FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (1st - 7th JUNE 1970)
This week's stories include a spectacular speedboat crash on Carr Mill Dam, a heatwave threatens the town's beer and water supplies, Saints' stars play cricket at Rainhill and why Billingers were up in arms over a Big Top.
We begin with the latest Pilkington news. Although the glass strike had ended after seven weeks, its repercussions were continuing to be felt. On June 1st the company confirmed that 240 jobs were being cut at Triplex in Eccleston because of a 30% drop in production through lost orders. Gerry Caughey of the unofficial Rank and File Committee then held eight hours of talks to try and get these workers redeployed but without success.
The rancour between the General and Municipal Workers Union and the Rank and File Committee again surfaced on the 2nd. Vic Feather of the TUC was scheduled to host another round of talks between the two sides in London. However the GMWU pulled out at the last minute because they said the committee had broken its undertaking to stop attacking the union. This led to a broadside on the GMWU by Gerry Caughey, who said their actions were a slap in the face for both the TUC and the glass workers of St Helens.
During the evening of the 3rd the Rank and File Committee decided to call for two token strikes at Pilkingtons. The first would take place from 6am on Monday 8th until 6am on the 9th and would be in support of those being made redundant on that day. A further 24-hour strike would take place a week later. The committee argued that there were jobs within other Pilks' factories that were available and attacked the GMWU union for condoning the company's unwillingness to redeploy them.
On the following day it was announced that the glass giant had agreed to a request from the union not to make 14 workers at Triplex redundant. Pilkingtons said their concession was through "pressure" from the GMWU. On the same day eighteen strikers appeared in court in connection with egg-throwing incidents last month at the Grove Street and Cowley Hill works.
Their solicitor asked the magistrates to bear in mind that those who threw eggs at Prime Minister Harold Wilson seemed to be immune from prosecution. In a packed courtroom, the prosecutor described the incidents as being "full of bitterness and hatred". The Bench cleared some of the men but most were found guilty and fined on average £10, plus costs.
The St Helens Reporter described on the 5th that the Rank and File Committee was planning to launch its own temporary union called the Provisional Pilkington Trade Union. They had also threatened Pilkingtons with legal action if they continued to deduct 2/6 weekly dues from former members of the GMWU who had contracted out of the union.
On the 5th the GMWU held a press conference in Liverpool to state that the effective number of employees being made redundant at Triplex was now only 90. That was because the total number of redundancies had been reduced to 190 and 100 of these were likely to be redeployed elsewhere within the company over the next few weeks.
Pilkingtons attempted to clarify the GMWU's statement on the 6th, stating that 198 employees of Triplex were still being made redundant, along with 20 other maintenance workers. They were all being allowed to leave their jobs early but would be paid for their notice period and would be able to apply for vacancies in other Pilkington factories. The Liverpool Echo reported that these somewhat conflicting statements were creating some confusion among workers.
And now the rest of this week's news… On the 2nd St Helens Art Club began their 40th annual exhibition at Central Library in the Gamble Institute with 89 exhibits on show.
Geoffrey Edwards had a spectacular escape on Carr Mill Dam on the 3rd. The 32-year-old's speedboat somersaulted at 90mph, blasting him feet first through its fibreglass bottom. The £1,500 catamaran was undergoing speed trials when it soared into the air and flipped backwards through a 30-foot arc. Donald Campbell's Bluebird had crashed on Coniston Water in a similar way in 1967. Bob Gray from Moss Bank and Neil Whalley from Billinge raced out in a speedboat and hauled the unconscious man out of the water. Mr Edwards escaped with bruised legs and described the accident as a "spectacular and horrifying incident".
Freddie and the Dreamers were at the Theatre Royal for three evenings from the 4th. According to Wikipedia the band had a total of 37 members before it finally broke up in 2000.
This week St Helens was basking in the hottest first week of June in ten years leading to worries over beer and water shortages. The Reporter described on the 5th that a lightning strike at the Walker Cain brewery in Warrington had left about 20 pubs in St Helens with rock bottom stocks. Gladys Lawrence of the Woodlands Hotel in Woodlands Road was only opening between 8pm and 10:30pm and told the paper that she expected to have run out of beer by the weekend.
A six-week-long drought was also threatening water supplies and it was expected that a ban on garden hoses and car washing would be introduced next week. A water official said: "We are just about making ends meet, but the position is critical. Consumption has gone up as much as half a million gallons a day."
The Reporter also wrote about a petition signed by 100 Billingers over the site of a circus: "The residents of Royden Road are wild about their new neighbours – animals, clowns and rodeo riders. For a circus is moving in on Sunday, and the Big Top could be pitched on a site only ten yards from the back of their homes."
Mrs Valda Davies told the Reporter that the circus had initially applied to use a piece of council land adjoining the site but had been refused permission: "They were refused because they left too much mess last time – and now they’ve been passed on to us." Mrs Davies was worried about the noise and the prospect of "undesirable characters" on her doorstep and her next-door neighbour Anne Brown echoed her concerns:
"Our back room windows will be right next to the circus", she said. "If they pitch the marquee on the flattest part of the land, they will be no more than 10 yards from our houses." Billinge Council said that the Royden Road site was not council land and so there was nothing they could do to stop the circus.
Landlord Hughie Molyneux of the Lord Nelson was pictured in 'Whalley's World' in the Reporter holding two fingers up to the camera! However he was not telling the photographer to go away Harvey Smith-style but celebrating a wartime brew in the style of Churchill's "V for victory". The bottle of ale was specially made by Greenall Whitley at the end of WW2 and presented to their landlords as a victory brew. The landlord of the College Street pub kept the beer on show in a glass cabinet under lock and key. Asked if he had been tempted to try it, Hughie said: "Never. It's priceless."
On the 5th the Liverpool Echo reported that professional boxing was set to return to St Helens after a gap of 30 years. Peter Fletcher who lived in the town said he had applied for a promoter's licence and intended to stage a show at the end of July at the Sands Club in Carr Mill. The gymnasium owner already managed two Nigerian boxers in Victor Paul and Ray Hassan and a recent rule change meant a manager could now be granted a licence to promote fights.
On the 6th Sutton Harriers (some members pictured above) won the Daily Post and Echo Trophy and the 'B' Team award in the Wallasey Sports Festival road relay race at Egremont. Peter Roberts won the prize for the fastest run of the afternoon, with other members of the St Helens team being Brian Renshall, Rob Barlow and Steve James.
The St. Julie Gala and Donkey Derby was held on the same day on the UGB sports field at Bobbys Lane in Eccleston. The admission price was 2 shillings and usually around 5,000 people would attend. This was the tenth annual fete organised by the church with the money raised going towards its building fund. All previous events had been called the 'Blessed Julie Gala' but the French religious leader Julie Billiart – from which the church in Howards Lane took its name – had now been canonised.
It must have pleasant in the sun in Victoria Park on Sunday the 7th listening to Redgate Boys Silver Band performing in a special enclosure. Or watching Saints' stars play cricket. Yes you read that correctly, the rugby league players at Knowsley Road were turning their hands to bat and ball!
Last October arsonists had burned down Rainhill Cricket Club's clubhouse and so Frank Barrow, Kel Coslett, Graham Rees, Tony Karalious, Billy Benyon, John Mantle, Les Jones, Alan Whittle, Eric Chisnall, Jeff Heaton, Eric Prescott and Frank Wilson played a game of cricket against Rainhill CC to raise funds for a new pavilion. As with county sides playing cricket on the Sabbath, Rainhill CC was not allowed to charge for admission but got around the rule by making entry by programme only, which cost 2/6.
Next week's stories will include the candidates for the General Election, a rat plague in Haydock, a brave rescue of a drowning man in Carr Mill dam, bad news for Sunday sport campaigners and Auntie Annie leaves her Gerards Bridge shop after 42 years.
We begin with the latest Pilkington news. Although the glass strike had ended after seven weeks, its repercussions were continuing to be felt. On June 1st the company confirmed that 240 jobs were being cut at Triplex in Eccleston because of a 30% drop in production through lost orders. Gerry Caughey of the unofficial Rank and File Committee then held eight hours of talks to try and get these workers redeployed but without success.
The rancour between the General and Municipal Workers Union and the Rank and File Committee again surfaced on the 2nd. Vic Feather of the TUC was scheduled to host another round of talks between the two sides in London. However the GMWU pulled out at the last minute because they said the committee had broken its undertaking to stop attacking the union. This led to a broadside on the GMWU by Gerry Caughey, who said their actions were a slap in the face for both the TUC and the glass workers of St Helens.
During the evening of the 3rd the Rank and File Committee decided to call for two token strikes at Pilkingtons. The first would take place from 6am on Monday 8th until 6am on the 9th and would be in support of those being made redundant on that day. A further 24-hour strike would take place a week later. The committee argued that there were jobs within other Pilks' factories that were available and attacked the GMWU union for condoning the company's unwillingness to redeploy them.
On the following day it was announced that the glass giant had agreed to a request from the union not to make 14 workers at Triplex redundant. Pilkingtons said their concession was through "pressure" from the GMWU. On the same day eighteen strikers appeared in court in connection with egg-throwing incidents last month at the Grove Street and Cowley Hill works.
Their solicitor asked the magistrates to bear in mind that those who threw eggs at Prime Minister Harold Wilson seemed to be immune from prosecution. In a packed courtroom, the prosecutor described the incidents as being "full of bitterness and hatred". The Bench cleared some of the men but most were found guilty and fined on average £10, plus costs.
The St Helens Reporter described on the 5th that the Rank and File Committee was planning to launch its own temporary union called the Provisional Pilkington Trade Union. They had also threatened Pilkingtons with legal action if they continued to deduct 2/6 weekly dues from former members of the GMWU who had contracted out of the union.
On the 5th the GMWU held a press conference in Liverpool to state that the effective number of employees being made redundant at Triplex was now only 90. That was because the total number of redundancies had been reduced to 190 and 100 of these were likely to be redeployed elsewhere within the company over the next few weeks.
Pilkingtons attempted to clarify the GMWU's statement on the 6th, stating that 198 employees of Triplex were still being made redundant, along with 20 other maintenance workers. They were all being allowed to leave their jobs early but would be paid for their notice period and would be able to apply for vacancies in other Pilkington factories. The Liverpool Echo reported that these somewhat conflicting statements were creating some confusion among workers.
And now the rest of this week's news… On the 2nd St Helens Art Club began their 40th annual exhibition at Central Library in the Gamble Institute with 89 exhibits on show.
Freddie and the Dreamers were at the Theatre Royal for three evenings from the 4th. According to Wikipedia the band had a total of 37 members before it finally broke up in 2000.
This week St Helens was basking in the hottest first week of June in ten years leading to worries over beer and water shortages. The Reporter described on the 5th that a lightning strike at the Walker Cain brewery in Warrington had left about 20 pubs in St Helens with rock bottom stocks. Gladys Lawrence of the Woodlands Hotel in Woodlands Road was only opening between 8pm and 10:30pm and told the paper that she expected to have run out of beer by the weekend.
A six-week-long drought was also threatening water supplies and it was expected that a ban on garden hoses and car washing would be introduced next week. A water official said: "We are just about making ends meet, but the position is critical. Consumption has gone up as much as half a million gallons a day."
The Reporter also wrote about a petition signed by 100 Billingers over the site of a circus: "The residents of Royden Road are wild about their new neighbours – animals, clowns and rodeo riders. For a circus is moving in on Sunday, and the Big Top could be pitched on a site only ten yards from the back of their homes."
Mrs Valda Davies told the Reporter that the circus had initially applied to use a piece of council land adjoining the site but had been refused permission: "They were refused because they left too much mess last time – and now they’ve been passed on to us." Mrs Davies was worried about the noise and the prospect of "undesirable characters" on her doorstep and her next-door neighbour Anne Brown echoed her concerns:
"Our back room windows will be right next to the circus", she said. "If they pitch the marquee on the flattest part of the land, they will be no more than 10 yards from our houses." Billinge Council said that the Royden Road site was not council land and so there was nothing they could do to stop the circus.
Landlord Hughie Molyneux of the Lord Nelson was pictured in 'Whalley's World' in the Reporter holding two fingers up to the camera! However he was not telling the photographer to go away Harvey Smith-style but celebrating a wartime brew in the style of Churchill's "V for victory". The bottle of ale was specially made by Greenall Whitley at the end of WW2 and presented to their landlords as a victory brew. The landlord of the College Street pub kept the beer on show in a glass cabinet under lock and key. Asked if he had been tempted to try it, Hughie said: "Never. It's priceless."
On the 5th the Liverpool Echo reported that professional boxing was set to return to St Helens after a gap of 30 years. Peter Fletcher who lived in the town said he had applied for a promoter's licence and intended to stage a show at the end of July at the Sands Club in Carr Mill. The gymnasium owner already managed two Nigerian boxers in Victor Paul and Ray Hassan and a recent rule change meant a manager could now be granted a licence to promote fights.
The St. Julie Gala and Donkey Derby was held on the same day on the UGB sports field at Bobbys Lane in Eccleston. The admission price was 2 shillings and usually around 5,000 people would attend. This was the tenth annual fete organised by the church with the money raised going towards its building fund. All previous events had been called the 'Blessed Julie Gala' but the French religious leader Julie Billiart – from which the church in Howards Lane took its name – had now been canonised.
It must have pleasant in the sun in Victoria Park on Sunday the 7th listening to Redgate Boys Silver Band performing in a special enclosure. Or watching Saints' stars play cricket. Yes you read that correctly, the rugby league players at Knowsley Road were turning their hands to bat and ball!
Last October arsonists had burned down Rainhill Cricket Club's clubhouse and so Frank Barrow, Kel Coslett, Graham Rees, Tony Karalious, Billy Benyon, John Mantle, Les Jones, Alan Whittle, Eric Chisnall, Jeff Heaton, Eric Prescott and Frank Wilson played a game of cricket against Rainhill CC to raise funds for a new pavilion. As with county sides playing cricket on the Sabbath, Rainhill CC was not allowed to charge for admission but got around the rule by making entry by programme only, which cost 2/6.
Next week's stories will include the candidates for the General Election, a rat plague in Haydock, a brave rescue of a drowning man in Carr Mill dam, bad news for Sunday sport campaigners and Auntie Annie leaves her Gerards Bridge shop after 42 years.
This week's stories include a spectacular speedboat crash on Carr Mill Dam, a heatwave threatens the town's beer and water supplies, Saints' stars play cricket at Rainhill and why Billingers were up in arms over a Big Top.
We begin with the latest Pilkington news. Although the glass strike had ended after seven weeks, its repercussions were continuing to be felt.
On June 1st the company confirmed that 240 jobs were being cut at Triplex in Eccleston because of a 30% drop in production through lost orders.
Gerry Caughey of the unofficial Rank and File Committee then held eight hours of talks to try and get these workers redeployed but without success.
The rancour between the General and Municipal Workers Union and the Rank and File Committee again surfaced on the 2nd.
Vic Feather of the TUC was scheduled to host another round of talks between the two sides in London.
However the GMWU pulled out at the last minute because they said the committee had broken its undertaking to stop attacking the union.
This led to a broadside on the GMWU by Gerry Caughey, who said their actions were a slap in the face for both the TUC and the glass workers of St Helens.
During the evening of the 3rd the Rank and File Committee decided to call for two token strikes at Pilkingtons.
The first would take place from 6am on Monday 8th until 6am on the 9th and would be in support of those being made redundant on that day.
A further twenty-four-hour strike would take place a week later.
The committee argued that there were jobs within other Pilks' factories that were available and attacked the GMWU union for condoning the company's unwillingness to redeploy them.
On the following day it was announced that the glass giant had agreed to a request from the union not to make 14 workers at Triplex redundant.
Pilkingtons said their concession was through "pressure" from the GMWU.
On the same day eighteen strikers appeared in court in connection with egg-throwing incidents last month at the Grove Street and Cowley Hill works.
Their solicitor asked the magistrates to bear in mind that those who threw eggs at Prime Minister Harold Wilson seemed to be immune from prosecution.
In a packed courtroom, the prosecutor described the incidents as being "full of bitterness and hatred".
The Bench cleared some of the men but most were found guilty and fined on average £10, plus costs.
The St Helens Reporter described on the 5th that the Rank and File Committee was planning to launch its own temporary union called the Provisional Pilkington Trade Union.
They had also threatened Pilkingtons with legal action if they continued to deduct 2/6 weekly dues from former members of the GMWU who had contracted out of the union.
On the 5th the GMWU held a press conference in Liverpool to state that the effective number of employees being made redundant at Triplex was now only 90.
That was because the total number of redundancies had been reduced to 190 and 100 of these were likely to be redeployed elsewhere within the company over the next few weeks.
Pilkingtons attempted to clarify the GMWU's statement on the 6th, stating that 198 employees of Triplex were still being made redundant, along with 20 other maintenance workers.
They were all being allowed to leave their jobs early but would be paid for their notice period and would be able to apply for vacancies in other Pilkington factories.
The Liverpool Echo reported that these somewhat conflicting statements were creating some confusion among workers.
And now the rest of this week's news… On the 2nd St Helens Art Club began their 40th annual exhibition at Central Library in the Gamble Institute with 89 exhibits on show.
The 32-year-old's speedboat somersaulted at 90mph, blasting him feet first through its fibreglass bottom.
The £1,500 catamaran was undergoing speed trials when it soared into the air and flipped backwards through a 30-foot arc.
Donald Campbell's Bluebird had crashed on Coniston Water in a similar way in 1967.
Bob Gray from Moss Bank and Neil Whalley from Billinge raced out in a speedboat and hauled the unconscious man out of the water.
Mr Edwards escaped with bruised legs and described the accident as a "spectacular and horrifying incident".
Freddie and the Dreamers were at the Theatre Royal for three evenings from the 4th.
According to Wikipedia the band had a total of 37 members before it finally broke up in 2000.
This week St Helens was basking in the hottest first week of June in ten years leading to worries over beer and water shortages.
The Reporter described on the 5th that a lightning strike at the Walker Cain brewery in Warrington had left about 20 pubs in St Helens with rock bottom stocks.
Gladys Lawrence of the Woodlands Hotel in Woodlands Road was only opening between 8pm and 10:30pm and told the paper that she expected to have run out of beer by the weekend.
A six-week-long drought was also threatening water supplies and it was expected that a ban on garden hoses and car washing would be introduced next week.
A water official said: "We are just about making ends meet, but the position is critical. Consumption has gone up as much as half a million gallons a day."
The Reporter also wrote about a petition signed by 100 Billingers over the site of a circus:
"The residents of Royden Road are wild about their new neighbours – animals, clowns and rodeo riders. For a circus is moving in on Sunday, and the Big Top could be pitched on a site only ten yards from the back of their homes."
Mrs Valda Davies told the Reporter that the circus had initially applied to use a piece of council land adjoining the site but had been refused permission:
"They were refused because they left too much mess last time – and now they’ve been passed on to us."
Mrs Davies was worried about the noise and the prospect of "undesirable characters" on her doorstep and her next-door neighbour Anne Brown echoed her concerns:
"Our back room windows will be right next to the circus", she said. "If they pitch the marquee on the flattest part of the land, they will be no more than 10 yards from our houses."
Billinge Council said that the Royden Road site was not council land and so there was nothing they could do to stop the circus.
Landlord Hughie Molyneux of the Lord Nelson was pictured in 'Whalley's World' in the Reporter holding two fingers up to the camera!
However he was not telling the photographer to go away Harvey Smith-style but celebrating a wartime brew in the style of Churchill's "V for victory".
The bottle of ale was specially made by Greenall Whitley at the end of WW2 and presented to their landlords as a victory brew.
The landlord of the College Street pub kept the beer on show in a glass cabinet under lock and key. Asked if he had been tempted to try it, Hughie said: "Never. It's priceless."
On the 5th the Liverpool Echo reported that professional boxing was set to return to St Helens after a gap of 30 years.
Peter Fletcher who lived in the town said he had applied for a promoter's licence and intended to stage a show at the end of July at the Sands Club in Carr Mill.
The gymnasium owner already managed two Nigerian boxers in Victor Paul and Ray Hassan and a recent rule change meant a manager could now be granted a licence to promote fights.
On the 6th Sutton Harriers (some members pictured above) won the Daily Post and Echo Trophy and the 'B' Team award in the Wallasey Sports Festival road relay race at Egremont.
Peter Roberts won the prize for the fastest run of the afternoon, with other members of the St Helens team being Brian Renshall, Rob Barlow and Steve James.
The St. Julie Gala and Donkey Derby was held on the same day on the UGB sports field at Bobbys Lane in Eccleston.
The admission price was two shillings and usually around 5,000 people would attend.
This was the tenth annual fete organised by the church with the money raised going towards its building fund.
All previous events had been called the 'Blessed Julie Gala' but the French religious leader Julie Billiart – from which the church in Howards Lane took its name – had now been canonised.
It must have pleasant in the sun in Victoria Park on Sunday the 7th listening to Redgate Boys Silver Band performing in a special enclosure.
Or watching Saints' stars play cricket. Yes you read that correctly, the rugby league players at Knowsley Road were turning their hands to bat and ball!
Last October arsonists had burned down Rainhill Cricket Club's clubhouse and so Frank Barrow, Kel Coslett, Graham Rees, Tony Karalious, Billy Benyon, John Mantle, Les Jones, Alan Whittle, Eric Chisnall, Jeff Heaton, Eric Prescott and Frank Wilson played a game of cricket against Rainhill CC to raise funds for a new pavilion.
As with county sides playing cricket on the Sabbath, Rainhill CC was not allowed to charge for admission but got around the rule by making entry by programme only, which cost 2/6.
Next week's stories will include the candidates for the General Election, a rat plague in Haydock, a brave rescue of a drowning man in Carr Mill dam, bad news for Sunday sport campaigners and Auntie Annie leaves her Gerards Bridge shop after 42 years.
We begin with the latest Pilkington news. Although the glass strike had ended after seven weeks, its repercussions were continuing to be felt.
On June 1st the company confirmed that 240 jobs were being cut at Triplex in Eccleston because of a 30% drop in production through lost orders.
Gerry Caughey of the unofficial Rank and File Committee then held eight hours of talks to try and get these workers redeployed but without success.
The rancour between the General and Municipal Workers Union and the Rank and File Committee again surfaced on the 2nd.
Vic Feather of the TUC was scheduled to host another round of talks between the two sides in London.
However the GMWU pulled out at the last minute because they said the committee had broken its undertaking to stop attacking the union.
This led to a broadside on the GMWU by Gerry Caughey, who said their actions were a slap in the face for both the TUC and the glass workers of St Helens.
During the evening of the 3rd the Rank and File Committee decided to call for two token strikes at Pilkingtons.
The first would take place from 6am on Monday 8th until 6am on the 9th and would be in support of those being made redundant on that day.
A further twenty-four-hour strike would take place a week later.
The committee argued that there were jobs within other Pilks' factories that were available and attacked the GMWU union for condoning the company's unwillingness to redeploy them.
On the following day it was announced that the glass giant had agreed to a request from the union not to make 14 workers at Triplex redundant.
Pilkingtons said their concession was through "pressure" from the GMWU.
On the same day eighteen strikers appeared in court in connection with egg-throwing incidents last month at the Grove Street and Cowley Hill works.
Their solicitor asked the magistrates to bear in mind that those who threw eggs at Prime Minister Harold Wilson seemed to be immune from prosecution.
In a packed courtroom, the prosecutor described the incidents as being "full of bitterness and hatred".
The Bench cleared some of the men but most were found guilty and fined on average £10, plus costs.
The St Helens Reporter described on the 5th that the Rank and File Committee was planning to launch its own temporary union called the Provisional Pilkington Trade Union.
They had also threatened Pilkingtons with legal action if they continued to deduct 2/6 weekly dues from former members of the GMWU who had contracted out of the union.
On the 5th the GMWU held a press conference in Liverpool to state that the effective number of employees being made redundant at Triplex was now only 90.
That was because the total number of redundancies had been reduced to 190 and 100 of these were likely to be redeployed elsewhere within the company over the next few weeks.
Pilkingtons attempted to clarify the GMWU's statement on the 6th, stating that 198 employees of Triplex were still being made redundant, along with 20 other maintenance workers.
They were all being allowed to leave their jobs early but would be paid for their notice period and would be able to apply for vacancies in other Pilkington factories.
The Liverpool Echo reported that these somewhat conflicting statements were creating some confusion among workers.
And now the rest of this week's news… On the 2nd St Helens Art Club began their 40th annual exhibition at Central Library in the Gamble Institute with 89 exhibits on show.
The £1,500 catamaran was undergoing speed trials when it soared into the air and flipped backwards through a 30-foot arc.
Donald Campbell's Bluebird had crashed on Coniston Water in a similar way in 1967.
Bob Gray from Moss Bank and Neil Whalley from Billinge raced out in a speedboat and hauled the unconscious man out of the water.
Mr Edwards escaped with bruised legs and described the accident as a "spectacular and horrifying incident".
Freddie and the Dreamers were at the Theatre Royal for three evenings from the 4th.
According to Wikipedia the band had a total of 37 members before it finally broke up in 2000.
This week St Helens was basking in the hottest first week of June in ten years leading to worries over beer and water shortages.
The Reporter described on the 5th that a lightning strike at the Walker Cain brewery in Warrington had left about 20 pubs in St Helens with rock bottom stocks.
Gladys Lawrence of the Woodlands Hotel in Woodlands Road was only opening between 8pm and 10:30pm and told the paper that she expected to have run out of beer by the weekend.
A six-week-long drought was also threatening water supplies and it was expected that a ban on garden hoses and car washing would be introduced next week.
A water official said: "We are just about making ends meet, but the position is critical. Consumption has gone up as much as half a million gallons a day."
The Reporter also wrote about a petition signed by 100 Billingers over the site of a circus:
"The residents of Royden Road are wild about their new neighbours – animals, clowns and rodeo riders. For a circus is moving in on Sunday, and the Big Top could be pitched on a site only ten yards from the back of their homes."
Mrs Valda Davies told the Reporter that the circus had initially applied to use a piece of council land adjoining the site but had been refused permission:
"They were refused because they left too much mess last time – and now they’ve been passed on to us."
Mrs Davies was worried about the noise and the prospect of "undesirable characters" on her doorstep and her next-door neighbour Anne Brown echoed her concerns:
"Our back room windows will be right next to the circus", she said. "If they pitch the marquee on the flattest part of the land, they will be no more than 10 yards from our houses."
Billinge Council said that the Royden Road site was not council land and so there was nothing they could do to stop the circus.
Landlord Hughie Molyneux of the Lord Nelson was pictured in 'Whalley's World' in the Reporter holding two fingers up to the camera!
However he was not telling the photographer to go away Harvey Smith-style but celebrating a wartime brew in the style of Churchill's "V for victory".
The bottle of ale was specially made by Greenall Whitley at the end of WW2 and presented to their landlords as a victory brew.
The landlord of the College Street pub kept the beer on show in a glass cabinet under lock and key. Asked if he had been tempted to try it, Hughie said: "Never. It's priceless."
On the 5th the Liverpool Echo reported that professional boxing was set to return to St Helens after a gap of 30 years.
Peter Fletcher who lived in the town said he had applied for a promoter's licence and intended to stage a show at the end of July at the Sands Club in Carr Mill.
The gymnasium owner already managed two Nigerian boxers in Victor Paul and Ray Hassan and a recent rule change meant a manager could now be granted a licence to promote fights.
Peter Roberts won the prize for the fastest run of the afternoon, with other members of the St Helens team being Brian Renshall, Rob Barlow and Steve James.
The St. Julie Gala and Donkey Derby was held on the same day on the UGB sports field at Bobbys Lane in Eccleston.
The admission price was two shillings and usually around 5,000 people would attend.
This was the tenth annual fete organised by the church with the money raised going towards its building fund.
All previous events had been called the 'Blessed Julie Gala' but the French religious leader Julie Billiart – from which the church in Howards Lane took its name – had now been canonised.
It must have pleasant in the sun in Victoria Park on Sunday the 7th listening to Redgate Boys Silver Band performing in a special enclosure.
Or watching Saints' stars play cricket. Yes you read that correctly, the rugby league players at Knowsley Road were turning their hands to bat and ball!
Last October arsonists had burned down Rainhill Cricket Club's clubhouse and so Frank Barrow, Kel Coslett, Graham Rees, Tony Karalious, Billy Benyon, John Mantle, Les Jones, Alan Whittle, Eric Chisnall, Jeff Heaton, Eric Prescott and Frank Wilson played a game of cricket against Rainhill CC to raise funds for a new pavilion.
As with county sides playing cricket on the Sabbath, Rainhill CC was not allowed to charge for admission but got around the rule by making entry by programme only, which cost 2/6.
Next week's stories will include the candidates for the General Election, a rat plague in Haydock, a brave rescue of a drowning man in Carr Mill dam, bad news for Sunday sport campaigners and Auntie Annie leaves her Gerards Bridge shop after 42 years.