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.
Prince of Wales summary

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (9th - 15th JANUARY 1973)

This week's many stories include the hunt for the Fleet Lane sadist that was torturing dogs, the boys that set fire to church buildings, Whiston Council's rebel school milk scheme begins, the head of Central Secondary declares the new Water Street car park a danger to his pupils, the muddy state of Monastery Road in Sutton and the Blackbrook club with modern facilities – but with no gas, electricity or water supplies.
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Lennons summary

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (2nd - 8th JANUARY 1973)

This week's stories include the young Grange Park blaze hero, the New Year Euro-tot babies born in St Helens, the road safety lessons for longstanding Rainhill Hospital patients, a St Helens council U-turn over a free vasectomy service, the race against time to alleviate school shortages in Sutton and Sutton Manor and Lennons of St Helens ban Distillers' drink products from their supermarkets and their off-licences.
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Nevins summary

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (26th DEC. 1972 - 1st JAN. 1973)

This week's stories include the new Lewis's store in St Helens, the scandal of the St Helens workhouse school, complaints over undelivered Christmas mail, the people that took their lives in their hands crossing Dragon Lane, a call for community service to be introduced through park vandalism in St Helens, the Reporter's New Year baby contest and the old wives' tales hindering the take-up of a distemper vaccine.
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Robins Lane summary

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

This week's stories include the police raid on a British Legion club, the Parr jockey that had broken his hoodoo, Eccleston's new library opens on Broadway, the bumper Christmas cash sales in the shops, the expelled Ugandan Asians that praised their treatment in St Helens, the watchdog women in Rainford that monitored food prices for old age pensioners and the pre-Christmas entertainment that was on offer in St Helens.
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Sherdley Hall summary

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

This week's fourteen stories include the accident at a Thatto Heath school that led to a boy's death, the distemper epidemic that was sweeping St Helens, the new device that was saving many local miners' lives, the dangerous Sherdley Hall Farm fire, the switching on of the town's Christmas lights, Radio Merseyside excitedly embraces medium wave and the Reporter tells the truth about the tax-collecting VAT ogres.
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Pilkington head office summary

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

This week's many stories include the mysterious brown fog that descended on Parr, the Dean of St Helens criticises the Corporation's plans for a vasectomy service, the new homes off Chain Lane, the RSPCA's campaign against the laying of illegal traps, a "Christmas In Rainford" feature in the Reporter, the fire at the derelict school in York Street and St Helens Round Table takes Father Christmas round the town.
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Candlewick Green summary

FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (28th NOV. - 4th DEC. 1972)

This week's stories include the Sutton vicar's war on porn, the 10-year-old Rainford boy's proposals for a children's zoo, a call to clean up Cowley Hill, Redgate Boys Silver Band open their new headquarters, Parr Tenants Association accuse council rent collectors of a con trick, Candlewick Green wins Opportunity Knocks and Eccleston councillors criticise a decision to use the old library in Kiln Lane as a youth centre.
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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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