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.
Southern Star

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (26th August - 1st Sept. 1969)

This week's stories include a strange washing machine theft in Haydock, an explosion at the British Sidac plant in Sutton Oak, criticisms of St Helens' doctors, an historic wedding takes place in Crank, there's condemnation of the St Helens Show's beer prices, a donkey is wanted at the Theatre Royal and why a Marks and Spencer Evening at a church hall in Billinge led to a visit from a weights and measures inspector.
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Corbett Lee Hooker

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (19th - 25th August 1969)

This week's many stories include the inaugural St Helens Show in Sherdley Park, the new system of doctors' appointments is criticised by patients, a Clock Face man's new invention to prevent oil slicks, the Trustee Savings Bank's "self-service electronic cash dispenser", the persons of "moronic temperament" at the Pilkington Gala, the Theatre Royal's new season of shows and it's the end of an era in the fruit trade.
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Sherdley Park houses

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (12th - 18th August 1969)

This week's stories include the Clock Face Road residents that were living in fear of an accident, the death of a pioneering Duke Street record dealer, a one-eyed puppy called Mouse needs a home, there's a 'Back to School' feature in the Reporter, a fire at Melia's supermarket in Bridge Street, the strange Prescot tax disc prosecution and the Sherdley Park homes that could be bought for £180 down and a fiver a week.
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Nicholas Wilding

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (5th - 11th August 1969)

This week's stories include the gangs of marauding dogs that roamed St Helens' parks, Pilkington Glass Museum shows off its new additions spanning 2,500 years, a 49-year-old Lowe House priest quits the priesthood to marry a 19-year-old woman, there's anger at proposed bus cuts in Haydock, St Helens is dubbed the backside of the world and the final of Pilkington's National Gala Girls contest takes place.
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Mormons

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (29th July - 4th August 1969)

This week's stories include the hooligans in St Peter's churchyard in Parr, the Reginald Road householders who burnt their rates demands in protest at a gypsy encampment, a new driving test centre off Lord Street, an end to the hosepipe ban in St Helens, the Mormons' plans to build a chapel in Four Acre, there's a temporary reprieve for town centre parking charges and a claim that Shakespeare performed at Bold Hall.
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Mill Dam

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (22nd - 28th July 1969)

This week's stories include good news for the people of Parr, a St Helens man's involvement with Apollo 11 is revealed, water is pumped into the dry Sutton Mill Dam, there's an increase in false fire alarms, new homes for the elderly in Rainford, a St Helens' couple run away to Gretna Green, the Ministry of Defence give up Billinge Beacon and a new summer scheme for kids is held in centres in Tolver Street and Parr.
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Joseph Woods

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (15th - 21st July 1969)

This week's stories include Phythians Travel wanting to take their customers to the Moon (really!), bravery awards are handed out at the Town Hall, Cowley Boys speech day takes place, the collapse of part of a road leads to a hosepipe ban in the town, Saints chairman warns of the threat from live TV, the dawn of the Rainford Industrial Estate and nine teachers retire as the St Helens' schools break up for the summer.
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Capitol cinema St Helens

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (8th - 14th July 1969)

This week's stories include a protest march against plans to scrap Parr baths, the low level of arts spending in St Helens, St Julie's Church in Eccleston is consecrated, what St Helens folk thought of the ha’penny's demise, the lorry drivers that were using the Pewfall hedgerows to relieve themselves, the Pilkington Gala Girls and the council tenants without a television that still had to pay for a wired service.
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Liverpool Echo article

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (1st - 7th July 1969)

This week's stories include a further delay to the building of Parr Baths, a possible solution to the dilemma of the Reginald Road "gipsies", a tramline collector comes to Carlton Street and makes an historic find, an 81-year-old gives his verdict on how St Helens had changed, why elderly couples won't move to Four Acre and teachers at the axed St Mary's Secondary School react with fury to comments made about them.
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Plaza St Helens

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (24th - 30th June 1969)

This week's stories include the closure of St Mary's Secondary School, Coronation Street stars make personal appearances at Rothery Records, Saints propose summer rugby, the special agents at St Mark's children's mission, girls from Merton Bank Junior School visit Ken Dodd, a Sutton boy's bravery is rewarded, there's a table tennis marathon in Parr and Little Joe the mechanical black stocking salesman at the Savoy.
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FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (17th - 23rd June 1969)

This week's stories include the dog that got stuck in a grid in Fleet Lane, claims that a Haydock tip was causing mystery illnesses in children, complaints of teenage hooliganism in Sutton Heath play areas, St. Anne's church is "torn apart" by subsidence, Dixons Travel of Baldwin Street describes a "new phenomena", a Billinge woman is the Lancashire Miners Gala Queen and the award-winning swimmers at Crank School.
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