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.
Taylor Park summary

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (21st - 27th NOVEMBER 1972)

This week's many stories include the successful letting of units within St Helens' new shopping centre, the Gravy Train hits the buffers, the dog called Blue that was set to protect Taylor Park from vandals, a veteran St Helens publican pulls his last pint, the St Helens food shops that had poor hygiene practices, the death of a St Helens ice-cream maker and plans to install an illuminated cross on Rainford Church are rejected.
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Yehudi Menuhin and Hephzibah summary

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (14th - 20th NOVEMBER 1972)

This week's stories include the 280 million-year-old fossils that were unearthed in College Street, the miracle boy returns to Carr Mill school, violinist Yehudi Menuhin performs in St Helens, the big animal show taking place in Parr, Whiston Council's plans for free school milk, the opening of temporary car parks in St Helens for Christmas and the PR man wanted by Pilkingtons to work in St Helens – but to live outside.
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Green Shield Stamps summary

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (7th - 13th NOVEMBER 1972)

This week's stories include plans to defeat vandals at Sherdley Park's golf course, the Gamble's record library converts to stereo, the lucrative idea by a UGB furnaceman, the Helena House Christmas grotto opens for business, plans are announced to rebuild Whiston Hospital one bit at a time, the insane vandalism at a water pumping station and the special feature on Green Shield Stamps at St Helens petrol stations.
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Oxleys summary

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (31st OCT. - 6th NOV. 1972)

This week's stories include the new community centre for New Street, the unhappy greengrocers in Water Street who were not making any money, a call not to be a Guy Fawkes goon, the angry St Helens taxi drivers that were thinking of packing it in, a reduction in working hours for council staff, an advertising feature on the new Access card and the toppling of a 130-foot high chimney at the former Wood Pit in Haydock.
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Peter Knight  summary

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (24th - 30th OCTOBER 1972)

This week's stories include the opening of the St Mary's Market in St Helens, criticism of the Corporation rubbish dump in Chester Lane, a magistrate criticises a vendetta between Parr youths and the police, the council house tenants refusing to pay a rent increase, the Billinge vicar that criticised the village's adults and the debate over how long St Helens schoolchildren should be allowed to work out of school.
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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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