FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (2nd - 8th AUGUST 1971)
This week's stories include Saints on strike, the black smoke belched out by Sidac, the old bangers breaking down in Knowsley Safari Park, the Pilkington Gala is held at Ruskin Drive, the offices for let in the new Barrow Street shopping centre and a debate over self-catering holidays.
We begin at 7.20am on the 2nd when the number 89 bus service from Speke to St Helens collided with a car in Wheat Hill Road, Huyton. None of the passengers on the double-decker Crosville bus were seriously injured but two men in the Hillman Minx died and another was seriously injured. The accident happened at what residents said was an accident black spot and after the collision, the bus had ploughed off the road and careered 40 yards into a field.
Later in the day around 4pm, the controversial British Sidac plant suffered what the company called a "major plant failure" during maintenance work on boilers, sending thick black smoke pouring over Sutton. Florence Platt of Percy Street told the Reporter: "The sky was jet black. The chimney was belching thick black smoke. I have never seen it so bad. The whole area was covered by a black cloud." Helen Nolan of Sutton Road added: "It was so black it looked like solid coal. I've never seen it so thick before."
The company had a tendency not to apologise to the local community for such incidents, instead making themselves out to be just as much a victim. In explaining what had occurred, the general manager of Sidac, Dr H. G. Britton, simply said: "It was no-one's idea of a picnic – not for us or the people living in Sutton".
This week the Capitol on the corner of Duke Street and North Road was showing 'Tales Of Beatrix Potter' featuring dancers of The Royal Ballet. Meanwhile at the ABC Savoy, the big-screen version of TV show 'On The Buses' was going down well. The comedy, starring Reg Varney, was being retained in Bridge Street for a rare second week of showings.
There were three Knowsley Safari Park stories this week in the Liverpool Echo. The venture was a partnership between Lord Derby and Jimmy Chipperfield of the famous circus family, who had been in charge of developing wild animal schemes at Woburn Abbey and Longleat. Clearly much had been learned by creating these reserves. However what doesn't appear to have been a problem in the south of England had been visitors taking old bangers to view the animals. This article was published on the 2nd:
"Car owners who take their cars to the Knowsley Safari Park in a poor condition were blamed for causing hold-ups yesterday. More than 150 vehicles broke down in the park making it one of the worst days since the park was opened a month ago. Park manager, Mr. Laurence Tennant, blamed the breakdowns on poorly maintained cars.
"“We just can't understand why people come here in cars like the ones that broke down. They should not have been on the road. We try and spot vehicles which look as if they will have trouble before they enter the park, but some obviously slip through. Surely, anyone who goes out on a trip checks that he has enough petrol and that his radiator is working properly. If people did this then there would be no trouble in the park,” said Mr. Tennant. An A.A. spokesman said: “The two commonest causes of breakdowns were running out of petrol and engines overheating. The first results from downright foolishness and the second is mostly avoidable.”"
It was also announced on the 2nd that Newton-le-Willows County Infants School was to have four new classrooms built at a cost of £22,100. Five-month-old Karen Waddilove from Haydock was pictured in the Echo on the 3rd lying on a resuscitation trolley in the Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital. Not that there appeared to have been anything amiss with little Karen. She was simply acting as a model to show off the new trolley that grateful parents had presented to the hospital's intensive care unit.
Four girls and an 11-year-old boy appeared in Newton-le-Willows Juvenile Court on the 4th accused of breaking into schools and homes in the Golborne area. They hadn't taken much in any of their robberies, with their break-in at Golborne Junior School resulting in a swag of just 26p.
On the 4th the Liverpool Echo conducted an investigation into what holidaymakers in Southport thought of self-catering. That was in response to the English Tourist Board declaring that an increasing number of people were turning their backs on seaside boarding houses and staying instead in self-catering flats. "But do people really want to do their own cooking and washing up", asked the paper, "or do they prefer the homely delights of the traditional boarding house?"
Pamela and Jeff Kenrick of St Helens were the only couple that the Echo talked to who thought self-catering was a good idea. "I would not mind making the bed and cooking breakfast," said Pamela. "We would probably have dinner out every night anyway." "I like the idea because you could please yourself," said her husband. "Get up when you like, eat when you like, and what you like, not when the landlady says and not anything she likes to dish up."
The Echo also reported on the 4th that British Railways "super trains" of the next decade would be double-glazed and have fibreglass insulation to make them more comfortable and soundproof. Pilkington's City Road works at St Helens had already supplied 4,000 double glazing units for over 200 new 100 mph coaches that would be used on intercity runs. And Fibreglass had provided all the insulation, which was being incorporated into the roof, walls and floors of the new coaches to provide both thermal and acoustic protection.
Stoves of Rainhill were recruiting a recruitment officer in the Echo on the 4th. The successful candidate had to be female, aged 19 - 35 and be a competent typist. Both gender and age stipulations would now, of course, be illegal. Pay was £800 - £900 per year. Stoves had begun in 1920 and was in the process of expanding its 283,000 sq. ft. factory at Rainhill that mainly manufactured Newhome domestic gas cookers.
I quite like this headline to an ad in the Echo on the 5th: "To Let: 6,500 Sq. Ft. of Offices For 260 Feet in St. Helens." It was the new quarter-acre shopping centre in Barrow Street comprising eight, 3-storey buildings containing shops with offices above. It was the latter that the developers had yet to let, which were capable of accommodating a total of 130 people on two floors – which is where the 260 feet reference comes in!
These days I imagine the owners of offices will highlight being wired for hi-speed broadband and the like. In 1971 it was being "wired for off-peak storage heating" that was the big attraction, as well as its location being next door to Boots – oh and having "modern toilets and plenty of light". Although I doubt prospective tenants would have been expecting an outside lavvy! A new service road had been constructed off Claughton Street to enable delivery vehicles to gain access to land at the rear of Cotham Street and Barrow Street.
The Pilkington Gala was held on the 6th and 7th at Ruskin Drive – "a host of star attractions for all the family", said the ad. Last year's Gala had been scrapped with the glass giant saying they could not afford it after the seven-week-strike earlier in the year. The event began with the usual colourful parade headed by "Gala Girl" Margaret Pinnington of Cheviot Avenue riding in a 1924 white Rolls Royce Silver Ghost.
The St Helens Reporter's lead story on the 6th bore the headline "Saints On Strike!", after a pay row with the club. Players were demanding a small rise in the basic rate of match pay, extra compensation when injured and higher expenses for taking time off from their other jobs to play for the team. The players complained that they only received £4 a week if off injured – however during a meeting the club said they couldn't afford to pay them any more.
One unnamed first teamer told Ken Ashton of the Reporter: "We thought we were asking for reasonable terms, but the club was pleading poverty. They almost had us crying – we expected hankies to be handed out." However secretary-manager Basil Lowe believed the team's next match against Leigh in the Lancashire Cup would go ahead as normal – which it did, Saints winning 11 - 10, thanks to a Les Jones try and four goals from skipper Kel Coslett.
'Wedding Bells and Beautiful Brides' was the title of an advertising feature in the Reporter aimed at those planning to get hitched. The advertisers included hairdresser Barbara Punshon, Dentons Green Lane ("For your own exclusive personal style"); Swan Mill Carpet Warehouse, Duke Street ("Offer to all newly weds two fireside rugs on carpet orders of £100”); Vogue Hair Fashions, Church Street ("Look your loveliest with the latest styles in ladies' hair fashions") and St Helens Co-op Society Off-Licence Dept., Greenfield Road and Helena House ("May we supply your needs in wines, spirits, beers, Champagnes and sparkling wines).
The Automobile Association was advertising in the Echo on the 6th for an "A.A. Patrol Girl" to be stationed at Knowsley Safari Park. Applications were invited from "young ladies aged 21/30, who have some selling experience and who are interested in meeting and assisting people. The duties are varied and will involve selling A.A. membership and publications, use of the telephone and short wave radio. Full training will be given and an attractive free uniform is provided. The salary will commence at £16.50 at age 21 or over. Commission will also be paid."
Reading between the lines I expect the patrolwoman's job was mainly to help stranded motorists – or at least those who were members of the AA – after they'd broken down in the park. The use of radio and telephone, I expect, was to summon AA repairmen to come and fix the vehicles. I wonder if she would have been able to sell backdated AA membership to motorists who had broken down but were not in the AA or RAC?
Riding on "Safari Special" bus services was a sensible alternative to going in a battered old jalopy and risk breaking down in the lions' enclosure – not a great idea! That began on the 8th taking Merseysiders through the Knowsley reserve. Double decker buses left Speke, Garston, Pier Head, Bootle, Netherton and Kirkby at 2pm making only a limited number of stops on the journey. Inside the park the buses were driven slowly among the animals and passengers were then able to spend an hour in the recreation and restaurant enclosure. The total time of the return trip including 2½ hours on safari was just under four hours.
The cost – including admission to the park – was only 60p for adults and 35p for children under 15. The usual price for admission by car was £1. St Helens Corporation's Transport Department also ran safari buses to the reserve at weekends and on weekdays during school holidays. Their fare was a bit cheaper – 50p for adults and 30p for children.
On the 8th Bold Miners Welfare Band performed in Victoria Park. This was part of the council's 'Bands In Parks' weekly Sunday concert series with free admission to a special enclosure.
And finally, the Echo published this article by Peter Cole this week about a semi-Beatle reunion in New York, under the headline "George and Ringo Rekindle Beatlemania": "To think that some of us were saying that Beatlemania went out with the Sixties! When I arrived at New York's Madison Square Garden there were around 2,000 people waiting outside and every one of them asked me if I had a spare ticket to sell! The tickets for this semi-Beatles concert sold out within a couple of hours of the box office opening. Security precautions were typical New York and typical Beatle. Hundreds of gun-toting cops surrounded and filled the building.
"A couple of hundred ticketless Beatle maniacs charged one of the entrances and broke down two barricades. The police quickly, forcibly had them under control. After a turgid three-quarters of an hour of sitar playing by Ravi Shankar (one almost expected the Maharishi to be there) the moment came. Twenty thousand Beatle fans, ranging in age from 12 to 50, erupted into a cheer the like of which hadn't been heard at a pop concert for years. There, in a white suit and orange shirt, stood bearded Beatle George Harrison. Behind him, sitting at the drums sat bearded Beatle Ringo Starr.
"George had organised the event as a charity concert in aid of refugees from East Pakistan. George sang his songs, 'My Sweet Lord,' of course, and Beatle songs, including 'Something' and 'While my guitar gently weeps.' Ringo sang his song, 'It don't come easy,' and won a fantastic ovation. But one event wasn't billed, wasn't expected.
"“And now a very good friend of ours, Bob Dylan,” said George. And Madison Square Garden heard the greatest ovation of all. He sang his old songs, 'Mr. Tambourine Man,' 'Blowing in the Wind,' 'Hard Rain's Gonna Fall,' nervously waved his acknowledgement of the crescendo of applause, then slipped away as suddenly as he had appeared. It was the pop event of 1971."
Next week's stories will include the fruit merchant scam in Exchange Street, the timetable for North Sea gas conversion is announced, Knowsley Safari Park drivers hit back at criticism and the tragic tale of Timothy the wandering tortoise.
We begin at 7.20am on the 2nd when the number 89 bus service from Speke to St Helens collided with a car in Wheat Hill Road, Huyton. None of the passengers on the double-decker Crosville bus were seriously injured but two men in the Hillman Minx died and another was seriously injured. The accident happened at what residents said was an accident black spot and after the collision, the bus had ploughed off the road and careered 40 yards into a field.
The company had a tendency not to apologise to the local community for such incidents, instead making themselves out to be just as much a victim. In explaining what had occurred, the general manager of Sidac, Dr H. G. Britton, simply said: "It was no-one's idea of a picnic – not for us or the people living in Sutton".
This week the Capitol on the corner of Duke Street and North Road was showing 'Tales Of Beatrix Potter' featuring dancers of The Royal Ballet. Meanwhile at the ABC Savoy, the big-screen version of TV show 'On The Buses' was going down well. The comedy, starring Reg Varney, was being retained in Bridge Street for a rare second week of showings.
There were three Knowsley Safari Park stories this week in the Liverpool Echo. The venture was a partnership between Lord Derby and Jimmy Chipperfield of the famous circus family, who had been in charge of developing wild animal schemes at Woburn Abbey and Longleat. Clearly much had been learned by creating these reserves. However what doesn't appear to have been a problem in the south of England had been visitors taking old bangers to view the animals. This article was published on the 2nd:
"Car owners who take their cars to the Knowsley Safari Park in a poor condition were blamed for causing hold-ups yesterday. More than 150 vehicles broke down in the park making it one of the worst days since the park was opened a month ago. Park manager, Mr. Laurence Tennant, blamed the breakdowns on poorly maintained cars.
"“We just can't understand why people come here in cars like the ones that broke down. They should not have been on the road. We try and spot vehicles which look as if they will have trouble before they enter the park, but some obviously slip through. Surely, anyone who goes out on a trip checks that he has enough petrol and that his radiator is working properly. If people did this then there would be no trouble in the park,” said Mr. Tennant. An A.A. spokesman said: “The two commonest causes of breakdowns were running out of petrol and engines overheating. The first results from downright foolishness and the second is mostly avoidable.”"
It was also announced on the 2nd that Newton-le-Willows County Infants School was to have four new classrooms built at a cost of £22,100. Five-month-old Karen Waddilove from Haydock was pictured in the Echo on the 3rd lying on a resuscitation trolley in the Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital. Not that there appeared to have been anything amiss with little Karen. She was simply acting as a model to show off the new trolley that grateful parents had presented to the hospital's intensive care unit.
Four girls and an 11-year-old boy appeared in Newton-le-Willows Juvenile Court on the 4th accused of breaking into schools and homes in the Golborne area. They hadn't taken much in any of their robberies, with their break-in at Golborne Junior School resulting in a swag of just 26p.
On the 4th the Liverpool Echo conducted an investigation into what holidaymakers in Southport thought of self-catering. That was in response to the English Tourist Board declaring that an increasing number of people were turning their backs on seaside boarding houses and staying instead in self-catering flats. "But do people really want to do their own cooking and washing up", asked the paper, "or do they prefer the homely delights of the traditional boarding house?"
Pamela and Jeff Kenrick of St Helens were the only couple that the Echo talked to who thought self-catering was a good idea. "I would not mind making the bed and cooking breakfast," said Pamela. "We would probably have dinner out every night anyway." "I like the idea because you could please yourself," said her husband. "Get up when you like, eat when you like, and what you like, not when the landlady says and not anything she likes to dish up."
The Echo also reported on the 4th that British Railways "super trains" of the next decade would be double-glazed and have fibreglass insulation to make them more comfortable and soundproof. Pilkington's City Road works at St Helens had already supplied 4,000 double glazing units for over 200 new 100 mph coaches that would be used on intercity runs. And Fibreglass had provided all the insulation, which was being incorporated into the roof, walls and floors of the new coaches to provide both thermal and acoustic protection.
Stoves of Rainhill were recruiting a recruitment officer in the Echo on the 4th. The successful candidate had to be female, aged 19 - 35 and be a competent typist. Both gender and age stipulations would now, of course, be illegal. Pay was £800 - £900 per year. Stoves had begun in 1920 and was in the process of expanding its 283,000 sq. ft. factory at Rainhill that mainly manufactured Newhome domestic gas cookers.
I quite like this headline to an ad in the Echo on the 5th: "To Let: 6,500 Sq. Ft. of Offices For 260 Feet in St. Helens." It was the new quarter-acre shopping centre in Barrow Street comprising eight, 3-storey buildings containing shops with offices above. It was the latter that the developers had yet to let, which were capable of accommodating a total of 130 people on two floors – which is where the 260 feet reference comes in!
These days I imagine the owners of offices will highlight being wired for hi-speed broadband and the like. In 1971 it was being "wired for off-peak storage heating" that was the big attraction, as well as its location being next door to Boots – oh and having "modern toilets and plenty of light". Although I doubt prospective tenants would have been expecting an outside lavvy! A new service road had been constructed off Claughton Street to enable delivery vehicles to gain access to land at the rear of Cotham Street and Barrow Street.
The Pilkington Gala was held on the 6th and 7th at Ruskin Drive – "a host of star attractions for all the family", said the ad. Last year's Gala had been scrapped with the glass giant saying they could not afford it after the seven-week-strike earlier in the year. The event began with the usual colourful parade headed by "Gala Girl" Margaret Pinnington of Cheviot Avenue riding in a 1924 white Rolls Royce Silver Ghost.
The St Helens Reporter's lead story on the 6th bore the headline "Saints On Strike!", after a pay row with the club. Players were demanding a small rise in the basic rate of match pay, extra compensation when injured and higher expenses for taking time off from their other jobs to play for the team. The players complained that they only received £4 a week if off injured – however during a meeting the club said they couldn't afford to pay them any more.
One unnamed first teamer told Ken Ashton of the Reporter: "We thought we were asking for reasonable terms, but the club was pleading poverty. They almost had us crying – we expected hankies to be handed out." However secretary-manager Basil Lowe believed the team's next match against Leigh in the Lancashire Cup would go ahead as normal – which it did, Saints winning 11 - 10, thanks to a Les Jones try and four goals from skipper Kel Coslett.
'Wedding Bells and Beautiful Brides' was the title of an advertising feature in the Reporter aimed at those planning to get hitched. The advertisers included hairdresser Barbara Punshon, Dentons Green Lane ("For your own exclusive personal style"); Swan Mill Carpet Warehouse, Duke Street ("Offer to all newly weds two fireside rugs on carpet orders of £100”); Vogue Hair Fashions, Church Street ("Look your loveliest with the latest styles in ladies' hair fashions") and St Helens Co-op Society Off-Licence Dept., Greenfield Road and Helena House ("May we supply your needs in wines, spirits, beers, Champagnes and sparkling wines).
The Automobile Association was advertising in the Echo on the 6th for an "A.A. Patrol Girl" to be stationed at Knowsley Safari Park. Applications were invited from "young ladies aged 21/30, who have some selling experience and who are interested in meeting and assisting people. The duties are varied and will involve selling A.A. membership and publications, use of the telephone and short wave radio. Full training will be given and an attractive free uniform is provided. The salary will commence at £16.50 at age 21 or over. Commission will also be paid."
Reading between the lines I expect the patrolwoman's job was mainly to help stranded motorists – or at least those who were members of the AA – after they'd broken down in the park. The use of radio and telephone, I expect, was to summon AA repairmen to come and fix the vehicles. I wonder if she would have been able to sell backdated AA membership to motorists who had broken down but were not in the AA or RAC?
The cost – including admission to the park – was only 60p for adults and 35p for children under 15. The usual price for admission by car was £1. St Helens Corporation's Transport Department also ran safari buses to the reserve at weekends and on weekdays during school holidays. Their fare was a bit cheaper – 50p for adults and 30p for children.
On the 8th Bold Miners Welfare Band performed in Victoria Park. This was part of the council's 'Bands In Parks' weekly Sunday concert series with free admission to a special enclosure.
And finally, the Echo published this article by Peter Cole this week about a semi-Beatle reunion in New York, under the headline "George and Ringo Rekindle Beatlemania": "To think that some of us were saying that Beatlemania went out with the Sixties! When I arrived at New York's Madison Square Garden there were around 2,000 people waiting outside and every one of them asked me if I had a spare ticket to sell! The tickets for this semi-Beatles concert sold out within a couple of hours of the box office opening. Security precautions were typical New York and typical Beatle. Hundreds of gun-toting cops surrounded and filled the building.
"A couple of hundred ticketless Beatle maniacs charged one of the entrances and broke down two barricades. The police quickly, forcibly had them under control. After a turgid three-quarters of an hour of sitar playing by Ravi Shankar (one almost expected the Maharishi to be there) the moment came. Twenty thousand Beatle fans, ranging in age from 12 to 50, erupted into a cheer the like of which hadn't been heard at a pop concert for years. There, in a white suit and orange shirt, stood bearded Beatle George Harrison. Behind him, sitting at the drums sat bearded Beatle Ringo Starr.
"George had organised the event as a charity concert in aid of refugees from East Pakistan. George sang his songs, 'My Sweet Lord,' of course, and Beatle songs, including 'Something' and 'While my guitar gently weeps.' Ringo sang his song, 'It don't come easy,' and won a fantastic ovation. But one event wasn't billed, wasn't expected.
"“And now a very good friend of ours, Bob Dylan,” said George. And Madison Square Garden heard the greatest ovation of all. He sang his old songs, 'Mr. Tambourine Man,' 'Blowing in the Wind,' 'Hard Rain's Gonna Fall,' nervously waved his acknowledgement of the crescendo of applause, then slipped away as suddenly as he had appeared. It was the pop event of 1971."
Next week's stories will include the fruit merchant scam in Exchange Street, the timetable for North Sea gas conversion is announced, Knowsley Safari Park drivers hit back at criticism and the tragic tale of Timothy the wandering tortoise.
This week's 19 stories include Saints on strike, the black smoke belched out by Sidac, the old bangers breaking down in Knowsley Safari Park, the Pilkington Gala is held at Ruskin Drive, the offices for let in the new Barrow Street shopping centre and a debate over self-catering holidays.
We begin at 7.20am on the 2nd when the number 89 bus service from Speke to St Helens collided with a car in Wheat Hill Road, Huyton.
None of the passengers on the double-decker Crosville bus were seriously injured but two men in the Hillman Minx died and another was seriously injured.
The accident happened at what residents said was an accident black spot and after the collision, the bus had ploughed off the road and careered 40 yards into a field.
Later in the day around 4pm, the controversial British Sidac plant suffered what the company called a "major plant failure" during maintenance work on boilers, sending thick black smoke pouring over Sutton.
Florence Platt of Percy Street told the Reporter: "The sky was jet black. The chimney was belching thick black smoke. I have never seen it so bad. The whole area was covered by a black cloud."
Helen Nolan of Sutton Road added: "It was so black it looked like solid coal. I've never seen it so thick before."
The company had a tendency not to apologise to the local community for such incidents, instead making themselves out to be just as much a victim.
In explaining what had occurred, the general manager of Sidac, Dr H. G. Britton, simply said: "It was no-one's idea of a picnic – not for us or the people living in Sutton".
This week the Capitol on the corner of Duke Street and North Road was showing 'Tales Of Beatrix Potter' featuring dancers of The Royal Ballet.
Meanwhile at the ABC Savoy, the big-screen version of TV show 'On The Buses' was going down well. The comedy, starring Reg Varney, was being retained in Bridge Street for a rare second week of showings.
There were three Knowsley Safari Park stories this week in the Liverpool Echo.
The venture was a partnership between Lord Derby and Jimmy Chipperfield of the famous circus family, who had been in charge of developing wild animal schemes at Woburn Abbey and Longleat.
Clearly much had been learned by creating these reserves. However what doesn't appear to have been a problem in the south of England had been visitors taking old bangers to view the animals. This article was published on the 2nd:
"Car owners who take their cars to the Knowsley Safari Park in a poor condition were blamed for causing hold-ups yesterday.
"More than 150 vehicles broke down in the park making it one of the worst days since the park was opened a month ago.
"Park manager, Mr. Laurence Tennant, blamed the breakdowns on poorly maintained cars.
"“We just can't understand why people come here in cars like the ones that broke down. They should not have been on the road. We try and spot vehicles which look as if they will have trouble before they enter the park, but some obviously slip through.
"“Surely, anyone who goes out on a trip checks that he has enough petrol and that his radiator is working properly. If people did this then there would be no trouble in the park,” said Mr. Tennant.
"An A.A. spokesman said: “The two commonest causes of breakdowns were running out of petrol and engines overheating. The first results from downright foolishness and the second is mostly avoidable.”"
It was also announced on the 2nd that Newton-le-Willows County Infants School was to have four new classrooms built at a cost of £22,100.
Five-month-old Karen Waddilove from Haydock was pictured in the Echo on the 3rd lying on a resuscitation trolley in the Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital.
Not that there appeared to have been anything amiss with little Karen. She was simply acting as a model to show off the new trolley that grateful parents had presented to the hospital's intensive care unit.
Four girls and an 11-year-old boy appeared in Newton-le-Willows Juvenile Court on the 4th accused of breaking into schools and homes in the Golborne area.
They hadn't taken much in any of their robberies, with their break-in at Golborne Junior School resulting in a swag of just 26p.
On the 4th the Liverpool Echo conducted an investigation into what holidaymakers in Southport thought of self-catering.
That was in response to the English Tourist Board declaring that an increasing number of people were turning their backs on seaside boarding houses and staying instead in self-catering flats.
"But do people really want to do their own cooking and washing up", asked the paper, "or do they prefer the homely delights of the traditional boarding house?"
Pamela and Jeff Kenrick of St Helens were the only couple that the Echo talked to who thought self-catering was a good idea.
"I would not mind making the bed and cooking breakfast," said Pamela. "We would probably have dinner out every night anyway."
"I like the idea because you could please yourself," said her husband. "Get up when you like, eat when you like, and what you like, not when the landlady says and not anything she likes to dish up."
The Echo also reported on the 4th that British Railways "super trains" of the next decade would be double-glazed and have fibreglass insulation to make them more comfortable and soundproof.
Pilkington's City Road works at St Helens had already supplied 4,000 double glazing units for over 200 new 100 mph coaches that would be used on intercity runs.
And Fibreglass had provided all the insulation, which was being incorporated into the roof, walls and floors of the new coaches to provide both thermal and acoustic protection.
Stoves of Rainhill were recruiting a recruitment officer in the Echo on the 4th. The successful candidate had to be female, aged 19 - 35 and be a competent typist.
Both gender and age stipulations would now, of course, be illegal. Pay was £800 - £900 per year.
Stoves had begun in 1920 and was in the process of expanding its 283,000 sq. ft. factory at Rainhill that mainly manufactured Newhome domestic gas cookers.
I quite like this headline to an ad in the Echo on the 5th: "To Let: 6,500 Sq. Ft. of Offices For 260 Feet in St. Helens."
It was the new quarter-acre shopping centre in Barrow Street comprising eight, 3-storey buildings containing shops with offices above.
It was the latter that the developers had yet to let, which were capable of accommodating a total of 130 people on two floors – which is where the 260 feet reference comes in!
These days I imagine the owners of offices will highlight being wired for hi-speed broadband and the like.
In 1971 it was being "wired for off-peak storage heating" that was the big attraction, as well as its location being next door to Boots – oh and having "modern toilets and plenty of light".
Although I doubt prospective tenants would have been expecting an outside lavvy!
A new service road had been constructed off Claughton Street to enable delivery vehicles to gain access to land at the rear of Cotham Street and Barrow Street.
The Pilkington Gala was held on the 6th and 7th at Ruskin Drive – "a host of star attractions for all the family", said the ad.
Last year's Gala had been scrapped with the glass giant saying they could not afford it after the seven-week-strike earlier in the year.
The event began with the usual colourful parade headed by "Gala Girl" Margaret Pinnington of Cheviot Avenue riding in a 1924 white Rolls Royce Silver Ghost.
The St Helens Reporter's lead story on the 6th bore the headline "Saints On Strike!", after a pay row with the club. Players were demanding a small rise in the basic rate of match pay, extra compensation when injured and higher expenses for taking time off from their other jobs to play for the team.
The players complained that they only received £4 a week if off injured – however during a meeting the club said they couldn't afford to pay them any more.
One unnamed first teamer told Ken Ashton of the Reporter: "We thought we were asking for reasonable terms, but the club was pleading poverty. They almost had us crying – we expected hankies to be handed out."
However secretary-manager Basil Lowe believed the team's next match against Leigh in the Lancashire Cup would go ahead as normal – which it did, Saints winning 11 - 10, thanks to a Les Jones try and four goals from skipper Kel Coslett.
'Wedding Bells and Beautiful Brides' was the title of an advertising feature in the Reporter aimed at those planning to get hitched.
The advertisers included hairdresser Barbara Punshon, Dentons Green Lane ("For your own exclusive personal style"); Swan Mill Carpet Warehouse, Duke Street ("Offer to all newly weds two fireside rugs on carpet orders of £100”); Vogue Hair Fashions, Church Street ("Look your loveliest with the latest styles in ladies' hair fashions") and St Helens Co-op Society Off-Licence Dept., Greenfield Road and Helena House ("May we supply your needs in wines, spirits, beers, Champagnes and sparkling wines).
The Automobile Association was advertising in the Echo on the 6th for an "A.A. Patrol Girl" to be stationed at Knowsley Safari Park.
Applications were invited from "young ladies aged 21/30, who have some selling experience and who are interested in meeting and assisting people.
"The duties are varied and will involve selling A.A. membership and publications, use of the telephone and short wave radio.
"Full training will be given and an attractive free uniform is provided. The salary will commence at £16.50 at age 21 or over. Commission will also be paid."
Reading between the lines I expect the patrolwoman's job was mainly to help stranded motorists – or at least those who were members of the AA – after they'd broken down in the park.
The use of radio and telephone, I expect, was to summon AA repairmen to come and fix the vehicles.
I wonder if she would have been able to sell backdated AA membership to motorists who had broken down but were not in the AA or RAC?
Riding on "Safari Special" bus services was a sensible alternative to going in a battered old jalopy and risk breaking down in the lions' enclosure – not a great idea!
That began on the 8th taking Merseysiders through the Knowsley reserve. Double decker buses left Speke, Garston, Pier Head, Bootle, Netherton and Kirkby at 2pm making only a limited number of stops on the journey.
Inside the park the buses were driven slowly among the animals and passengers were then able to spend an hour in the recreation and restaurant enclosure.
The total time of the return trip including 2½ hours on safari was just under four hours.
The cost – including admission to the park – was only 60p for adults and 35p for children under 15. The usual price for admission by car was £1.
St Helens Corporation's Transport Department also ran safari buses to the reserve at weekends and on weekdays during school holidays. Their fare was a bit cheaper – 50p for adults and 30p for children.
On the 8th Bold Miners Welfare Band performed in Victoria Park. This was part of the council's 'Bands In Parks' weekly Sunday concert series with free admission to a special enclosure.
And finally, the Echo published this article by Peter Cole this week about a semi-Beatle reunion in New York, under the headline "George and Ringo Rekindle Beatlemania":
"To think that some of us were saying that Beatlemania went out with the Sixties! When I arrived at New York's Madison Square Garden there were around 2,000 people waiting outside and every one of them asked me if I had a spare ticket to sell!
"The tickets for this semi-Beatles concert sold out within a couple of hours of the box office opening.
"Security precautions were typical New York and typical Beatle. Hundreds of gun-toting cops surrounded and filled the building.
"A couple of hundred ticketless Beatle maniacs charged one of the entrances and broke down two barricades. The police quickly, forcibly had them under control.
"After a turgid three-quarters of an hour of sitar playing by Ravi Shankar (one almost expected the Maharishi to be there) the moment came.
"Twenty thousand Beatle fans, ranging in age from 12 to 50, erupted into a cheer the like of which hadn't been heard at a pop concert for years.
"There, in a white suit and orange shirt, stood bearded Beatle George Harrison. Behind him, sitting at the drums sat bearded Beatle Ringo Starr.
"George had organised the event as a charity concert in aid of refugees from East Pakistan.
"George sang his songs, 'My Sweet Lord,' of course, and Beatle songs, including 'Something' and 'While my guitar gently weeps.'
"Ringo sang his song, 'It don't come easy,' and won a fantastic ovation. But one event wasn't billed, wasn't expected.
"“And now a very good friend of ours, Bob Dylan,” said George. And Madison Square Garden heard the greatest ovation of all.
"He sang his old songs, 'Mr. Tambourine Man,' 'Blowing in the Wind,' 'Hard Rain's Gonna Fall,' nervously waved his acknowledgement of the crescendo of applause, then slipped away as suddenly as he had appeared. It was the pop event of 1971."
Next week's stories will include the fruit merchant scam in Exchange Street, the timetable for North Sea gas conversion is announced, Knowsley Safari Park drivers hit back at criticism and the tragic tale of Timothy the wandering tortoise.
We begin at 7.20am on the 2nd when the number 89 bus service from Speke to St Helens collided with a car in Wheat Hill Road, Huyton.
None of the passengers on the double-decker Crosville bus were seriously injured but two men in the Hillman Minx died and another was seriously injured.
The accident happened at what residents said was an accident black spot and after the collision, the bus had ploughed off the road and careered 40 yards into a field.
Florence Platt of Percy Street told the Reporter: "The sky was jet black. The chimney was belching thick black smoke. I have never seen it so bad. The whole area was covered by a black cloud."
Helen Nolan of Sutton Road added: "It was so black it looked like solid coal. I've never seen it so thick before."
The company had a tendency not to apologise to the local community for such incidents, instead making themselves out to be just as much a victim.
In explaining what had occurred, the general manager of Sidac, Dr H. G. Britton, simply said: "It was no-one's idea of a picnic – not for us or the people living in Sutton".
This week the Capitol on the corner of Duke Street and North Road was showing 'Tales Of Beatrix Potter' featuring dancers of The Royal Ballet.
Meanwhile at the ABC Savoy, the big-screen version of TV show 'On The Buses' was going down well. The comedy, starring Reg Varney, was being retained in Bridge Street for a rare second week of showings.
There were three Knowsley Safari Park stories this week in the Liverpool Echo.
The venture was a partnership between Lord Derby and Jimmy Chipperfield of the famous circus family, who had been in charge of developing wild animal schemes at Woburn Abbey and Longleat.
Clearly much had been learned by creating these reserves. However what doesn't appear to have been a problem in the south of England had been visitors taking old bangers to view the animals. This article was published on the 2nd:
"Car owners who take their cars to the Knowsley Safari Park in a poor condition were blamed for causing hold-ups yesterday.
"More than 150 vehicles broke down in the park making it one of the worst days since the park was opened a month ago.
"Park manager, Mr. Laurence Tennant, blamed the breakdowns on poorly maintained cars.
"“We just can't understand why people come here in cars like the ones that broke down. They should not have been on the road. We try and spot vehicles which look as if they will have trouble before they enter the park, but some obviously slip through.
"“Surely, anyone who goes out on a trip checks that he has enough petrol and that his radiator is working properly. If people did this then there would be no trouble in the park,” said Mr. Tennant.
"An A.A. spokesman said: “The two commonest causes of breakdowns were running out of petrol and engines overheating. The first results from downright foolishness and the second is mostly avoidable.”"
It was also announced on the 2nd that Newton-le-Willows County Infants School was to have four new classrooms built at a cost of £22,100.
Five-month-old Karen Waddilove from Haydock was pictured in the Echo on the 3rd lying on a resuscitation trolley in the Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital.
Not that there appeared to have been anything amiss with little Karen. She was simply acting as a model to show off the new trolley that grateful parents had presented to the hospital's intensive care unit.
Four girls and an 11-year-old boy appeared in Newton-le-Willows Juvenile Court on the 4th accused of breaking into schools and homes in the Golborne area.
They hadn't taken much in any of their robberies, with their break-in at Golborne Junior School resulting in a swag of just 26p.
On the 4th the Liverpool Echo conducted an investigation into what holidaymakers in Southport thought of self-catering.
That was in response to the English Tourist Board declaring that an increasing number of people were turning their backs on seaside boarding houses and staying instead in self-catering flats.
"But do people really want to do their own cooking and washing up", asked the paper, "or do they prefer the homely delights of the traditional boarding house?"
Pamela and Jeff Kenrick of St Helens were the only couple that the Echo talked to who thought self-catering was a good idea.
"I would not mind making the bed and cooking breakfast," said Pamela. "We would probably have dinner out every night anyway."
"I like the idea because you could please yourself," said her husband. "Get up when you like, eat when you like, and what you like, not when the landlady says and not anything she likes to dish up."
The Echo also reported on the 4th that British Railways "super trains" of the next decade would be double-glazed and have fibreglass insulation to make them more comfortable and soundproof.
Pilkington's City Road works at St Helens had already supplied 4,000 double glazing units for over 200 new 100 mph coaches that would be used on intercity runs.
And Fibreglass had provided all the insulation, which was being incorporated into the roof, walls and floors of the new coaches to provide both thermal and acoustic protection.
Stoves of Rainhill were recruiting a recruitment officer in the Echo on the 4th. The successful candidate had to be female, aged 19 - 35 and be a competent typist.
Both gender and age stipulations would now, of course, be illegal. Pay was £800 - £900 per year.
Stoves had begun in 1920 and was in the process of expanding its 283,000 sq. ft. factory at Rainhill that mainly manufactured Newhome domestic gas cookers.
I quite like this headline to an ad in the Echo on the 5th: "To Let: 6,500 Sq. Ft. of Offices For 260 Feet in St. Helens."
It was the new quarter-acre shopping centre in Barrow Street comprising eight, 3-storey buildings containing shops with offices above.
It was the latter that the developers had yet to let, which were capable of accommodating a total of 130 people on two floors – which is where the 260 feet reference comes in!
These days I imagine the owners of offices will highlight being wired for hi-speed broadband and the like.
In 1971 it was being "wired for off-peak storage heating" that was the big attraction, as well as its location being next door to Boots – oh and having "modern toilets and plenty of light".
Although I doubt prospective tenants would have been expecting an outside lavvy!
A new service road had been constructed off Claughton Street to enable delivery vehicles to gain access to land at the rear of Cotham Street and Barrow Street.
The Pilkington Gala was held on the 6th and 7th at Ruskin Drive – "a host of star attractions for all the family", said the ad.
Last year's Gala had been scrapped with the glass giant saying they could not afford it after the seven-week-strike earlier in the year.
The event began with the usual colourful parade headed by "Gala Girl" Margaret Pinnington of Cheviot Avenue riding in a 1924 white Rolls Royce Silver Ghost.
The St Helens Reporter's lead story on the 6th bore the headline "Saints On Strike!", after a pay row with the club. Players were demanding a small rise in the basic rate of match pay, extra compensation when injured and higher expenses for taking time off from their other jobs to play for the team.
The players complained that they only received £4 a week if off injured – however during a meeting the club said they couldn't afford to pay them any more.
One unnamed first teamer told Ken Ashton of the Reporter: "We thought we were asking for reasonable terms, but the club was pleading poverty. They almost had us crying – we expected hankies to be handed out."
However secretary-manager Basil Lowe believed the team's next match against Leigh in the Lancashire Cup would go ahead as normal – which it did, Saints winning 11 - 10, thanks to a Les Jones try and four goals from skipper Kel Coslett.
'Wedding Bells and Beautiful Brides' was the title of an advertising feature in the Reporter aimed at those planning to get hitched.
The advertisers included hairdresser Barbara Punshon, Dentons Green Lane ("For your own exclusive personal style"); Swan Mill Carpet Warehouse, Duke Street ("Offer to all newly weds two fireside rugs on carpet orders of £100”); Vogue Hair Fashions, Church Street ("Look your loveliest with the latest styles in ladies' hair fashions") and St Helens Co-op Society Off-Licence Dept., Greenfield Road and Helena House ("May we supply your needs in wines, spirits, beers, Champagnes and sparkling wines).
The Automobile Association was advertising in the Echo on the 6th for an "A.A. Patrol Girl" to be stationed at Knowsley Safari Park.
Applications were invited from "young ladies aged 21/30, who have some selling experience and who are interested in meeting and assisting people.
"The duties are varied and will involve selling A.A. membership and publications, use of the telephone and short wave radio.
"Full training will be given and an attractive free uniform is provided. The salary will commence at £16.50 at age 21 or over. Commission will also be paid."
Reading between the lines I expect the patrolwoman's job was mainly to help stranded motorists – or at least those who were members of the AA – after they'd broken down in the park.
The use of radio and telephone, I expect, was to summon AA repairmen to come and fix the vehicles.
I wonder if she would have been able to sell backdated AA membership to motorists who had broken down but were not in the AA or RAC?
That began on the 8th taking Merseysiders through the Knowsley reserve. Double decker buses left Speke, Garston, Pier Head, Bootle, Netherton and Kirkby at 2pm making only a limited number of stops on the journey.
Inside the park the buses were driven slowly among the animals and passengers were then able to spend an hour in the recreation and restaurant enclosure.
The total time of the return trip including 2½ hours on safari was just under four hours.
The cost – including admission to the park – was only 60p for adults and 35p for children under 15. The usual price for admission by car was £1.
St Helens Corporation's Transport Department also ran safari buses to the reserve at weekends and on weekdays during school holidays. Their fare was a bit cheaper – 50p for adults and 30p for children.
On the 8th Bold Miners Welfare Band performed in Victoria Park. This was part of the council's 'Bands In Parks' weekly Sunday concert series with free admission to a special enclosure.
And finally, the Echo published this article by Peter Cole this week about a semi-Beatle reunion in New York, under the headline "George and Ringo Rekindle Beatlemania":
"To think that some of us were saying that Beatlemania went out with the Sixties! When I arrived at New York's Madison Square Garden there were around 2,000 people waiting outside and every one of them asked me if I had a spare ticket to sell!
"The tickets for this semi-Beatles concert sold out within a couple of hours of the box office opening.
"Security precautions were typical New York and typical Beatle. Hundreds of gun-toting cops surrounded and filled the building.
"A couple of hundred ticketless Beatle maniacs charged one of the entrances and broke down two barricades. The police quickly, forcibly had them under control.
"After a turgid three-quarters of an hour of sitar playing by Ravi Shankar (one almost expected the Maharishi to be there) the moment came.
"Twenty thousand Beatle fans, ranging in age from 12 to 50, erupted into a cheer the like of which hadn't been heard at a pop concert for years.
"There, in a white suit and orange shirt, stood bearded Beatle George Harrison. Behind him, sitting at the drums sat bearded Beatle Ringo Starr.
"George had organised the event as a charity concert in aid of refugees from East Pakistan.
"George sang his songs, 'My Sweet Lord,' of course, and Beatle songs, including 'Something' and 'While my guitar gently weeps.'
"Ringo sang his song, 'It don't come easy,' and won a fantastic ovation. But one event wasn't billed, wasn't expected.
"“And now a very good friend of ours, Bob Dylan,” said George. And Madison Square Garden heard the greatest ovation of all.
"He sang his old songs, 'Mr. Tambourine Man,' 'Blowing in the Wind,' 'Hard Rain's Gonna Fall,' nervously waved his acknowledgement of the crescendo of applause, then slipped away as suddenly as he had appeared. It was the pop event of 1971."
Next week's stories will include the fruit merchant scam in Exchange Street, the timetable for North Sea gas conversion is announced, Knowsley Safari Park drivers hit back at criticism and the tragic tale of Timothy the wandering tortoise.