.
Similarly, St Theresa's RC School in Sutton Manor had almost doubled its roll call – increasing from 293 pupils in 1969 to 500 in 1972. Sherdley Primary in Mill Lane in Sutton had only opened in September 1971 providing 320 badly needed new places. But it had now added a new infants department, which would soon bring its register up to 560 children. Further relief was expected from a new primary school that was going to be built in Eaves Lane next year.
But Frank Yates of the Education Department felt that they were only treading water: "A lot of St. Helens people have moved out to Sutton from redevelopment areas in the centre of town and a considerable number have arrived from other authorities, mainly Liverpool. These families have young children. The problem is finding places for four-and-a-half to seven-year-olds.
"Every child on a school waiting list was taken in yesterday [at the start of the new term]. But we might be so pressed that we might have to temporarily transfer children to other parts of the town." As a contingency measure the St Helens Education Department had already given the go-ahead in principle for a daily bus service to take 4 to 7 year olds to schools nearer the centre of town.
Roy and Christine Speakman were featured in the Reporter complaining about the Manweb engineers that came to fix their central heating system. For instead of turning the heat on inside their Sutton home, the men knocked it out of action and caused a fire in a switchbox.
'Wedding Bells and Beautiful Brides' was the title of an advertising feature in the Reporter aimed at those planning to get hitched. The report began: "Something like 400,000 people get married each year in the United Kingdom, roughly one in 30 for every member of the population. So much for the permissive society!" The advertisers included J. Brunskill And Associates who claimed to be "the town's leading wedding photographers", now based in the YMCA Buildings in North Road, opposite the Capitol.
Barker's – "Your Interflora florist" – were promoting their wedding flowers with premises in Kirkland Street, Duke Street and St Mary's Market. Also advertising was Emmet's Taxi Service of Corporation Street – "Cars for all occasions" – who was offering to provide wedding cars and mini-buses. And Pimblett's College Bakery who said: "People come from far and wide for their individually designed wedding cakes."
The Grimethorpe Colliery Band performed at the Theatre Royal in St Helens on the 5th. When the ensemble came to play in Corporation Street, Grimethorpe Colliery still existed – but it would close in 1993.
From the 7th the ABC Savoy in Bridge Street began a week's screening of what they called "The screen sensation of 1972". That was Marlon Brando in 'The Godfather'. And at the Capitol cinema, a Hayley Mills and Hywel Bennett film called 'Endless Night' that was based on Agatha Christie's crime novel was shown.
On the 8th Tranmere Rovers player-manager and ex-Liverpool star Ron Yeats handed over a mini-bus to the St Helens and District Association for Spina Bifida (now called Shine) on behalf of car workers at Ellesmere Port. The men worked on the Viva assembly line at Vauxhall's plant and had raised over £1,100 to pay for the bus. The car workers had been swamped by 450 applications from all over the North of England from persons and organisations wanting the mini-bus.
But they decided that the St Helens Spina Bifida group – that catered for 34 children aged between six months and 12 years – was the most needy of them. The secretary of the association, Mrs N. Maddocks of Warrington Road, Rainhill, told the Echo: "This gift is absolutely wonderful. We are thrilled to bits, because it opens up a new life for our children. Now we will be able to take them to school in the bus, on outings and on holidays."
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the hunt for the Fleet Lane dog sadist, Whiston Council's rebel school milk scheme begins, the muddy state of Monastery Road and the head of Central Secondary declares a new car park a danger to his pupils.
This week's stories include the Grange Park blaze hero, the New Year Euro-tot babies, a council U-turn over a free vasectomy service, the road safety lessons for Rainhill Hospital patients, the race against time to alleviate school shortages in Sutton and Sutton Manor and ex-Liverpool star Ron Yeats hands over a mini-bus provided by Vauxhall Viva workers to help Spina Bifida sufferers in St Helens.
We begin on the 3rd when members of the St Helens Health Committee decided to suspend their plans to provide a free vasectomy service through the town's Family Planning Association.
Last month the Very Rev Hugh Fitzpatrick, the Dean of St Helens, had argued that male sterilisation was against the teachings of the Catholic Church, explaining:
"This kind of operation for the purpose of contraception is wrong. I am not criticising the Corporation or individuals whose conscience permits contraception, but the legislation which allows such schemes. The law's permissiveness goes beyond what we consider Christian teaching."
As a result the Dean had banned his congregation from using the planned new sterilisation service.
At the committee meeting it was decided that further consideration of the plan was needed as more information had come to light – but members insisted that the church's opposition had not influenced their decision.
On January 1st the UK became a member of the European Economic Community and in its edition on the 5th, the St Helens Reporter wondered whether the five babies born on that day should be described as "the town's first Euro-tots".
The first to appear at 12:05 am was an 8lb 10oz girl for Maureen Critchley born to Pennine Drive in Parr. The child was delivered at home and had yet to be named.
The same applied to Norma Ballinger whose 8lb daughter made her appearance at her Ashtons Green Drive residence at 10:45 am.
Then at 7:55 pm, Alethea Warburton from Upland Road in Grange Park gave birth to a 6lb 12oz daughter.
Also giving birth on New Year's Day were Ann Moss of Rainhill and Elizabeth Naylor of Crank.
Both had boys at Whiston and Billinge hospitals, respectively, that were being called Philip.
There were no New Year babies at Cowley Hill Hospital with its matron saying: "It is most unusual. It's the first year we haven't had any, and I've been here 20 years. Last year 957 babies were born here, and I think there were three on New Year's Day."
The Reporter also described how Shaun Lavelle had been recommended for a bravery award.
The 15-year-old from Millom Grove in Grange Park had rescued 35-year-old William Hart from his blazing flat.
"He saved my life", said Mr Hart. "I know that if Shaun hadn't seen me and dragged me outside I wouldn't be here now. He did a grand job and I can't thank him enough."
It had been a month earlier that the boy and some of his neighbours had spotted smoke coming from the burning flat.
After getting no answer after banging on the door, Shaun broke the door open and despite the heat and smoke went inside. Neighbours helped keep the door open while William Hart was dragged out.
Now St Helens Chief Fire Officer, George Wilson, had recommended that Shaun receive an award from the Society for the Protection of Life from Fire.
The lead story in the Reporter was that Lennons of St Helens were banning Distillers' drink products from their 30 supermarkets and 50 off-licences in a bid to get better compensation for thalidomide victims.
Group chairman Terence Lennon told the paper: "Sometimes you have to take sides. I didn't start this campaign, but I have to say what I think. I am sure the public feel as strongly as we do about it. Even the Government are against Distillers."
The need for care in the community instead of in hospital was slowly gaining ground.
This week the Reporter described how Alan Collinson, the St Helens Road Safety Officer, had been at Rainhill Hospital giving patients road safety lessons.
Many inmates had been in the institution for a very long time but were expecting to be soon discharged.
However, the roads had been far less busy when they'd been admitted as Mr Collinson explained:
"With the changing scene on our roads, a patient going out for the first time in many years can find himself in another world. These lessons should prove considerably helpful to them."
The Reporter also warned of an impending crisis in school provision in parts of St Helens, writing:
"Toddlers may have to travel to schools miles from their homes in an area, straining under a baby boom."
The district where schools could not be built and expanded fast enough to cope with rising populations was the New Street area of Sutton, along with Sutton Manor.
Young families moving onto newly built estates were the cause of the problem. In January 1969, Sutton Manor Primary had 274 pupils – but the Forest Road school now had 500 children on its books.
Similarly, St Theresa's RC School in Sutton Manor had almost doubled its roll call – increasing from 293 pupils in 1969 to 500 in 1972.
Sherdley Primary in Mill Lane in Sutton had only opened in September 1971 providing 320 badly needed new places.
But it had now added a new infants department, which would soon bring its register up to 560 children.
Further relief was expected from a new primary school that was going to be built in Eaves Lane next year.
But Frank Yates of the Education Department felt that they were only treading water:
"A lot of St. Helens people have moved out to Sutton from redevelopment areas in the centre of town and a considerable number have arrived from other authorities, mainly Liverpool. These families have young children. The problem is finding places for four-and-a-half to seven-year-olds.
"Every child on a school waiting list was taken in yesterday [at the start of the new term]. But we might be so pressed that we might have to temporarily transfer children to other parts of the town."
As a contingency measure the St Helens Education Department had already given the go-ahead in principle for a daily bus service to take 4 to 7 year olds to schools nearer the centre of town.
Roy and Christine Speakman were featured in the Reporter complaining about the Manweb engineers that came to fix their central heating system.
For instead of turning the heat on inside their Sutton home, the men knocked it out of action and caused a fire in a switchbox.
'Wedding Bells and Beautiful Brides' was the title of an advertising feature in the Reporter aimed at those planning to get hitched.
The report began: "Something like 400,000 people get married each year in the United Kingdom, roughly one in 30 for every member of the population. So much for the permissive society!"
The advertisers included J. Brunskill And Associates who claimed to be "the town's leading wedding photographers", now based in the YMCA Buildings in North Road, opposite the Capitol.
Barker's – "Your Interflora florist" – were promoting their wedding flowers with premises in Kirkland Street, Duke Street and St Mary's Market.
Also advertising was Emmet's Taxi Service of Corporation Street – "Cars for all occasions" – who was offering to provide wedding cars and mini-buses.
And Pimblett's College Bakery who said: "People come from far and wide for their individually designed wedding cakes."
The Grimethorpe Colliery Band performed at the Theatre Royal in St Helens on the 5th. When the ensemble came to play in Corporation Street, Grimethorpe Colliery still existed – but it would close in 1993.
From the 7th the ABC Savoy in Bridge Street began a week's screening of what they called "The screen sensation of 1972". That was Marlon Brando in 'The Godfather'.
And at the Capitol cinema, a Hayley Mills and Hywel Bennett film called 'Endless Night' that was based on Agatha Christie's crime novel was shown.
On the 8th Tranmere Rovers player-manager and ex-Liverpool star Ron Yeats handed over a mini-bus to the St Helens and District Association for Spina Bifida (now called Shine) on behalf of car workers at Ellesmere Port.
The men worked on the Viva assembly line at Vauxhall's plant and had raised over £1,100 to pay for the bus.
The car workers had been swamped by 450 applications from all over the North of England from persons and organisations wanting the mini-bus.
But they decided that the St Helens Spina Bifida group – that catered for 34 children aged between six months and 12 years – was the most needy of them.
The secretary of the association, Mrs N. Maddocks of Warrington Road, Rainhill, told the Echo:
"This gift is absolutely wonderful. We are thrilled to bits, because it opens up a new life for our children. Now we will be able to take them to school in the bus, on outings and on holidays."
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the hunt for the Fleet Lane dog sadist, Whiston Council's rebel school milk scheme begins, the muddy state of Monastery Road and the head of Central Secondary declares a new car park a danger to his pupils.
We begin on the 3rd when members of the St Helens Health Committee decided to suspend their plans to provide a free vasectomy service through the town's Family Planning Association.
Last month the Very Rev Hugh Fitzpatrick, the Dean of St Helens, had argued that male sterilisation was against the teachings of the Catholic Church, explaining:
"This kind of operation for the purpose of contraception is wrong. I am not criticising the Corporation or individuals whose conscience permits contraception, but the legislation which allows such schemes. The law's permissiveness goes beyond what we consider Christian teaching."
As a result the Dean had banned his congregation from using the planned new sterilisation service.
At the committee meeting it was decided that further consideration of the plan was needed as more information had come to light – but members insisted that the church's opposition had not influenced their decision.
On January 1st the UK became a member of the European Economic Community and in its edition on the 5th, the St Helens Reporter wondered whether the five babies born on that day should be described as "the town's first Euro-tots".
The first to appear at 12:05 am was an 8lb 10oz girl for Maureen Critchley born to Pennine Drive in Parr. The child was delivered at home and had yet to be named.
The same applied to Norma Ballinger whose 8lb daughter made her appearance at her Ashtons Green Drive residence at 10:45 am.
Then at 7:55 pm, Alethea Warburton from Upland Road in Grange Park gave birth to a 6lb 12oz daughter.
Also giving birth on New Year's Day were Ann Moss of Rainhill and Elizabeth Naylor of Crank.
Both had boys at Whiston and Billinge hospitals, respectively, that were being called Philip.
There were no New Year babies at Cowley Hill Hospital with its matron saying: "It is most unusual. It's the first year we haven't had any, and I've been here 20 years. Last year 957 babies were born here, and I think there were three on New Year's Day."
The Reporter also described how Shaun Lavelle had been recommended for a bravery award.
The 15-year-old from Millom Grove in Grange Park had rescued 35-year-old William Hart from his blazing flat.
"He saved my life", said Mr Hart. "I know that if Shaun hadn't seen me and dragged me outside I wouldn't be here now. He did a grand job and I can't thank him enough."
It had been a month earlier that the boy and some of his neighbours had spotted smoke coming from the burning flat.
After getting no answer after banging on the door, Shaun broke the door open and despite the heat and smoke went inside. Neighbours helped keep the door open while William Hart was dragged out.
Now St Helens Chief Fire Officer, George Wilson, had recommended that Shaun receive an award from the Society for the Protection of Life from Fire.
The lead story in the Reporter was that Lennons of St Helens were banning Distillers' drink products from their 30 supermarkets and 50 off-licences in a bid to get better compensation for thalidomide victims.
The need for care in the community instead of in hospital was slowly gaining ground.
This week the Reporter described how Alan Collinson, the St Helens Road Safety Officer, had been at Rainhill Hospital giving patients road safety lessons.
Many inmates had been in the institution for a very long time but were expecting to be soon discharged.
However, the roads had been far less busy when they'd been admitted as Mr Collinson explained:
"With the changing scene on our roads, a patient going out for the first time in many years can find himself in another world. These lessons should prove considerably helpful to them."
The Reporter also warned of an impending crisis in school provision in parts of St Helens, writing:
"Toddlers may have to travel to schools miles from their homes in an area, straining under a baby boom."
The district where schools could not be built and expanded fast enough to cope with rising populations was the New Street area of Sutton, along with Sutton Manor.
Young families moving onto newly built estates were the cause of the problem. In January 1969, Sutton Manor Primary had 274 pupils – but the Forest Road school now had 500 children on its books.
Similarly, St Theresa's RC School in Sutton Manor had almost doubled its roll call – increasing from 293 pupils in 1969 to 500 in 1972.
Sherdley Primary in Mill Lane in Sutton had only opened in September 1971 providing 320 badly needed new places.
But it had now added a new infants department, which would soon bring its register up to 560 children.
Further relief was expected from a new primary school that was going to be built in Eaves Lane next year.
But Frank Yates of the Education Department felt that they were only treading water:
"A lot of St. Helens people have moved out to Sutton from redevelopment areas in the centre of town and a considerable number have arrived from other authorities, mainly Liverpool. These families have young children. The problem is finding places for four-and-a-half to seven-year-olds.
"Every child on a school waiting list was taken in yesterday [at the start of the new term]. But we might be so pressed that we might have to temporarily transfer children to other parts of the town."
As a contingency measure the St Helens Education Department had already given the go-ahead in principle for a daily bus service to take 4 to 7 year olds to schools nearer the centre of town.
Roy and Christine Speakman were featured in the Reporter complaining about the Manweb engineers that came to fix their central heating system.
For instead of turning the heat on inside their Sutton home, the men knocked it out of action and caused a fire in a switchbox.
'Wedding Bells and Beautiful Brides' was the title of an advertising feature in the Reporter aimed at those planning to get hitched.
The report began: "Something like 400,000 people get married each year in the United Kingdom, roughly one in 30 for every member of the population. So much for the permissive society!"
The advertisers included J. Brunskill And Associates who claimed to be "the town's leading wedding photographers", now based in the YMCA Buildings in North Road, opposite the Capitol.
Barker's – "Your Interflora florist" – were promoting their wedding flowers with premises in Kirkland Street, Duke Street and St Mary's Market.
Also advertising was Emmet's Taxi Service of Corporation Street – "Cars for all occasions" – who was offering to provide wedding cars and mini-buses.
And Pimblett's College Bakery who said: "People come from far and wide for their individually designed wedding cakes."
The Grimethorpe Colliery Band performed at the Theatre Royal in St Helens on the 5th. When the ensemble came to play in Corporation Street, Grimethorpe Colliery still existed – but it would close in 1993.
From the 7th the ABC Savoy in Bridge Street began a week's screening of what they called "The screen sensation of 1972". That was Marlon Brando in 'The Godfather'.
And at the Capitol cinema, a Hayley Mills and Hywel Bennett film called 'Endless Night' that was based on Agatha Christie's crime novel was shown.
On the 8th Tranmere Rovers player-manager and ex-Liverpool star Ron Yeats handed over a mini-bus to the St Helens and District Association for Spina Bifida (now called Shine) on behalf of car workers at Ellesmere Port.
The men worked on the Viva assembly line at Vauxhall's plant and had raised over £1,100 to pay for the bus.
The car workers had been swamped by 450 applications from all over the North of England from persons and organisations wanting the mini-bus.
But they decided that the St Helens Spina Bifida group – that catered for 34 children aged between six months and 12 years – was the most needy of them.
The secretary of the association, Mrs N. Maddocks of Warrington Road, Rainhill, told the Echo:
"This gift is absolutely wonderful. We are thrilled to bits, because it opens up a new life for our children. Now we will be able to take them to school in the bus, on outings and on holidays."
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the hunt for the Fleet Lane dog sadist, Whiston Council's rebel school milk scheme begins, the muddy state of Monastery Road and the head of Central Secondary declares a new car park a danger to his pupils.