FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK 20 - 26 APRIL 1976
This week's many stories include the Reporter's remarkable £6 package deal for Wembley, the dangerous walk to school for Eccleston children, the first visitors to the town's Sunray home in Abergele, the demolition of the historic Congregational Church and the Railway Hotel in Moss Bank gets a new image and a new name.
We begin on the 21st when the Dubliners (pictured above) performed at the St Helens Theatre Royal. Relations had improved since 1971 when the Irish folk band was controversially "banned" from Corporation Street. Then the theatre's manager, James Lovelace, had asked the Dubliners not to perform any Irish rebel songs. However, the group refused to bow to what they saw as censorship and two sold-out gigs had to be cancelled.
On the 22nd what the St Helens Reporter dubbed "acrobatic burglars" broke into a newsagent's in Clock Face Road. That was because the thieves had made a hole in the roof in order to enter the premises and after dropping into the shop they got away with cigarettes, sweets and cash.
The Reporter's lead story on the 23rd was a description of how "heartless thieves" had "cleaned out" a Clock Face family's home over Easter. William and May Gill's house on the Blue Acre estate had been stripped, with only bulky items, such as beds, wardrobes and a 3-piece suite, left behind.
There were a number of stories in the Reporter about Saints forthcoming Challenge Cup final match against Widnes. The game at Wembley would take place on May 8th and the Reporter was offering a special package deal for supporters. For £6 they would receive return coach fare leaving from outside the Reporter office in College Street at 7am on the Saturday, as well as a ground ticket to watch the match. There would also be what they described as a substantial packed meal included.
The Mayor of St Helens, Peggy McNamara, also announced that win or lose at Wembley, Saints would receive a civic reception at the Town Hall on the following Sunday. And the Reporter described how 4-week-old Matthew Kenny of Coalville Road in Blackbrook would be going to Wembley dressed in Saints' colours. Upon hearing about the baby being the team's youngest supporter on the day, travel agent Stan Magowan decided to give Matthew's parents complimentary tickets for the match.
But when John and Beryl Kenny called into Ellison's Travel Agency in Westfield Street to receive the tickets, they found Saints' player John Mantle there to hand them over. Mum Beryl did not think Matthew would be too overawed by the occasion at Wembley, telling the Reporter: "He'll probably sleep through it all."
It was virtually a weekly topic in the Reporter for parents to be expressing concern over the dangers of traffic when their children attended school and calling for road safety measures to be put in place. This week the Eccleston Mere Junior and Infant Schools Parents Association were drawing attention to a stretch of road in Chapel Lane that was described as riddled with sharp bends and blind spots.
There was no pavement for over 100 yards and up to 100 schoolchildren crossed the hazardous stretch each day. Bill Geraghty told the paper: "My children have to walk on the road with traffic coming from behind them. It is very dangerous, something should be done." St Helens Council said they had made an application to Merseyside County Council for the provision of a footpath but whether they were granted the money would depend on the availability of funds.
For the last two years fundraising had taken place for the Sunray project. This was intended to provide deprived persons from St Helens with a holiday at a home in Abergele that was being renovated at a cost of £75,000. The Reporter was now able to announce that 17 elderly persons from the town had been the first to stay at the new home and eventually as many as 50 guests could be accommodated.
The Chairman of the Sunray Fund was Cllr Allan Lycett, who said: "It's been a long, drawn out, difficult project to launch. We've had extra expense with major re-construction matters, arising out of new fire precautions. Ultimately we hope it will be successful. We can breathe a sigh of relief anyway, now that the home is finished."
The Reporter also described how the Railway Hotel in Moss Bank had been given a new image during the last four years and now it had received a new name. In future the pub would be called The Moss Bank and landlord Norman Smith explained the thinking behind the change: "There used to be a railway not far away from the pub – hence the old title. Now there has been such modernisation both inside and out, that the brewery considered it essential to give it a new name. The Moss Bank was the obvious choice."
When Norman and his wife Doris had taken over the Railway Hotel in 1972 there was only a bar, two small rooms and small living accommodation upstairs. Now as The Moss Bank there was more space for customers with the creation of a lounge and the couple's own living quarters had been vastly improved. A spacious car park had also been built outside.
In a feature on fashion in the Reporter, Mary Hinds wrote: "Whatever you might hear about the country's desperate financial state, one look around our crowded town centres seems to show there is little let-up in spending. Nor is it just essentials like food and other basics which we're buying so eagerly. I am particularly amazed at the growing number of clothes shops – for both men and women – which seem to be doing so well."
At the children's Saturday morning matinee held on the 24th at the Capitol Cinema, a knobbly knees contest took place. It was one of a number of events held over a period of a month to mark the 25th anniversary of the Children's Film Foundation. Parents would also be able to watch films on Saturday mornings for free as long as a child accompanied them.
For a week from Sunday 25th, 'The Happy Hooker' starring Lynn Redgrave replaced 'The Towering Inferno' at the Capitol Cinema with 'Gone With The Wind' replacing 'The Jungle Book' at the ABC Savoy.
And finally, on the 26th the Liverpool Echo wrote that one of the most familiar buildings in St Helens town centre would disappear next week as part of the town centre redevelopment scheme. The old Congregational Church in Ormskirk Street was due to be demolished despite an unsuccessful bid by St Helens Civic Society to save it.
Former society chairman Brian Wilson told the Echo: "There has been a church on the site since 1710. The second chapel was built in 1826, with extensions in 1865 and 1889. We view the demolition with regret, and we will be sad to see the church go."
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the campaign of terror against Alex Murphy's mum, the green light is given for the major Parr Street / Higher Parr Street road scheme, Pilks' land swap with UGB and the St Helens May Day demonstration.
On the 22nd what the St Helens Reporter dubbed "acrobatic burglars" broke into a newsagent's in Clock Face Road. That was because the thieves had made a hole in the roof in order to enter the premises and after dropping into the shop they got away with cigarettes, sweets and cash.
The Reporter's lead story on the 23rd was a description of how "heartless thieves" had "cleaned out" a Clock Face family's home over Easter. William and May Gill's house on the Blue Acre estate had been stripped, with only bulky items, such as beds, wardrobes and a 3-piece suite, left behind.
There were a number of stories in the Reporter about Saints forthcoming Challenge Cup final match against Widnes. The game at Wembley would take place on May 8th and the Reporter was offering a special package deal for supporters. For £6 they would receive return coach fare leaving from outside the Reporter office in College Street at 7am on the Saturday, as well as a ground ticket to watch the match. There would also be what they described as a substantial packed meal included.
The Mayor of St Helens, Peggy McNamara, also announced that win or lose at Wembley, Saints would receive a civic reception at the Town Hall on the following Sunday. And the Reporter described how 4-week-old Matthew Kenny of Coalville Road in Blackbrook would be going to Wembley dressed in Saints' colours. Upon hearing about the baby being the team's youngest supporter on the day, travel agent Stan Magowan decided to give Matthew's parents complimentary tickets for the match.
But when John and Beryl Kenny called into Ellison's Travel Agency in Westfield Street to receive the tickets, they found Saints' player John Mantle there to hand them over. Mum Beryl did not think Matthew would be too overawed by the occasion at Wembley, telling the Reporter: "He'll probably sleep through it all."
It was virtually a weekly topic in the Reporter for parents to be expressing concern over the dangers of traffic when their children attended school and calling for road safety measures to be put in place. This week the Eccleston Mere Junior and Infant Schools Parents Association were drawing attention to a stretch of road in Chapel Lane that was described as riddled with sharp bends and blind spots.
There was no pavement for over 100 yards and up to 100 schoolchildren crossed the hazardous stretch each day. Bill Geraghty told the paper: "My children have to walk on the road with traffic coming from behind them. It is very dangerous, something should be done." St Helens Council said they had made an application to Merseyside County Council for the provision of a footpath but whether they were granted the money would depend on the availability of funds.
For the last two years fundraising had taken place for the Sunray project. This was intended to provide deprived persons from St Helens with a holiday at a home in Abergele that was being renovated at a cost of £75,000. The Reporter was now able to announce that 17 elderly persons from the town had been the first to stay at the new home and eventually as many as 50 guests could be accommodated.
The Chairman of the Sunray Fund was Cllr Allan Lycett, who said: "It's been a long, drawn out, difficult project to launch. We've had extra expense with major re-construction matters, arising out of new fire precautions. Ultimately we hope it will be successful. We can breathe a sigh of relief anyway, now that the home is finished."
The Reporter also described how the Railway Hotel in Moss Bank had been given a new image during the last four years and now it had received a new name. In future the pub would be called The Moss Bank and landlord Norman Smith explained the thinking behind the change: "There used to be a railway not far away from the pub – hence the old title. Now there has been such modernisation both inside and out, that the brewery considered it essential to give it a new name. The Moss Bank was the obvious choice."
When Norman and his wife Doris had taken over the Railway Hotel in 1972 there was only a bar, two small rooms and small living accommodation upstairs. Now as The Moss Bank there was more space for customers with the creation of a lounge and the couple's own living quarters had been vastly improved. A spacious car park had also been built outside.
In a feature on fashion in the Reporter, Mary Hinds wrote: "Whatever you might hear about the country's desperate financial state, one look around our crowded town centres seems to show there is little let-up in spending. Nor is it just essentials like food and other basics which we're buying so eagerly. I am particularly amazed at the growing number of clothes shops – for both men and women – which seem to be doing so well."
For a week from Sunday 25th, 'The Happy Hooker' starring Lynn Redgrave replaced 'The Towering Inferno' at the Capitol Cinema with 'Gone With The Wind' replacing 'The Jungle Book' at the ABC Savoy.
And finally, on the 26th the Liverpool Echo wrote that one of the most familiar buildings in St Helens town centre would disappear next week as part of the town centre redevelopment scheme. The old Congregational Church in Ormskirk Street was due to be demolished despite an unsuccessful bid by St Helens Civic Society to save it.
Former society chairman Brian Wilson told the Echo: "There has been a church on the site since 1710. The second chapel was built in 1826, with extensions in 1865 and 1889. We view the demolition with regret, and we will be sad to see the church go."
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the campaign of terror against Alex Murphy's mum, the green light is given for the major Parr Street / Higher Parr Street road scheme, Pilks' land swap with UGB and the St Helens May Day demonstration.
This week's many stories include the Reporter's remarkable £6 package deal for Wembley, the dangerous walk to school for Eccleston children, the first visitors to the town's Sunray home in Abergele, the demolition of the historic Congregational Church and the Railway Hotel in Moss Bank gets a new image and a new name.
We begin on the 21st when the Dubliners (pictured above) performed at the St Helens Theatre Royal. Relations had improved since 1971 when the Irish folk band was controversially "banned" from Corporation Street.
Then the theatre's manager, James Lovelace, had asked the Dubliners not to perform any Irish rebel songs.
However, the group refused to bow to what they saw as censorship and two sold-out gigs had to be cancelled.
On the 22nd what the St Helens Reporter dubbed "acrobatic burglars" broke into a newsagent's in Clock Face Road.
That was because the thieves had made a hole in the roof in order to enter the premises and after dropping into the shop they got away with cigarettes, sweets and cash.
The Reporter's lead story on the 23rd was a description of how "heartless thieves" had "cleaned out" a Clock Face family's home over Easter.
William and May Gill's house on the Blue Acre estate had been stripped, with only bulky items, such as beds, wardrobes and a 3-piece suite, left behind.
There were a number of stories in the Reporter about Saints forthcoming Challenge Cup final match against Widnes.
The game at Wembley would take place on May 8th and the Reporter was offering a special package deal for supporters.
For £6 they would receive return coach fare leaving from outside the Reporter office in College Street at 7am on the Saturday, as well as a ground ticket to watch the match.
There would also be what they described as a substantial packed meal included.
The Mayor of St Helens, Peggy McNamara, also announced that win or lose at Wembley, Saints would receive a civic reception at the Town Hall on the following Sunday.
And the Reporter described how 4-week-old Matthew Kenny of Coalville Road in Blackbrook would be going to Wembley dressed in Saints' colours.
Upon hearing about the baby being the team's youngest supporter on the day, travel agent Stan Magowan decided to give Matthew's parents complimentary tickets for the match.
But when John and Beryl Kenny called into Ellison's Travel Agency in Westfield Street to receive the tickets, they found Saints' player John Mantle there to hand them over.
Mum Beryl did not think Matthew would be too overawed by the occasion at Wembley, telling the Reporter: "He'll probably sleep through it all."
It was virtually a weekly topic in the Reporter for parents to be expressing concern over the dangers of traffic when their children attended school and calling for road safety measures to be put in place.
This week the Eccleston Mere Junior and Infant Schools Parents Association were drawing attention to a stretch of road in Chapel Lane that was described as riddled with sharp bends and blind spots.
There was no pavement for over 100 yards and up to 100 schoolchildren crossed the hazardous stretch each day.
Bill Geraghty told the paper: "My children have to walk on the road with traffic coming from behind them. It is very dangerous, something should be done."
St Helens Council said they had made an application to Merseyside County Council for the provision of a footpath but whether they were granted the money would depend on the availability of funds.
For the last two years fundraising had taken place for the Sunray project.
This was intended to provide deprived persons from St Helens with a holiday at a home in Abergele that was being renovated at a cost of £75,000.
The Reporter was now able to announce that 17 elderly persons from the town had been the first to stay at the new home and eventually as many as 50 guests could be accommodated.
The Chairman of the Sunray Fund was Cllr Allan Lycett, who said:
"It's been a long, drawn out, difficult project to launch. We've had extra expense with major re-construction matters, arising out of new fire precautions. Ultimately we hope it will be successful. We can breathe a sigh of relief anyway, now that the home is finished."
The Reporter also described how the Railway Hotel in Moss Bank had been given a new image during the last four years and now it had received a new name.
In future the pub would be called The Moss Bank and landlord Norman Smith explained the thinking behind the change:
"There used to be a railway not far away from the pub – hence the old title. Now there has been such modernisation both inside and out, that the brewery considered it essential to give it a new name. The Moss Bank was the obvious choice."
When Norman and his wife Doris had taken over the Railway Hotel in 1972 there was only a bar, two small rooms and small living accommodation upstairs.
Now as The Moss Bank there was more space for customers with the creation of a lounge and the couple's own living quarters had been vastly improved. A spacious car park had also been built outside.
In a feature on fashion in the Reporter, Mary Hinds wrote:
"Whatever you might hear about the country's desperate financial state, one look around our crowded town centres seems to show there is little let-up in spending.
"Nor is it just essentials like food and other basics which we're buying so eagerly.
"I am particularly amazed at the growing number of clothes shops – for both men and women – which seem to be doing so well."
At the children's Saturday morning matinee held on the 24th at the Capitol Cinema, a knobbly knees contest took place.
It was one of a number of events held over a period of a month to mark the 25th anniversary of the Children's Film Foundation.
Parents would also be able to watch films on Saturday mornings for free as long as a child accompanied them.
For a week from Sunday 25th, 'The Happy Hooker' starring Lynn Redgrave replaced 'The Towering Inferno' at the Capitol Cinema with 'Gone With The Wind' replacing 'The Jungle Book' at the ABC Savoy.
And finally, on the 26th the Liverpool Echo wrote that one of the most familiar buildings in St Helens town centre would disappear next week as part of the town centre redevelopment scheme.
The old Congregational Church in Ormskirk Street was due to be demolished despite an unsuccessful bid by St Helens Civic Society to save it.
Former society chairman Brian Wilson told the Echo: "There has been a church on the site since 1710. The second chapel was built in 1826, with extensions in 1865 and 1889. We view the demolition with regret, and we will be sad to see the church go."
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the campaign of terror against Alex Murphy's mum, the green light is given for the major Parr Street / Higher Parr Street road scheme, Pilks' land swap with UGB and the St Helens May Day demonstration.
Then the theatre's manager, James Lovelace, had asked the Dubliners not to perform any Irish rebel songs.
However, the group refused to bow to what they saw as censorship and two sold-out gigs had to be cancelled.
On the 22nd what the St Helens Reporter dubbed "acrobatic burglars" broke into a newsagent's in Clock Face Road.
That was because the thieves had made a hole in the roof in order to enter the premises and after dropping into the shop they got away with cigarettes, sweets and cash.
The Reporter's lead story on the 23rd was a description of how "heartless thieves" had "cleaned out" a Clock Face family's home over Easter.
William and May Gill's house on the Blue Acre estate had been stripped, with only bulky items, such as beds, wardrobes and a 3-piece suite, left behind.
There were a number of stories in the Reporter about Saints forthcoming Challenge Cup final match against Widnes.
The game at Wembley would take place on May 8th and the Reporter was offering a special package deal for supporters.
For £6 they would receive return coach fare leaving from outside the Reporter office in College Street at 7am on the Saturday, as well as a ground ticket to watch the match.
There would also be what they described as a substantial packed meal included.
The Mayor of St Helens, Peggy McNamara, also announced that win or lose at Wembley, Saints would receive a civic reception at the Town Hall on the following Sunday.
And the Reporter described how 4-week-old Matthew Kenny of Coalville Road in Blackbrook would be going to Wembley dressed in Saints' colours.
Upon hearing about the baby being the team's youngest supporter on the day, travel agent Stan Magowan decided to give Matthew's parents complimentary tickets for the match.
But when John and Beryl Kenny called into Ellison's Travel Agency in Westfield Street to receive the tickets, they found Saints' player John Mantle there to hand them over.
Mum Beryl did not think Matthew would be too overawed by the occasion at Wembley, telling the Reporter: "He'll probably sleep through it all."
It was virtually a weekly topic in the Reporter for parents to be expressing concern over the dangers of traffic when their children attended school and calling for road safety measures to be put in place.
This week the Eccleston Mere Junior and Infant Schools Parents Association were drawing attention to a stretch of road in Chapel Lane that was described as riddled with sharp bends and blind spots.
There was no pavement for over 100 yards and up to 100 schoolchildren crossed the hazardous stretch each day.
Bill Geraghty told the paper: "My children have to walk on the road with traffic coming from behind them. It is very dangerous, something should be done."
St Helens Council said they had made an application to Merseyside County Council for the provision of a footpath but whether they were granted the money would depend on the availability of funds.
For the last two years fundraising had taken place for the Sunray project.
This was intended to provide deprived persons from St Helens with a holiday at a home in Abergele that was being renovated at a cost of £75,000.
The Reporter was now able to announce that 17 elderly persons from the town had been the first to stay at the new home and eventually as many as 50 guests could be accommodated.
The Chairman of the Sunray Fund was Cllr Allan Lycett, who said:
"It's been a long, drawn out, difficult project to launch. We've had extra expense with major re-construction matters, arising out of new fire precautions. Ultimately we hope it will be successful. We can breathe a sigh of relief anyway, now that the home is finished."
The Reporter also described how the Railway Hotel in Moss Bank had been given a new image during the last four years and now it had received a new name.
In future the pub would be called The Moss Bank and landlord Norman Smith explained the thinking behind the change:
"There used to be a railway not far away from the pub – hence the old title. Now there has been such modernisation both inside and out, that the brewery considered it essential to give it a new name. The Moss Bank was the obvious choice."
When Norman and his wife Doris had taken over the Railway Hotel in 1972 there was only a bar, two small rooms and small living accommodation upstairs.
Now as The Moss Bank there was more space for customers with the creation of a lounge and the couple's own living quarters had been vastly improved. A spacious car park had also been built outside.
In a feature on fashion in the Reporter, Mary Hinds wrote:
"Whatever you might hear about the country's desperate financial state, one look around our crowded town centres seems to show there is little let-up in spending.
"Nor is it just essentials like food and other basics which we're buying so eagerly.
"I am particularly amazed at the growing number of clothes shops – for both men and women – which seem to be doing so well."
It was one of a number of events held over a period of a month to mark the 25th anniversary of the Children's Film Foundation.
Parents would also be able to watch films on Saturday mornings for free as long as a child accompanied them.
For a week from Sunday 25th, 'The Happy Hooker' starring Lynn Redgrave replaced 'The Towering Inferno' at the Capitol Cinema with 'Gone With The Wind' replacing 'The Jungle Book' at the ABC Savoy.
And finally, on the 26th the Liverpool Echo wrote that one of the most familiar buildings in St Helens town centre would disappear next week as part of the town centre redevelopment scheme.
The old Congregational Church in Ormskirk Street was due to be demolished despite an unsuccessful bid by St Helens Civic Society to save it.
Former society chairman Brian Wilson told the Echo: "There has been a church on the site since 1710. The second chapel was built in 1826, with extensions in 1865 and 1889. We view the demolition with regret, and we will be sad to see the church go."
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the campaign of terror against Alex Murphy's mum, the green light is given for the major Parr Street / Higher Parr Street road scheme, Pilks' land swap with UGB and the St Helens May Day demonstration.