FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK 7 - 13 APRIL 1975
This week's many stories include the fire in a clay pit that was visible 10 miles away, the deep-sea diving chambers made in Bold, the measures to improve Beth Avenue, the new clothing factory to be built in Parr, the wedding feature in the Reporter and Haydock Male Voice Choir upsets the very touchy St Helens Council.
We begin on the 7th when the new Beth Avenue Community Council met and discussed the problems on the Sutton estate. One survey had been completed and residents' ideas concerning the re-numbering of the huge estate had been sent to the council's Planning Committee for their consideration. Another survey concerning lighting was underway and initial results suggested that only half of the estate's street lights were actually working.
Discarded items were high on the agenda of the meeting, as the estate was said to be littered with old furniture, bicycles and general rubbish. Playgroups, dances, sponsored walks, outings and a news sheet were some of the future activities planned to stir up interest amongst the residents of Beth Avenue and Dominic Way.
On the 8th a 41-year-old man from Parr – who had hit his wife several times in the face with his fist – was only given a conditional discharge by magistrates. The couple had been married for 23 years and had six children and when his wife had returned from bingo he had accused her of being with someone else in a car.
The man had continued to strike his spouse until she fell to the floor and she needed four stitches at Providence Hospital and treatment to a cut inside her mouth. He was ordered to pay £3.80 doctor's fee.
St Helens Councillor Nellie Holley heard on the 8th that she had won her campaign to get batteries for hearing aids distributed from health clinics. Presently, hearing-aid users needed to visit Whiston Hospital, St Helens Hospital, Haydock and Newton Cottage Hospitals or Rainford Village Hall to obtain supplies.
While undertaking voluntary work amongst aged persons in Rainhill, Nellie had found that many could not hear her because their batteries had run out. And they had put off visiting Whiston Hospital to get more batteries because of their age and having to undertake a bus ride and a walk.
Haydock Male Voice Choir (pictured above) had recently released a new LP record called 'Haydock Sings', for which orders were said to be pouring in. But St Helens Council were most definitely not singing the praises of the choir. In fact the ultra-sensitive councillors had decided to refuse them a grant towards the cost of the choristers' Autumn trip to Stuttgart. Members of their Policy Committee were angry because they felt the choir had made their arrangements behind the committee's back.
The Reporter on the 11th described how a letter from the secretary of the choir had been sent to the committee explaining that they would be receiving a civic reception in West Germany and suggesting that a St Helens councillor might like to accompany them. Committee chairman Len Williams told the Reporter:
"I don't care very much for arrangements being made for us in this manner – before they came to us for assistance. Whether we send anyone to Germany is our business. The choir ought not to be telling us what to do."
Mr Williams also resented the choir's claim to be representing St Helens at the German choral festival. But William Ireland, the secretary of the Haydock choir, claimed a misunderstanding and hoped the committee would reconsider their application.
The Reporter said a new clothing factory was to be built in St Helens providing 100 jobs. Work was expected to start in the next few weeks on building the factory on a site off Broad Oak Road in Parr. The firm would manufacture uniforms, mainly for security firms, and the jobs would mostly be for women machinists.
Brian Gaskell of Old Lane in Rainford was the man behind the development. He owned West Lancs Alteration Services, which altered suits for the big tailoring companies. The new building would replace his present smaller premises in Rainford and change the direction of the business from alteration to manufacture.
There was a large advert in the paper from Enid's Ladies Fashion House of Pocket Nook Street in Fingerpost, which was offering suits, blouses, skirts, trouser suits, evening gowns and maxi skirts.
"Nudes To Get More Cash" was the intriguing headline to an article that described how the hourly rate for nude models that posed for St Helens art students was set to rise from 93p to £1.06.
As part of a wedding feature in the paper, the Sefton Arms had an advert that mentioned they were offering businessmen's lunches from 40p. Bed and breakfast accommodation was also available. Photographers T. Swift from Higher Parr Street announced that they were now accepting wedding bookings for 1976. And Polaroid colour cameras were on offer at £2.50 off their usual price.
Other advertisers in the feature were Webster's Stationers of Duke Street ("For all your personally printed wedding stationery"); Janette, Ormskirk Street ("Visit Janette for your bridal gown"); J. T. Horton, Duke Street ("Remember newlyweds and engaged couples that we give 20% discount on all furniture"); Helena House Travel Services, Baldwin Street ("So you've finally named the day. We will help you name the place for that ideal honeymoon") and A. Watkinson, the Jeweller's, Church Street ("See our complete new range of patterned wedding rings in the Truelove collection").
When William Neill founded Bold Iron Works in 1859 his firm specialised in making machinery for soap manufacturers, alkali firms and the mining industry. But much had changed since then and now known as Capper-Neill, the firm had several subsidiaries. The Reporter described its latest, which made deep-sea diving chambers and other equipment mainly for the North Sea oil and gas industry.
It was believed to be the only UK manufacturer of such chambers, which would be lowered from oil and gas platforms and drilling rigs. Each would accommodate two divers and allow them to carry out underwater maintenance to a depth of 1,000 feet.
This week a fire in a waterlogged clay pit belonging to Roughdales Brickworks led to fumes hanging over the town, with the glow of flames and smoke said to be visible ten miles away. The brick firm used the pit in Elton Head Road for tipping and there was a large quantity of waste oil floating on the surface of the water.
Fireman John O’Connell of Ramford Street in St Helens was burned on his hands in dealing with the fire but was allowed home after hospital treatment. In yet another example of the poor PR of many companies in the 1970s, Ibstock's, the owner of Roughdales Brickworks, refused the Reporter's request to comment on the fire.
"Girls Muscle In On Pub Crawl", was the Reporter's headline to their article on Rainford Charities Association's Sunday lunchtime pub run. The sponsored event was to raise money for Rainford's "old folk" with the 10 females drinking half a pint of bitter in 6 pubs and the six men doing the same in 10 village pubs. Organiser Ray Charnock said they were hoping to raise £150 from the pub run.
Dave Berry of 'The Crying Game' fame from 1964 is now 84 and, presumably, still going strong. On the 13th the singer performed at Saints Sports and Leisure Centre in Dunriding Lane.
It was all change at the town's two cinemas from that day. At the ABC Savoy, 'The Man With The Golden Gun' starring Roger Moore was replaced by 'That's Entertainment', MGM's 50th anniversary musicals retrospective. And the Capitol replaced 'The Marseille Contract' starring Michael Caine and Anthony Quinn with 'Ransom' featuring Sean Connery.
And finally, the gardens of Windle Hall (pictured above) – the home of Lord and Lady Pilkington – were on the 13th opened to the public. Admission cost 15p with proceeds to the Retired District Nurses' Benevolent Fund.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's many stories will include the grim redundancy toll at Ravenhead, the choking mist that emanated from Leathers, the elderly woman that found mice running round her bed and the St Helens councillors accused of living it up on the rates.
We begin on the 7th when the new Beth Avenue Community Council met and discussed the problems on the Sutton estate. One survey had been completed and residents' ideas concerning the re-numbering of the huge estate had been sent to the council's Planning Committee for their consideration. Another survey concerning lighting was underway and initial results suggested that only half of the estate's street lights were actually working.
Discarded items were high on the agenda of the meeting, as the estate was said to be littered with old furniture, bicycles and general rubbish. Playgroups, dances, sponsored walks, outings and a news sheet were some of the future activities planned to stir up interest amongst the residents of Beth Avenue and Dominic Way.
On the 8th a 41-year-old man from Parr – who had hit his wife several times in the face with his fist – was only given a conditional discharge by magistrates. The couple had been married for 23 years and had six children and when his wife had returned from bingo he had accused her of being with someone else in a car.
The man had continued to strike his spouse until she fell to the floor and she needed four stitches at Providence Hospital and treatment to a cut inside her mouth. He was ordered to pay £3.80 doctor's fee.
St Helens Councillor Nellie Holley heard on the 8th that she had won her campaign to get batteries for hearing aids distributed from health clinics. Presently, hearing-aid users needed to visit Whiston Hospital, St Helens Hospital, Haydock and Newton Cottage Hospitals or Rainford Village Hall to obtain supplies.
While undertaking voluntary work amongst aged persons in Rainhill, Nellie had found that many could not hear her because their batteries had run out. And they had put off visiting Whiston Hospital to get more batteries because of their age and having to undertake a bus ride and a walk.
The Reporter on the 11th described how a letter from the secretary of the choir had been sent to the committee explaining that they would be receiving a civic reception in West Germany and suggesting that a St Helens councillor might like to accompany them. Committee chairman Len Williams told the Reporter:
"I don't care very much for arrangements being made for us in this manner – before they came to us for assistance. Whether we send anyone to Germany is our business. The choir ought not to be telling us what to do."
Mr Williams also resented the choir's claim to be representing St Helens at the German choral festival. But William Ireland, the secretary of the Haydock choir, claimed a misunderstanding and hoped the committee would reconsider their application.
The Reporter said a new clothing factory was to be built in St Helens providing 100 jobs. Work was expected to start in the next few weeks on building the factory on a site off Broad Oak Road in Parr. The firm would manufacture uniforms, mainly for security firms, and the jobs would mostly be for women machinists.
Brian Gaskell of Old Lane in Rainford was the man behind the development. He owned West Lancs Alteration Services, which altered suits for the big tailoring companies. The new building would replace his present smaller premises in Rainford and change the direction of the business from alteration to manufacture.
There was a large advert in the paper from Enid's Ladies Fashion House of Pocket Nook Street in Fingerpost, which was offering suits, blouses, skirts, trouser suits, evening gowns and maxi skirts.
"Nudes To Get More Cash" was the intriguing headline to an article that described how the hourly rate for nude models that posed for St Helens art students was set to rise from 93p to £1.06.
As part of a wedding feature in the paper, the Sefton Arms had an advert that mentioned they were offering businessmen's lunches from 40p. Bed and breakfast accommodation was also available. Photographers T. Swift from Higher Parr Street announced that they were now accepting wedding bookings for 1976. And Polaroid colour cameras were on offer at £2.50 off their usual price.
Other advertisers in the feature were Webster's Stationers of Duke Street ("For all your personally printed wedding stationery"); Janette, Ormskirk Street ("Visit Janette for your bridal gown"); J. T. Horton, Duke Street ("Remember newlyweds and engaged couples that we give 20% discount on all furniture"); Helena House Travel Services, Baldwin Street ("So you've finally named the day. We will help you name the place for that ideal honeymoon") and A. Watkinson, the Jeweller's, Church Street ("See our complete new range of patterned wedding rings in the Truelove collection").
When William Neill founded Bold Iron Works in 1859 his firm specialised in making machinery for soap manufacturers, alkali firms and the mining industry. But much had changed since then and now known as Capper-Neill, the firm had several subsidiaries. The Reporter described its latest, which made deep-sea diving chambers and other equipment mainly for the North Sea oil and gas industry.
It was believed to be the only UK manufacturer of such chambers, which would be lowered from oil and gas platforms and drilling rigs. Each would accommodate two divers and allow them to carry out underwater maintenance to a depth of 1,000 feet.
This week a fire in a waterlogged clay pit belonging to Roughdales Brickworks led to fumes hanging over the town, with the glow of flames and smoke said to be visible ten miles away. The brick firm used the pit in Elton Head Road for tipping and there was a large quantity of waste oil floating on the surface of the water.
Fireman John O’Connell of Ramford Street in St Helens was burned on his hands in dealing with the fire but was allowed home after hospital treatment. In yet another example of the poor PR of many companies in the 1970s, Ibstock's, the owner of Roughdales Brickworks, refused the Reporter's request to comment on the fire.
"Girls Muscle In On Pub Crawl", was the Reporter's headline to their article on Rainford Charities Association's Sunday lunchtime pub run. The sponsored event was to raise money for Rainford's "old folk" with the 10 females drinking half a pint of bitter in 6 pubs and the six men doing the same in 10 village pubs. Organiser Ray Charnock said they were hoping to raise £150 from the pub run.
Dave Berry of 'The Crying Game' fame from 1964 is now 84 and, presumably, still going strong. On the 13th the singer performed at Saints Sports and Leisure Centre in Dunriding Lane.
It was all change at the town's two cinemas from that day. At the ABC Savoy, 'The Man With The Golden Gun' starring Roger Moore was replaced by 'That's Entertainment', MGM's 50th anniversary musicals retrospective. And the Capitol replaced 'The Marseille Contract' starring Michael Caine and Anthony Quinn with 'Ransom' featuring Sean Connery.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's many stories will include the grim redundancy toll at Ravenhead, the choking mist that emanated from Leathers, the elderly woman that found mice running round her bed and the St Helens councillors accused of living it up on the rates.
This week's many stories include the fire in a clay pit that was visible 10 miles away, the deep-sea diving chambers made in Bold, the measures to improve Beth Avenue, the new clothing factory to be built in Parr, the wedding feature in the Reporter and Haydock Male Voice Choir upsets the very touchy St Helens Council.
We begin on the 7th when the new Beth Avenue Community Council met and discussed the problems on the Sutton estate.
One survey had been completed and residents' ideas concerning the re-numbering of the huge estate had been sent to the council's Planning Committee for their consideration.
Another survey concerning lighting was underway and initial results suggested that only half of the estate's street lights were actually working.
Discarded items were high on the agenda of the meeting, as the estate was said to be littered with old furniture, bicycles and general rubbish.
Playgroups, dances, sponsored walks, outings and a news sheet were some of the future activities planned to stir up interest amongst the residents of Beth Avenue and Dominic Way.
On the 8th a 41-year-old man from Parr – who had hit his wife several times in the face with his fist – was only given a conditional discharge by magistrates.
The couple had been married for 23 years and had six children and when his wife had returned from bingo he had accused her of being with someone else in a car.
The man had continued to strike his spouse until she fell to the floor and she needed four stitches at Providence Hospital and treatment to a cut inside her mouth. He was ordered to pay £3.80 doctor's fee.
St Helens Councillor Nellie Holley heard on the 8th that she had won her campaign to get batteries for hearing aids distributed from health clinics.
Presently, hearing-aid users needed to visit Whiston Hospital, St Helens Hospital, Haydock and Newton Cottage Hospitals or Rainford Village Hall to obtain supplies.
While undertaking voluntary work amongst aged persons in Rainhill, Nellie had found that many could not hear her because their batteries had run out.
And they had put off visiting Whiston Hospital to get more batteries because of their age and having to undertake a bus ride and a walk.
Haydock Male Voice Choir (pictured above) had recently released a new LP record called 'Haydock Sings', for which orders were said to be pouring in.
But St Helens Council were most definitely not singing the praises of the choir.
In fact the ultra-sensitive councillors had decided to refuse them a grant towards the cost of the choristers' Autumn trip to Stuttgart.
Members of their Policy Committee were angry because they felt the choir had made their arrangements behind the committee's back.
The Reporter on the 11th described how a letter from the secretary of the choir had been sent to the committee explaining that they would be receiving a civic reception in West Germany and suggesting that a St Helens councillor might like to accompany them.
Committee chairman Len Williams told the Reporter:
"I don't care very much for arrangements being made for us in this manner – before they came to us for assistance. Whether we send anyone to Germany is our business. The choir ought not to be telling us what to do."
Mr Williams also resented the choir's claim to be representing St Helens at the German choral festival.
But William Ireland, the secretary of the Haydock choir, claimed a misunderstanding and hoped the committee would reconsider their application.
The Reporter said a new clothing factory was to be built in St Helens providing 100 jobs.
Work was expected to start in the next few weeks on building the factory on a site off Broad Oak Road in Parr.
The firm would manufacture uniforms, mainly for security firms, and the jobs would mostly be for women machinists.
Brian Gaskell of Old Lane in Rainford was the man behind the development. He owned West Lancs Alteration Services, which altered suits for the big tailoring companies.
The new building would replace his present smaller premises in Rainford and change the direction of the business from alteration to manufacture.
There was a large advert in the paper from Enid's Ladies Fashion House of Pocket Nook Street in Fingerpost, which was offering suits, blouses, skirts, trouser suits, evening gowns and maxi skirts.
"Nudes To Get More Cash" was the intriguing headline to an article that described how the hourly rate for nude models that posed for St Helens art students was set to rise from 93p to £1.06.
As part of a wedding feature in the paper, the Sefton Arms had an advert that mentioned they were offering businessmen's lunches from 40p. Bed and breakfast accommodation was also available.
Photographers T. Swift from Higher Parr Street announced that they were now accepting wedding bookings for 1976. And Polaroid colour cameras were on offer at £2.50 off their usual price.
Other advertisers in the feature were Webster's Stationers of Duke Street ("For all your personally printed wedding stationery"); Janette, Ormskirk Street ("Visit Janette for your bridal gown") and J. T. Horton, Duke Street ("Remember newlyweds and engaged couples that we give 20% discount on all furniture").
Also Helena House Travel Services, Baldwin Street ("So you've finally named the day. We will help you name the place for that ideal honeymoon") and A. Watkinson, the Jeweller's, Church Street ("See our complete new range of patterned wedding rings in the Truelove collection").
When William Neill founded Bold Iron Works in 1859 his firm specialised in making machinery for soap manufacturers, alkali firms and the mining industry.
But much had changed since then and now known as Capper-Neill, the firm had several subsidiaries.
The Reporter described its latest, which made deep-sea diving chambers and other equipment mainly for the North Sea oil and gas industry.
It was believed to be the only UK manufacturer of such chambers, which would be lowered from oil and gas platforms and drilling rigs.
Each would accommodate two divers and allow them to carry out underwater maintenance to a depth of 1,000 feet.
This week a fire in a waterlogged clay pit belonging to Roughdales Brickworks led to fumes hanging over the town, with the glow of flames and smoke said to be visible ten miles away.
The brick firm used the pit in Elton Head Road for tipping and there was a large quantity of waste oil floating on the surface of the water.
Fireman John O’Connell of Ramford Street in St Helens was burned on his hands in dealing with the fire but was allowed home after hospital treatment.
In yet another example of the poor PR of many companies in the 1970s, Ibstock's, the owner of Roughdales Brickworks, refused the Reporter's request to comment on the fire.
"Girls Muscle In On Pub Crawl", was the Reporter's headline to their article on Rainford Charities Association's Sunday lunchtime pub run.
The sponsored event was to raise money for Rainford's "old folk" with the 10 females drinking half a pint of bitter in 6 pubs and the six men doing the same in 10 village pubs.
Organiser Ray Charnock said they were hoping to raise £150 from the pub run.
Dave Berry of 'The Crying Game' fame from 1964 is now 84 and, presumably, still going strong.
On the 13th the singer performed at Saints Sports and Leisure Centre in Dunriding Lane.
It was all change at the town's two cinemas from that day. At the ABC Savoy, 'The Man With The Golden Gun' starring Roger Moore was replaced by 'That's Entertainment', MGM's 50th anniversary musicals retrospective.
And the Capitol replaced 'The Marseille Contract' starring Michael Caine and Anthony Quinn with 'Ransom' featuring Sean Connery.
And finally, the gardens of Windle Hall (pictured above) – the home of Lord and Lady Pilkington – were on the 13th opened to the public. Admission cost 15p with proceeds to the Retired District Nurses' Benevolent Fund.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's many stories will include the grim redundancy toll at Ravenhead, the choking mist that emanated from Leathers, the elderly woman that found mice running round her bed and the St Helens councillors accused of living it up on the rates.
We begin on the 7th when the new Beth Avenue Community Council met and discussed the problems on the Sutton estate.
One survey had been completed and residents' ideas concerning the re-numbering of the huge estate had been sent to the council's Planning Committee for their consideration.
Another survey concerning lighting was underway and initial results suggested that only half of the estate's street lights were actually working.
Discarded items were high on the agenda of the meeting, as the estate was said to be littered with old furniture, bicycles and general rubbish.
Playgroups, dances, sponsored walks, outings and a news sheet were some of the future activities planned to stir up interest amongst the residents of Beth Avenue and Dominic Way.
On the 8th a 41-year-old man from Parr – who had hit his wife several times in the face with his fist – was only given a conditional discharge by magistrates.
The couple had been married for 23 years and had six children and when his wife had returned from bingo he had accused her of being with someone else in a car.
The man had continued to strike his spouse until she fell to the floor and she needed four stitches at Providence Hospital and treatment to a cut inside her mouth. He was ordered to pay £3.80 doctor's fee.
St Helens Councillor Nellie Holley heard on the 8th that she had won her campaign to get batteries for hearing aids distributed from health clinics.
Presently, hearing-aid users needed to visit Whiston Hospital, St Helens Hospital, Haydock and Newton Cottage Hospitals or Rainford Village Hall to obtain supplies.
While undertaking voluntary work amongst aged persons in Rainhill, Nellie had found that many could not hear her because their batteries had run out.
And they had put off visiting Whiston Hospital to get more batteries because of their age and having to undertake a bus ride and a walk.
But St Helens Council were most definitely not singing the praises of the choir.
In fact the ultra-sensitive councillors had decided to refuse them a grant towards the cost of the choristers' Autumn trip to Stuttgart.
Members of their Policy Committee were angry because they felt the choir had made their arrangements behind the committee's back.
The Reporter on the 11th described how a letter from the secretary of the choir had been sent to the committee explaining that they would be receiving a civic reception in West Germany and suggesting that a St Helens councillor might like to accompany them.
Committee chairman Len Williams told the Reporter:
"I don't care very much for arrangements being made for us in this manner – before they came to us for assistance. Whether we send anyone to Germany is our business. The choir ought not to be telling us what to do."
Mr Williams also resented the choir's claim to be representing St Helens at the German choral festival.
But William Ireland, the secretary of the Haydock choir, claimed a misunderstanding and hoped the committee would reconsider their application.
The Reporter said a new clothing factory was to be built in St Helens providing 100 jobs.
Work was expected to start in the next few weeks on building the factory on a site off Broad Oak Road in Parr.
The firm would manufacture uniforms, mainly for security firms, and the jobs would mostly be for women machinists.
Brian Gaskell of Old Lane in Rainford was the man behind the development. He owned West Lancs Alteration Services, which altered suits for the big tailoring companies.
The new building would replace his present smaller premises in Rainford and change the direction of the business from alteration to manufacture.
There was a large advert in the paper from Enid's Ladies Fashion House of Pocket Nook Street in Fingerpost, which was offering suits, blouses, skirts, trouser suits, evening gowns and maxi skirts.
"Nudes To Get More Cash" was the intriguing headline to an article that described how the hourly rate for nude models that posed for St Helens art students was set to rise from 93p to £1.06.
As part of a wedding feature in the paper, the Sefton Arms had an advert that mentioned they were offering businessmen's lunches from 40p. Bed and breakfast accommodation was also available.
Photographers T. Swift from Higher Parr Street announced that they were now accepting wedding bookings for 1976. And Polaroid colour cameras were on offer at £2.50 off their usual price.
Other advertisers in the feature were Webster's Stationers of Duke Street ("For all your personally printed wedding stationery"); Janette, Ormskirk Street ("Visit Janette for your bridal gown") and J. T. Horton, Duke Street ("Remember newlyweds and engaged couples that we give 20% discount on all furniture").
Also Helena House Travel Services, Baldwin Street ("So you've finally named the day. We will help you name the place for that ideal honeymoon") and A. Watkinson, the Jeweller's, Church Street ("See our complete new range of patterned wedding rings in the Truelove collection").
When William Neill founded Bold Iron Works in 1859 his firm specialised in making machinery for soap manufacturers, alkali firms and the mining industry.
But much had changed since then and now known as Capper-Neill, the firm had several subsidiaries.
The Reporter described its latest, which made deep-sea diving chambers and other equipment mainly for the North Sea oil and gas industry.
It was believed to be the only UK manufacturer of such chambers, which would be lowered from oil and gas platforms and drilling rigs.
Each would accommodate two divers and allow them to carry out underwater maintenance to a depth of 1,000 feet.
This week a fire in a waterlogged clay pit belonging to Roughdales Brickworks led to fumes hanging over the town, with the glow of flames and smoke said to be visible ten miles away.
The brick firm used the pit in Elton Head Road for tipping and there was a large quantity of waste oil floating on the surface of the water.
Fireman John O’Connell of Ramford Street in St Helens was burned on his hands in dealing with the fire but was allowed home after hospital treatment.
In yet another example of the poor PR of many companies in the 1970s, Ibstock's, the owner of Roughdales Brickworks, refused the Reporter's request to comment on the fire.
"Girls Muscle In On Pub Crawl", was the Reporter's headline to their article on Rainford Charities Association's Sunday lunchtime pub run.
The sponsored event was to raise money for Rainford's "old folk" with the 10 females drinking half a pint of bitter in 6 pubs and the six men doing the same in 10 village pubs.
Organiser Ray Charnock said they were hoping to raise £150 from the pub run.
Dave Berry of 'The Crying Game' fame from 1964 is now 84 and, presumably, still going strong.
On the 13th the singer performed at Saints Sports and Leisure Centre in Dunriding Lane.
It was all change at the town's two cinemas from that day. At the ABC Savoy, 'The Man With The Golden Gun' starring Roger Moore was replaced by 'That's Entertainment', MGM's 50th anniversary musicals retrospective.
And the Capitol replaced 'The Marseille Contract' starring Michael Caine and Anthony Quinn with 'Ransom' featuring Sean Connery.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's many stories will include the grim redundancy toll at Ravenhead, the choking mist that emanated from Leathers, the elderly woman that found mice running round her bed and the St Helens councillors accused of living it up on the rates.