FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK 7 - 13 SEPTEMBER 1976
This week's many stories include a denial that psychiatric killers would be coming to Rainhill, a magpie's reign of terror in Rivington Road, Dr Who comes to town, why there was no hope for Hope Street, the new secret refuge for battered wives and a claim that campaign groups were deterring investment in the town.
I'm not 100% certain but I think Tom Baker was the only Doctor Who that ever came to St Helens. Tom made a personal appearance at Preedy's in St Mary's Arcade on the 7th dressed in his familiar on-screen attire of wide-brimmed hat, long coat and enormous scarf. Lengthy queues, mainly of children eager to see their time-travelling hero, stretched out of Preedy's into St Mary's Arcade.
At a meeting of the St Helens Planning Committee on the 7th an industrial development information report was presented. Its aim was to describe the challenges of attracting more industry into the St Helens borough. The report alleged that campaigning action groups were frightening off prospective industrial developers, explaining, "such resistance makes industrialists hesitate".
There was criticism that even the most harmless development proposals were coming under heavy fire from protesters. The St Helens Reporter informed Dr Malcolm Hughes of the comments. He had led the Clock Face and Sutton Leach action group who had successfully opposed the siting of a float glass plant in Gorsey Lane and he was also an active anti-Leathers campaigner. Dr Hughes described the remarks in the report as a "snide comment" and called for the author to name names or withdraw the statement.
The report also criticised "footloose" foreign-owned firms in St Helens who were accused of shutting up shop at the first sign of economic trouble. That was in spite of accepting special development area cash hand-outs from the government to build their factories. The report also pointed out that available land in the St Helens district often had geological problems, such as subsidence or poor drainage.
The St Helens Reporter on the 10th described how a magpie had been creating a "reign of terror" in the Rivington Road area of St Helens. The bird was accused of swooping down on unsuspecting residents and it had already attacked a young child. An RSPCA spokesman advised the residents to contact the police and have the bird shot.
Dorothy Langtree said she had witnessed the magpie's assault on the youngster as it had taken place outside her home in Rivington Road: "The young lad was petrified. He was not hurt but badly shocked. He will probably be frightened of birds all his life now." Mrs Langtree also told the Reporter that the magpie had been stealing the silver tops off her milk bottles for weeks, as well as coloured clothes pegs off her washing line.
"I am scared to death of the bird myself," she added. "Whenever I see it I run indoors." The spokesman for the RSPCA also warned new mothers not to leave their babies out in prams, as he claimed that magpies could peck at their eyes.
Last week within Rainhill Hospital, a special security unit containing 14 beds had been opened inside a converted ward. However, it had only been the first step in creating a much larger, stand-alone, secure building. That, when it opened, would be called Scott Clinic and NUPE – fearing that the patients in both the present ward and future unit would be a danger to staff and the public – were boycotting both.
This week the Reporter revealed how a spokesman for the Mersey Regional Health Authority had denied that psychiatric killers and other dangerous criminals would be housed in the planned special security building that was going to accommodate 50 patients. The spokesman added that there was no cause for public concern:
"The supervision of patients in the unit is to be provided by a high level of trained nursing, medical and ancillary staff, though proper structural security will have to be provided."
In explaining how a new secret refuge for so-called battered wives would be opening in St Helens in three weeks time, the Reporter wrote: "Sometime today a woman in St. Helens will be beaten up by her husband. Yesterday, somewhere in St. Helens, a woman suffered the same fate – and in all probability another woman will become a battered wife tomorrow.
"For in a survey which barely scratched the surface of the problem, 40 St. Helens women were battered by their husbands in one month. And it is this type of statistic which has led the St. Helens and District Aid for Battered Wives to set up a special refuge for the “victims of brutality.” The refuge which opens on October 4, is a two-bedroomed terraced house – the address of which has to be kept secret for fear of attacks by angry husbands."
The new Toy & Hobby store in Church Street in St Helens was advertising in the Reporter. They said they had two floors full of toys and games, including Airfix kits, Meccano, Hornby trains, tennis rackets, cricket sets and Raleigh bikes. These included the Raleigh Chopper for £57.95 and Budgie for £31.45.
The paper also described how part of the borough's heritage was being put up for lease. They were referring to Rainford Hall in Crank Road (pictured above), which was set in 10 acres of woodland and gardens and had been built in 1886.
Residents of condemned streets, in which some houses were empty or had been demolished, were often complaining in the paper. Such places attracted vandals, thieves and other undesirables and families living in Hope Street this week explained to the Reporter how they felt they had been forgotten and were living in fear of the dark. Half of the road had been demolished nearly a year before as part of the massive Westfield Street redevelopment programme and the remaining residents said they were without any street lighting.
Marian Ratcliffe explained: "When the houses opposite us were knocked down, the three road lamps we had were taken away. We've been left in the dark. "I can't face another dark winter. People think our homes aren't occupied because some houses in the street are boarded up. You can't tell the difference at night, and I go to bed terrified in case someone throws a brick through my window. Vandals are attracted to empty houses."
Mrs Ratcliffe added that the residents had been complaining for months to the Council but claimed that they had done nothing. But a Council spokesman insisted that they had installed some temporary lighting in Hope Street but it had been destroyed by vandals and added that the street lighting would be reinstated before winter if necessary.
And finally, on the 11th Link Amusements opened at 61 Higher Parr Street, offering free games, drinks and refreshments throughout the day.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the controversial decision to add fluoride to the town's water supply, St Helens Hospital's A&E gets a night-time reprieve, the rowdy Darby and Joan Club and there's a move to clean up dirty St Helens.
I'm not 100% certain but I think Tom Baker was the only Doctor Who that ever came to St Helens. Tom made a personal appearance at Preedy's in St Mary's Arcade on the 7th dressed in his familiar on-screen attire of wide-brimmed hat, long coat and enormous scarf. Lengthy queues, mainly of children eager to see their time-travelling hero, stretched out of Preedy's into St Mary's Arcade.
At a meeting of the St Helens Planning Committee on the 7th an industrial development information report was presented. Its aim was to describe the challenges of attracting more industry into the St Helens borough. The report alleged that campaigning action groups were frightening off prospective industrial developers, explaining, "such resistance makes industrialists hesitate".
There was criticism that even the most harmless development proposals were coming under heavy fire from protesters. The St Helens Reporter informed Dr Malcolm Hughes of the comments. He had led the Clock Face and Sutton Leach action group who had successfully opposed the siting of a float glass plant in Gorsey Lane and he was also an active anti-Leathers campaigner. Dr Hughes described the remarks in the report as a "snide comment" and called for the author to name names or withdraw the statement.
The report also criticised "footloose" foreign-owned firms in St Helens who were accused of shutting up shop at the first sign of economic trouble. That was in spite of accepting special development area cash hand-outs from the government to build their factories. The report also pointed out that available land in the St Helens district often had geological problems, such as subsidence or poor drainage.
The St Helens Reporter on the 10th described how a magpie had been creating a "reign of terror" in the Rivington Road area of St Helens. The bird was accused of swooping down on unsuspecting residents and it had already attacked a young child. An RSPCA spokesman advised the residents to contact the police and have the bird shot.
Dorothy Langtree said she had witnessed the magpie's assault on the youngster as it had taken place outside her home in Rivington Road: "The young lad was petrified. He was not hurt but badly shocked. He will probably be frightened of birds all his life now." Mrs Langtree also told the Reporter that the magpie had been stealing the silver tops off her milk bottles for weeks, as well as coloured clothes pegs off her washing line.
"I am scared to death of the bird myself," she added. "Whenever I see it I run indoors." The spokesman for the RSPCA also warned new mothers not to leave their babies out in prams, as he claimed that magpies could peck at their eyes.
Last week within Rainhill Hospital, a special security unit containing 14 beds had been opened inside a converted ward. However, it had only been the first step in creating a much larger, stand-alone, secure building. That, when it opened, would be called Scott Clinic and NUPE – fearing that the patients in both the present ward and future unit would be a danger to staff and the public – were boycotting both.
This week the Reporter revealed how a spokesman for the Mersey Regional Health Authority had denied that psychiatric killers and other dangerous criminals would be housed in the planned special security building that was going to accommodate 50 patients. The spokesman added that there was no cause for public concern:
"The supervision of patients in the unit is to be provided by a high level of trained nursing, medical and ancillary staff, though proper structural security will have to be provided."
In explaining how a new secret refuge for so-called battered wives would be opening in St Helens in three weeks time, the Reporter wrote: "Sometime today a woman in St. Helens will be beaten up by her husband. Yesterday, somewhere in St. Helens, a woman suffered the same fate – and in all probability another woman will become a battered wife tomorrow.
"For in a survey which barely scratched the surface of the problem, 40 St. Helens women were battered by their husbands in one month. And it is this type of statistic which has led the St. Helens and District Aid for Battered Wives to set up a special refuge for the “victims of brutality.” The refuge which opens on October 4, is a two-bedroomed terraced house – the address of which has to be kept secret for fear of attacks by angry husbands."
The new Toy & Hobby store in Church Street in St Helens was advertising in the Reporter. They said they had two floors full of toys and games, including Airfix kits, Meccano, Hornby trains, tennis rackets, cricket sets and Raleigh bikes. These included the Raleigh Chopper for £57.95 and Budgie for £31.45.
Residents of condemned streets, in which some houses were empty or had been demolished, were often complaining in the paper. Such places attracted vandals, thieves and other undesirables and families living in Hope Street this week explained to the Reporter how they felt they had been forgotten and were living in fear of the dark. Half of the road had been demolished nearly a year before as part of the massive Westfield Street redevelopment programme and the remaining residents said they were without any street lighting.
Marian Ratcliffe explained: "When the houses opposite us were knocked down, the three road lamps we had were taken away. We've been left in the dark. "I can't face another dark winter. People think our homes aren't occupied because some houses in the street are boarded up. You can't tell the difference at night, and I go to bed terrified in case someone throws a brick through my window. Vandals are attracted to empty houses."
Mrs Ratcliffe added that the residents had been complaining for months to the Council but claimed that they had done nothing. But a Council spokesman insisted that they had installed some temporary lighting in Hope Street but it had been destroyed by vandals and added that the street lighting would be reinstated before winter if necessary.
And finally, on the 11th Link Amusements opened at 61 Higher Parr Street, offering free games, drinks and refreshments throughout the day.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the controversial decision to add fluoride to the town's water supply, St Helens Hospital's A&E gets a night-time reprieve, the rowdy Darby and Joan Club and there's a move to clean up dirty St Helens.
This week's many stories include a denial that psychiatric killers would be coming to Rainhill, a magpie's reign of terror in Rivington Road, Dr Who comes to town, why there was no hope for Hope Street, the new secret refuge for battered wives and a claim that campaign groups were deterring investment in the town.
I'm not 100% certain but I think Tom Baker was the only Doctor Who that ever came to St Helens.
Tom made a personal appearance at Preedy's in St Mary's Arcade on the 7th dressed in his familiar on-screen attire of wide-brimmed hat, long coat and enormous scarf.
Lengthy queues, mainly of children eager to see their time-travelling hero, stretched out of Preedy's into St Mary's Arcade.
At a meeting of the St Helens Planning Committee on the 7th an industrial development information report was presented.
Its aim was to describe the challenges of attracting more industry into the St Helens borough.
The report alleged that campaigning action groups were frightening off prospective industrial developers, explaining, "such resistance makes industrialists hesitate".
There was criticism that even the most harmless development proposals were coming under heavy fire from protesters.
The St Helens Reporter informed Dr Malcolm Hughes of the comments. He had led the Clock Face and Sutton Leach action group who had successfully opposed the siting of a float glass plant in Gorsey Lane and he was also an active anti-Leathers campaigner.
Dr Hughes described the remarks in the report as a "snide comment" and called for the author to name names or withdraw the statement.
The report also criticised "footloose" foreign-owned firms in St Helens who were accused of shutting up shop at the first sign of economic trouble.
That was in spite of accepting special development area cash hand-outs from the government to build their factories.
The report also pointed out that available land in the St Helens district often had geological problems, such as subsidence or poor drainage.
The St Helens Reporter on the 10th described how a magpie had been creating a "reign of terror" in the Rivington Road area of St Helens.
The bird was accused of swooping down on unsuspecting residents and it had already attacked a young child.
An RSPCA spokesman advised the residents to contact the police and have the bird shot.
Dorothy Langtree said she had witnessed the magpie's assault on the youngster as it had taken place outside her home in Rivington Road:
"The young lad was petrified. He was not hurt but badly shocked. He will probably be frightened of birds all his life now."
Mrs Langtree also told the Reporter that the magpie had been stealing the silver tops off her milk bottles for weeks, as well as coloured clothes pegs off her washing line.
"I am scared to death of the bird myself," she added. "Whenever I see it I run indoors."
The spokesman for the RSPCA also warned new mothers not to leave their babies out in prams, as he claimed that magpies could peck at their eyes.
Last week within Rainhill Hospital, a special security unit containing 14 beds had been opened inside a converted ward.
However, it had only been the first step in creating a much larger, stand-alone, secure building.
That, when it opened, would be called Scott Clinic and NUPE – fearing that the patients in both the present ward and future unit would be a danger to staff and the public – were boycotting both.
This week the Reporter revealed how a spokesman for the Mersey Regional Health Authority had denied that psychiatric killers and other dangerous criminals would be housed in the planned special security building that was going to accommodate 50 patients.
The spokesman added that there was no cause for public concern:
"The supervision of patients in the unit is to be provided by a high level of trained nursing, medical and ancillary staff, though proper structural security will have to be provided."
In explaining how a new secret refuge for so-called battered wives would be opening in St Helens in three weeks time, the Reporter wrote:
"Sometime today a woman in St. Helens will be beaten up by her husband. Yesterday, somewhere in St. Helens, a woman suffered the same fate – and in all probability another woman will become a battered wife tomorrow.
"For in a survey which barely scratched the surface of the problem, 40 St. Helens women were battered by their husbands in one month.
"And it is this type of statistic which has led the St. Helens and District Aid for Battered Wives to set up a special refuge for the “victims of brutality.”
"The refuge which opens on October 4, is a two-bedroomed terraced house – the address of which has to be kept secret for fear of attacks by angry husbands."
The new Toy & Hobby store in Church Street in St Helens was advertising in the Reporter.
They said they had two floors full of toys and games, including Airfix kits, Meccano, Hornby trains, tennis rackets, cricket sets and Raleigh bikes.
These included the Raleigh Chopper for £57.95 and Budgie for £31.45.
The paper also described how part of the borough's heritage was being put up for lease.
They were referring to Rainford Hall in Crank Road (pictured above), which was set in 10 acres of woodland and gardens and had been built in 1886.
Residents of condemned streets, in which some houses were empty or had been demolished, were often complaining in the paper.
Such places attracted vandals, thieves and other undesirables and families living in Hope Street this week explained to the Reporter how they felt they had been forgotten and were living in fear of the dark.
Half of the road had been demolished nearly a year before as part of the massive Westfield Street redevelopment programme and the remaining residents said they were without any street lighting.
Marian Ratcliffe explained: "When the houses opposite us were knocked down, the three road lamps we had were taken away. We've been left in the dark.
"I can't face another dark winter. People think our homes aren't occupied because some houses in the street are boarded up. You can't tell the difference at night, and I go to bed terrified in case someone throws a brick through my window. Vandals are attracted to empty houses."
Mrs Ratcliffe added that the residents had been complaining for months to the Council but claimed that they had done nothing.
But a Council spokesman insisted that they had installed some temporary lighting in Hope Street but it had been destroyed by vandals and added that the street lighting would be reinstated before winter if necessary.
And finally, on the 11th Link Amusements opened at 61 Higher Parr Street, offering free games, drinks and refreshments throughout the day.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the controversial decision to add fluoride to the town's water supply, St Helens Hospital's A&E gets a night-time reprieve, the rowdy Darby and Joan Club and there's a move to clean up dirty St Helens.
I'm not 100% certain but I think Tom Baker was the only Doctor Who that ever came to St Helens.
Tom made a personal appearance at Preedy's in St Mary's Arcade on the 7th dressed in his familiar on-screen attire of wide-brimmed hat, long coat and enormous scarf.
Lengthy queues, mainly of children eager to see their time-travelling hero, stretched out of Preedy's into St Mary's Arcade.
At a meeting of the St Helens Planning Committee on the 7th an industrial development information report was presented.
Its aim was to describe the challenges of attracting more industry into the St Helens borough.
The report alleged that campaigning action groups were frightening off prospective industrial developers, explaining, "such resistance makes industrialists hesitate".
There was criticism that even the most harmless development proposals were coming under heavy fire from protesters.
The St Helens Reporter informed Dr Malcolm Hughes of the comments. He had led the Clock Face and Sutton Leach action group who had successfully opposed the siting of a float glass plant in Gorsey Lane and he was also an active anti-Leathers campaigner.
Dr Hughes described the remarks in the report as a "snide comment" and called for the author to name names or withdraw the statement.
The report also criticised "footloose" foreign-owned firms in St Helens who were accused of shutting up shop at the first sign of economic trouble.
That was in spite of accepting special development area cash hand-outs from the government to build their factories.
The report also pointed out that available land in the St Helens district often had geological problems, such as subsidence or poor drainage.
The St Helens Reporter on the 10th described how a magpie had been creating a "reign of terror" in the Rivington Road area of St Helens.
The bird was accused of swooping down on unsuspecting residents and it had already attacked a young child.
An RSPCA spokesman advised the residents to contact the police and have the bird shot.
Dorothy Langtree said she had witnessed the magpie's assault on the youngster as it had taken place outside her home in Rivington Road:
"The young lad was petrified. He was not hurt but badly shocked. He will probably be frightened of birds all his life now."
Mrs Langtree also told the Reporter that the magpie had been stealing the silver tops off her milk bottles for weeks, as well as coloured clothes pegs off her washing line.
"I am scared to death of the bird myself," she added. "Whenever I see it I run indoors."
The spokesman for the RSPCA also warned new mothers not to leave their babies out in prams, as he claimed that magpies could peck at their eyes.
Last week within Rainhill Hospital, a special security unit containing 14 beds had been opened inside a converted ward.
However, it had only been the first step in creating a much larger, stand-alone, secure building.
That, when it opened, would be called Scott Clinic and NUPE – fearing that the patients in both the present ward and future unit would be a danger to staff and the public – were boycotting both.
This week the Reporter revealed how a spokesman for the Mersey Regional Health Authority had denied that psychiatric killers and other dangerous criminals would be housed in the planned special security building that was going to accommodate 50 patients.
The spokesman added that there was no cause for public concern:
"The supervision of patients in the unit is to be provided by a high level of trained nursing, medical and ancillary staff, though proper structural security will have to be provided."
In explaining how a new secret refuge for so-called battered wives would be opening in St Helens in three weeks time, the Reporter wrote:
"Sometime today a woman in St. Helens will be beaten up by her husband. Yesterday, somewhere in St. Helens, a woman suffered the same fate – and in all probability another woman will become a battered wife tomorrow.
"For in a survey which barely scratched the surface of the problem, 40 St. Helens women were battered by their husbands in one month.
"And it is this type of statistic which has led the St. Helens and District Aid for Battered Wives to set up a special refuge for the “victims of brutality.”
"The refuge which opens on October 4, is a two-bedroomed terraced house – the address of which has to be kept secret for fear of attacks by angry husbands."
The new Toy & Hobby store in Church Street in St Helens was advertising in the Reporter.
They said they had two floors full of toys and games, including Airfix kits, Meccano, Hornby trains, tennis rackets, cricket sets and Raleigh bikes.
These included the Raleigh Chopper for £57.95 and Budgie for £31.45.
The paper also described how part of the borough's heritage was being put up for lease.
Residents of condemned streets, in which some houses were empty or had been demolished, were often complaining in the paper.
Such places attracted vandals, thieves and other undesirables and families living in Hope Street this week explained to the Reporter how they felt they had been forgotten and were living in fear of the dark.
Half of the road had been demolished nearly a year before as part of the massive Westfield Street redevelopment programme and the remaining residents said they were without any street lighting.
Marian Ratcliffe explained: "When the houses opposite us were knocked down, the three road lamps we had were taken away. We've been left in the dark.
"I can't face another dark winter. People think our homes aren't occupied because some houses in the street are boarded up. You can't tell the difference at night, and I go to bed terrified in case someone throws a brick through my window. Vandals are attracted to empty houses."
Mrs Ratcliffe added that the residents had been complaining for months to the Council but claimed that they had done nothing.
But a Council spokesman insisted that they had installed some temporary lighting in Hope Street but it had been destroyed by vandals and added that the street lighting would be reinstated before winter if necessary.
And finally, on the 11th Link Amusements opened at 61 Higher Parr Street, offering free games, drinks and refreshments throughout the day.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the controversial decision to add fluoride to the town's water supply, St Helens Hospital's A&E gets a night-time reprieve, the rowdy Darby and Joan Club and there's a move to clean up dirty St Helens.