FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK 3 - 9 AUGUST 1976
This week's many stories include the disabled drivers protesting against the possible loss of their invalidity cars, a claim that a new council house in Thatto Heath was in an unbelievable shambles, Rainhill Village Hall is saved from closure, Lennons announce a big rise in profits and the Reporter's Autumn Bride wedding feature.
We begin on the 4th when the Liverpool Daily Post reported that John Lennon's first wife Cynthia had married a Prescot man. 30-year-old engineer John Twist had become Cynthia's third husband and his father, Albert Twist of St Helens Road in Prescot, had told the paper that the couple had secretly married earlier in the year and were about to take a delayed honeymoon in Greece.
For five days from the 5th, Jack Nicholson's 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' was screened at the Capitol, while throughout this week 'It Shouldn't Happen To A Vet' starring John Alderton was shown at the ABC Savoy.
On the 6th there was an advertisement in the Liverpool Echo for a three-bedroom semi-detached house in Sutton Manor that had been built in 1969 which was on sale for £10,100. When built the house probably cost around £6 - 7,000.
The Echo also wrote how for the third time in a fortnight, 70 junior doctors at Whiston and St Helens hospitals were refusing to work to rule despite a call for industrial action from the North West Region of the BMA. Dr. Michael Coleman, the spokesman for the 70 doctors, said:
"We do not think strike action is justified at the present time. We see no reason to strike and do not believe strike action will be successful in the midst of the existing economic situation." The dispute was over a government proposal to only pay doctors their basic 40 hours a week salary during holidays, sick and study leave.
The paper also said that the Ravenhead television glassware plant that had been mothballed by Pilkingtons at the beginning of the year could soon be re-opened by another firm. Talks were taking place between United Glass and Pilkingtons and the Echo said that if the deal went through it would mean a big jobs boost for St Helens.
Do you remember the pale blue Invacar three-wheelers that used to be seen on the roads? Disabled persons drove them with the "Inva" prefix being an abbreviation of invalid. On the plus side those that qualified for the free use of the vehicles had their lives transformed by becoming mobile.
But as society wished to become more inclusive and recognise that disability came in different forms, the government decided to replace the distinctive Invacars with a personal mobility allowance of £5 a week – around £75 in today's money. Claimants could then spend the cash as they wished.
But the St Helens Reporter on the 6th explained that local disabled people were "furious" at the government's decision. Sixty had signed a petition protesting against the changeover, which would be sent to the St Helens MP Leslie Spriggs and government ministers. Kath Donlon of Gerards Lane had said: "It means everything having a car and I will not give it up without a fight. It is a cruel and heartless decision."
The Reporter described how Rainhill Village Hall, which had been under threat of closure, had been saved by an injection of cash. Rainhill Parish Council had decided to provide a grant of £3,675, which would over the next 12 months pay for internal decoration and roof renewal, as well as the general running of the hall.
"OObiDo Is Coming To St Helens" was the brief teaser advert placed in the Reporter. Although not stated in the tiny ad, the store was taking over the premises of Oxleys, which had closed a couple of years ago.
The Reporter revealed that stone-throwing vandals had caused £200 worth of damage to a stained glass window at Holy Trinity Church in Parr Mount (pictured above). Eight holes had been made in the 25-feet tall west side window. But the vandalism was only the latest in a series of window damaging incidents, with stones having been thrown through other windows at the church and also through glass in the adjoining school. The vicar, the Rev Eric Hague, said he was going to approach local children and attempt to get them interested in "preserving rather than desecrating" his church.
There was an "Autumn Bride" wedding feature in the Reporter. Advertisers included photographers T. Swift of Higher Parr Street who said they were accepting bookings for 1977. And fellow photographers Cholertons of Duke Street wrote: "Memories are made of this . . . Cholerton The “Best Man”."
Also in Duke Street were jeweller's Rimmer and Welding who said: "To complete the happiness of the bride, select the Ring from our collection." And V. A. Seymour of Barrow Street claimed to have up to 200 diamond wedding rings to choose from. There was also bridal specialist Janette of 53 Ormskirk Street who said they had a large selection of bridal gowns from £17.95.
Barkers were promoting their wedding flowers with premises in Duke Street, the Tontine Market and Lagrange Arcade. "Your Interflora florist", said their ad. And the venues advertising their premises for the wedding reception included the Globe Hotel of Hardshaw Street and the Sefton Arms.
The woes of Ada and James Anders were related in the Reporter. Only hours after the elderly couple had moved into their new council house in Elmfield Close in Thatto Heath, gallons of water had flooded through it. That was through a fault in the central heating system. But that, the couple said, was only the start of their problems.
James and Ada claimed that sheets of plaster then fell from the walls; roof tiles sank because of poor timber and they could not use the letterbox because of missing screws. Their niece's husband Tom Mount of Elephant Lane told the Reporter that the poor workmanship had turned Mr and Mrs Anders into nervous wrecks, adding: "It was a shocking experience for them. They were excited about moving into their new house. The house has been an unbelievable shambles."
Lennons released their latest financial results this week which revealed that the supermarket and off-licence group had achieved record pre-tax profits. They had increased by nearly 30% to £1.246 million on sales of £46 million.
After the recent departure from the firm of Terry Lennon, his brother Denis was now the chairman and said that even taking inflation into account, there had been a significant increase in the volume of goods that they had sold. During the last financial year, Lennons had opened two new supermarkets and five off-licences and since the year's ending, a further six off-licences and a meat market had been opened.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Atlas Street market court battle, the Francoise Beach Party Night, the painting that went missing from the St Helens Show and the fall-out from Leathers Chemicals that damaged cars in Lancots Lane.
We begin on the 4th when the Liverpool Daily Post reported that John Lennon's first wife Cynthia had married a Prescot man. 30-year-old engineer John Twist had become Cynthia's third husband and his father, Albert Twist of St Helens Road in Prescot, had told the paper that the couple had secretly married earlier in the year and were about to take a delayed honeymoon in Greece.
For five days from the 5th, Jack Nicholson's 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' was screened at the Capitol, while throughout this week 'It Shouldn't Happen To A Vet' starring John Alderton was shown at the ABC Savoy.
On the 6th there was an advertisement in the Liverpool Echo for a three-bedroom semi-detached house in Sutton Manor that had been built in 1969 which was on sale for £10,100. When built the house probably cost around £6 - 7,000.
The Echo also wrote how for the third time in a fortnight, 70 junior doctors at Whiston and St Helens hospitals were refusing to work to rule despite a call for industrial action from the North West Region of the BMA. Dr. Michael Coleman, the spokesman for the 70 doctors, said:
"We do not think strike action is justified at the present time. We see no reason to strike and do not believe strike action will be successful in the midst of the existing economic situation." The dispute was over a government proposal to only pay doctors their basic 40 hours a week salary during holidays, sick and study leave.
The paper also said that the Ravenhead television glassware plant that had been mothballed by Pilkingtons at the beginning of the year could soon be re-opened by another firm. Talks were taking place between United Glass and Pilkingtons and the Echo said that if the deal went through it would mean a big jobs boost for St Helens.
Do you remember the pale blue Invacar three-wheelers that used to be seen on the roads? Disabled persons drove them with the "Inva" prefix being an abbreviation of invalid. On the plus side those that qualified for the free use of the vehicles had their lives transformed by becoming mobile.
But as society wished to become more inclusive and recognise that disability came in different forms, the government decided to replace the distinctive Invacars with a personal mobility allowance of £5 a week – around £75 in today's money. Claimants could then spend the cash as they wished.
But the St Helens Reporter on the 6th explained that local disabled people were "furious" at the government's decision. Sixty had signed a petition protesting against the changeover, which would be sent to the St Helens MP Leslie Spriggs and government ministers. Kath Donlon of Gerards Lane had said: "It means everything having a car and I will not give it up without a fight. It is a cruel and heartless decision."
The Reporter described how Rainhill Village Hall, which had been under threat of closure, had been saved by an injection of cash. Rainhill Parish Council had decided to provide a grant of £3,675, which would over the next 12 months pay for internal decoration and roof renewal, as well as the general running of the hall.
"OObiDo Is Coming To St Helens" was the brief teaser advert placed in the Reporter. Although not stated in the tiny ad, the store was taking over the premises of Oxleys, which had closed a couple of years ago.
There was an "Autumn Bride" wedding feature in the Reporter. Advertisers included photographers T. Swift of Higher Parr Street who said they were accepting bookings for 1977. And fellow photographers Cholertons of Duke Street wrote: "Memories are made of this . . . Cholerton The “Best Man”."
Also in Duke Street were jeweller's Rimmer and Welding who said: "To complete the happiness of the bride, select the Ring from our collection." And V. A. Seymour of Barrow Street claimed to have up to 200 diamond wedding rings to choose from. There was also bridal specialist Janette of 53 Ormskirk Street who said they had a large selection of bridal gowns from £17.95.
Barkers were promoting their wedding flowers with premises in Duke Street, the Tontine Market and Lagrange Arcade. "Your Interflora florist", said their ad. And the venues advertising their premises for the wedding reception included the Globe Hotel of Hardshaw Street and the Sefton Arms.
The woes of Ada and James Anders were related in the Reporter. Only hours after the elderly couple had moved into their new council house in Elmfield Close in Thatto Heath, gallons of water had flooded through it. That was through a fault in the central heating system. But that, the couple said, was only the start of their problems.
James and Ada claimed that sheets of plaster then fell from the walls; roof tiles sank because of poor timber and they could not use the letterbox because of missing screws. Their niece's husband Tom Mount of Elephant Lane told the Reporter that the poor workmanship had turned Mr and Mrs Anders into nervous wrecks, adding: "It was a shocking experience for them. They were excited about moving into their new house. The house has been an unbelievable shambles."
After the recent departure from the firm of Terry Lennon, his brother Denis was now the chairman and said that even taking inflation into account, there had been a significant increase in the volume of goods that they had sold. During the last financial year, Lennons had opened two new supermarkets and five off-licences and since the year's ending, a further six off-licences and a meat market had been opened.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Atlas Street market court battle, the Francoise Beach Party Night, the painting that went missing from the St Helens Show and the fall-out from Leathers Chemicals that damaged cars in Lancots Lane.
This week's many stories include the disabled drivers protesting against the possible loss of their invalidity cars, a claim that a new council house in Thatto Heath was in an unbelievable shambles, Rainhill Village Hall is saved from closure, Lennons announce a big rise in profits and the Reporter's Autumn Bride wedding feature.
We begin on the 4th when the Liverpool Daily Post reported that John Lennon's first wife Cynthia had married a Prescot man.
30-year-old engineer John Twist had become Cynthia's third husband and his father, Albert Twist of St Helens Road in Prescot, had told the paper that the couple had secretly married earlier in the year and were about to take a delayed honeymoon in Greece.
For five days from the 5th, Jack Nicholson's 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' was screened at the Capitol, while throughout this week 'It Shouldn't Happen To A Vet' starring John Alderton was shown at the ABC Savoy.
On the 6th there was an advertisement in the Liverpool Echo for a three-bedroom semi-detached house in Sutton Manor that had been built in 1969 which was on sale for £10,100.
When built the house probably cost around £6 - 7,000.
The Echo also wrote how for the third time in a fortnight, 70 junior doctors at Whiston and St Helens hospitals were refusing to work to rule despite a call for industrial action from the North West Region of the BMA.
Dr. Michael Coleman, the spokesman for the 70 doctors, said:
"We do not think strike action is justified at the present time. We see no reason to strike and do not believe strike action will be successful in the midst of the existing economic situation."
The dispute was over a government proposal to only pay doctors their basic 40 hours a week salary during holidays, sick and study leave.
The paper also said that the Ravenhead television glassware plant that had been mothballed by Pilkingtons at the beginning of the year could soon be re-opened by another firm.
Talks were taking place between United Glass and Pilkingtons and the Echo said that if the deal went through it would mean a big jobs boost for St Helens.
Do you remember the pale blue Invacar three-wheelers that used to be seen on the roads?
Disabled persons drove them with the "Inva" prefix being an abbreviation of invalid.
On the plus side those that qualified for the free use of the vehicles had their lives transformed by becoming mobile.
But as society wished to become more inclusive and recognise that disability came in different forms, the government decided to replace the distinctive Invacars with a personal mobility allowance of £5 a week – around £75 in today's money.
Claimants could then spend the cash as they wished.
But the St Helens Reporter on the 6th explained that local disabled people were "furious" at the government's decision.
Sixty had signed a petition protesting against the changeover, which would be sent to the St Helens MP Leslie Spriggs and government ministers.
Kath Donlon of Gerards Lane had said: "It means everything having a car and I will not give it up without a fight. It is a cruel and heartless decision."
The Reporter described how Rainhill Village Hall, which had been under threat of closure, had been saved by an injection of cash.
Rainhill Parish Council had decided to provide a grant of £3,675, which would over the next 12 months pay for internal decoration and roof renewal, as well as the general running of the hall.
"OObiDo Is Coming To St Helens" was the brief teaser advert placed in the Reporter.
Although not stated in the tiny ad, the store was taking over the premises of Oxleys, which had closed a couple of years ago.
The Reporter revealed that stone-throwing vandals had caused £200 worth of damage to a stained glass window at Holy Trinity Church in Parr Mount (pictured above).
Eight holes had been made in the 25-feet tall west side window.
But the vandalism was only the latest in a series of window damaging incidents, with stones having been thrown through other windows at the church and also through glass in the adjoining school.
The vicar, the Rev Eric Hague, said he was going to approach local children and attempt to get them interested in "preserving rather than desecrating" his church.
There was an "Autumn Bride" wedding feature in the Reporter.
Advertisers included photographers T. Swift of Higher Parr Street who said they were accepting bookings for 1977.
And fellow photographers Cholertons of Duke Street wrote: "Memories are made of this . . . Cholerton The “Best Man”."
Also in Duke Street were jeweller's Rimmer and Welding who said: "To complete the happiness of the bride, select the Ring from our collection."
And V. A. Seymour of Barrow Street claimed to have up to 200 diamond wedding rings to choose from.
There was also bridal specialist Janette of 53 Ormskirk Street who said they had a large selection of bridal gowns from £17.95.
Barkers were promoting their wedding flowers with premises in Duke Street, the Tontine Market and Lagrange Arcade. "Your Interflora florist", said their ad.
And the venues advertising their premises for the wedding reception included the Globe Hotel of Hardshaw Street and the Sefton Arms.
The woes of Ada and James Anders were related in the Reporter.
Only hours after the elderly couple had moved into their new council house in Elmfield Close in Thatto Heath, gallons of water had flooded through it.
That was through a fault in the central heating system. But that, the couple said, was only the start of their problems.
James and Ada claimed that sheets of plaster then fell from the walls; roof tiles sank because of poor timber and they could not use the letterbox because of missing screws.
Their niece's husband Tom Mount of Elephant Lane told the Reporter that the poor workmanship had turned Mr and Mrs Anders into nervous wrecks, adding:
"It was a shocking experience for them. They were excited about moving into their new house. The house has been an unbelievable shambles."
Lennons released their latest financial results this week which revealed that the supermarket and off-licence group had achieved record pre-tax profits.
They had increased by nearly 30% to £1.246 million on sales of £46 million.
After the recent departure from the firm of Terry Lennon, his brother Denis was now the chairman and said that even taking inflation into account, there had been a significant increase in the volume of goods that they had sold.
During the last financial year, Lennons had opened two new supermarkets and five off-licences and since the year's ending, a further six off-licences and a meat market had been opened.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Atlas Street market court battle, the Francoise Beach Party Night, the painting that went missing from the St Helens Show and the fall-out from Leathers Chemicals that damaged cars in Lancots Lane.
We begin on the 4th when the Liverpool Daily Post reported that John Lennon's first wife Cynthia had married a Prescot man.
30-year-old engineer John Twist had become Cynthia's third husband and his father, Albert Twist of St Helens Road in Prescot, had told the paper that the couple had secretly married earlier in the year and were about to take a delayed honeymoon in Greece.
For five days from the 5th, Jack Nicholson's 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' was screened at the Capitol, while throughout this week 'It Shouldn't Happen To A Vet' starring John Alderton was shown at the ABC Savoy.
On the 6th there was an advertisement in the Liverpool Echo for a three-bedroom semi-detached house in Sutton Manor that had been built in 1969 which was on sale for £10,100.
When built the house probably cost around £6 - 7,000.
The Echo also wrote how for the third time in a fortnight, 70 junior doctors at Whiston and St Helens hospitals were refusing to work to rule despite a call for industrial action from the North West Region of the BMA.
Dr. Michael Coleman, the spokesman for the 70 doctors, said:
"We do not think strike action is justified at the present time. We see no reason to strike and do not believe strike action will be successful in the midst of the existing economic situation."
The dispute was over a government proposal to only pay doctors their basic 40 hours a week salary during holidays, sick and study leave.
The paper also said that the Ravenhead television glassware plant that had been mothballed by Pilkingtons at the beginning of the year could soon be re-opened by another firm.
Talks were taking place between United Glass and Pilkingtons and the Echo said that if the deal went through it would mean a big jobs boost for St Helens.
Do you remember the pale blue Invacar three-wheelers that used to be seen on the roads?
Disabled persons drove them with the "Inva" prefix being an abbreviation of invalid.
On the plus side those that qualified for the free use of the vehicles had their lives transformed by becoming mobile.
But as society wished to become more inclusive and recognise that disability came in different forms, the government decided to replace the distinctive Invacars with a personal mobility allowance of £5 a week – around £75 in today's money.
Claimants could then spend the cash as they wished.
But the St Helens Reporter on the 6th explained that local disabled people were "furious" at the government's decision.
Sixty had signed a petition protesting against the changeover, which would be sent to the St Helens MP Leslie Spriggs and government ministers.
Kath Donlon of Gerards Lane had said: "It means everything having a car and I will not give it up without a fight. It is a cruel and heartless decision."
The Reporter described how Rainhill Village Hall, which had been under threat of closure, had been saved by an injection of cash.
Rainhill Parish Council had decided to provide a grant of £3,675, which would over the next 12 months pay for internal decoration and roof renewal, as well as the general running of the hall.
"OObiDo Is Coming To St Helens" was the brief teaser advert placed in the Reporter.
Although not stated in the tiny ad, the store was taking over the premises of Oxleys, which had closed a couple of years ago.
Eight holes had been made in the 25-feet tall west side window.
But the vandalism was only the latest in a series of window damaging incidents, with stones having been thrown through other windows at the church and also through glass in the adjoining school.
The vicar, the Rev Eric Hague, said he was going to approach local children and attempt to get them interested in "preserving rather than desecrating" his church.
There was an "Autumn Bride" wedding feature in the Reporter.
Advertisers included photographers T. Swift of Higher Parr Street who said they were accepting bookings for 1977.
And fellow photographers Cholertons of Duke Street wrote: "Memories are made of this . . . Cholerton The “Best Man”."
Also in Duke Street were jeweller's Rimmer and Welding who said: "To complete the happiness of the bride, select the Ring from our collection."
And V. A. Seymour of Barrow Street claimed to have up to 200 diamond wedding rings to choose from.
There was also bridal specialist Janette of 53 Ormskirk Street who said they had a large selection of bridal gowns from £17.95.
Barkers were promoting their wedding flowers with premises in Duke Street, the Tontine Market and Lagrange Arcade. "Your Interflora florist", said their ad.
And the venues advertising their premises for the wedding reception included the Globe Hotel of Hardshaw Street and the Sefton Arms.
The woes of Ada and James Anders were related in the Reporter.
Only hours after the elderly couple had moved into their new council house in Elmfield Close in Thatto Heath, gallons of water had flooded through it.
That was through a fault in the central heating system. But that, the couple said, was only the start of their problems.
James and Ada claimed that sheets of plaster then fell from the walls; roof tiles sank because of poor timber and they could not use the letterbox because of missing screws.
Their niece's husband Tom Mount of Elephant Lane told the Reporter that the poor workmanship had turned Mr and Mrs Anders into nervous wrecks, adding:
"It was a shocking experience for them. They were excited about moving into their new house. The house has been an unbelievable shambles."
They had increased by nearly 30% to £1.246 million on sales of £46 million.
After the recent departure from the firm of Terry Lennon, his brother Denis was now the chairman and said that even taking inflation into account, there had been a significant increase in the volume of goods that they had sold.
During the last financial year, Lennons had opened two new supermarkets and five off-licences and since the year's ending, a further six off-licences and a meat market had been opened.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Atlas Street market court battle, the Francoise Beach Party Night, the painting that went missing from the St Helens Show and the fall-out from Leathers Chemicals that damaged cars in Lancots Lane.