St Helens History This Week

Bringing History to Life from 50, 100 and 150 Years Ago!

Bringing History to Life from 50, 100 and 150 Years Ago!

ST HELENS 50 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
This page is a series of weekly articles that describe llfe in the Lancashire town in the 1970s and which are updated every Sunday morning.
50 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
This page is a series of weekly articles that describe llfe in St Helens in Lancashire in the 1970s and which are updated every Sunday morning.
Rainford parish church summary

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (17th - 23rd OCTOBER 1972)

This week's stories include the panic buying of bread in St Helens, the Saints coach conveying players to a match bursts into flames, a suspected arson attack on a Birchley Street adhesives firm, a Parr woman calls for councillors to get rid of the town's dirty, filthy air, an Autumn Fashion Scene feature is in the St Helens Reporter and the Vicar of Rainford gets cross over how his neon church cross was being categorised.
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Ambulance station summary

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (10th - 16th OCTOBER 1972)

This week's many stories include the new Girocheque orders for the St Helens unemployed, the St Helens Reporter calls for a clean up of the town centre, there's criticism of the early and dangerous discharging of fireworks, a complaint that the new town market complex resembled the Black Hole of Calcutta and the 27-year-wait for the names of St Helens' WW2 heroes to be added to the Victoria Square war memorial.
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Capitol cinema summary

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (3rd - 9th OCTOBER 1972)

This week's stories include Leathers' anti-pollution measures, the Capitol's all-night screenings, St Helens Council agrees to take in some expelled Ugandan Asians, the mysterious Rainford explosions, the man who said St Helens folk were a scruffy shower, St Helens Council obtains powers to evict travellers from unauthorised sites and campaigners pack the St Helens Council chambers to protest against the Fair Rents Act.
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St Bartholomew Rainhill summary

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (26th SEPT. - 2nd OCT. 1972)

This week's many stories include the ding-dong row at St Bartholomew's Church in Rainhill, the St Helens residents who described their town as terrible, foul and disgusting, the giant crane that crashed on a Liverpool Road building site, the residents of Factory Row complain about Pilks not keeping their promises, Barbara Windsor performs at the Theatre Royal and more attempts are made to save Crank’s post office.
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Church Street summary

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (19th - 25th SEPTEMBER 1972)

This week's stories include the proposed pedestrianisation of Church Street in St Helens, why the 110-year-old name of Alma Street in Peasley Cross could cost the town 150 jobs, plans begin to be made to receive expelled Ugandan Asians, new facilities are planned for the young people of Rainford and a stinging critique of Leathers Chemicals sulphuric acid factory in Sutton by the editor of the St Helens Reporter.
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Gasholder summary

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (12th - 18th SEPTEMBER 1972)

This week's stories include the closure of a longstanding haulage firm in St Helens, the militant mothers take their campaign against Leathers to the town's MP, the dangerous death crossing at Rainford Junction, the bulldozing of chemical waste heaps off Jackson Street, Alan Whalley sends up the St Helens psychedelic gasometers and the Gower Street family left with no loo because of striking council workers.
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Leathers Chemicals summary

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (5th - 11th SEPTEMBER 1972)

This week's stories include the blind Sutton Manor secretary who suffered discrimination from prospective employers, the shock closure of a Sutton pet food firm after a takeover, the petticoat battle plan to besiege Leathers chemical plant, the chimney in Sutton Manor that was a danger to children, the council house show home in Recreation Street and the gang of two hundred pickets that raided a building site in Haydock.
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Rockware Glass summary

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (29th AUG. - 4th SEPT. 1972)

This week's many stories include the blitz on Haydock's slum homes, the golf balls being pilfered in huge numbers from the new Sherdley Park driving range, the Rockware smoke emissions, the Victoria Square clean up, a retiring GP slams the loss of the doctor-patient relationship, Rainford Carnival is declared a great success and the 100 foot high Pocket Nook chimney that was having to be taken down brick by brick.
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Providence Hospital summary

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (22nd - 28th AUGUST 1972)

This week's stories include the skinhead rugby league fans that were on the rampage in St Helens, the kids' street party in Dorothy Street held in lieu of a summer holiday, the shocking wave of vandalism and violence, Rainford Carnival takes place, the builders with a heart at Billinge Hospital, the explosion at Cronton Colliery and the patients and visitors at Providence Hospital that puffed away on cigarettes.
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Bold Colliery summary

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (15th - 21st AUGUST 1972)

This week's stories include criticism of the shape of St Helens' girls legs, a 'Back to School' feature is in the St Helens Reporter, the vicar of St Mark's campaigns against the erosion of public decency on television, the Chain Lane flues dispute rolls on, Cowley boys return triumphant from their South American rugby tour and Leathers Chemicals are accused of destroying women's tights through an acid fall-out.
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Leathers summary

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (8th - 14th AUGUST 1972)

This week's stories include the new Westfield Street / Ormskirk Street one-way traffic system in St Helens, the Islands Brow road improvement scheme, the Pilkington Gala takes place at Ruskin Drive, the Dentons Green residents unhappy with trees blocking their light, there are more concerns in Sutton over Leathers chemicals plant and the Saints player refusing to play for the club because of the abuse he received.
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