FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (8th - 14th NOVEMBER 1971)
This week's 17 stories include the Pilkington loo strike, plans for a giant one-way road system in St Helens, the young lion tamer from Rainhill, a call for dipped headlights on cars after a tragedy in Pocket Nook, the bus driver who lodged his vehicle under a Sutton bridge while over the limit and the girl footballer from Clock Face who caused a row after playing for a boys' team.
We begin on the 8th when as part of a special promotion, Sayers "pie girls" were in St Helens, Prescot and Earlestown. The young ladies were calling at houses and giving away "meaty pies" and vouchers for free mince pies. And in their shops, steak and kidney pies were on sale for 8p. Buy two and you could get a free balloon!
Post-coding began in St Helens on the 8th. During the week a caravan was situated in the market area to encourage residents to write the postcode they'd been designated on letters.
Two months ago I described a dispute between one of the contractors building a new giant float glass tank at Pilks' Cowley Hill works and its workforce. The union and the contractor had completely different tales to tell as to why some men had been laid off and – despite the passage of time – there was clearly still much friction between the two sides. On the 8th a man was sacked – allegedly for going to the toilet – and quickly the workers downed tools in sympathy. Two days later, the Daily Mirror published this article:
"Brickie Peter Lenehan's trip to the loo started an unexpected chain reaction. For when he left the building site lavatory, his boss told him: “You should have asked first – you're sacked.” Within ten minutes 350 bricklayers, joiners, electricians and building workers employed by thirty-six contracting firms at the site downed tools in protest. Then their shop stewards declared the site black. They have told the management that no worker will be allowed on the site until Peter, of Carr Mill, St. Helens, Lancs, is fully reinstated in his £22-a-week job. Peter, who was working for Blacks Refractory Services, one of the firms building a new £13,000,000 glass producing plant at St. Helens, said:
"“I got the shock of my life when I found the boss waiting for me. I just popped in to spend a penny. They can't expect us to stick our hands in the air and ask permission like schoolboys. But this is what happens if we don't.” A spokesman for the Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers said: “I've never heard of anyone being sacked for a reason like this. Everyone has to answer the call of nature now and again, and you can't expect full-grown men to ask permission. They must have some dignity.” A management spokesman refused to comment on the loo strike, which started on Monday afternoon."
Tragically John Miller of Farm Road in Clock Face died at Whiston Hospital on the 8th from injuries received from an accident that killed his mother Marie. The crash last Saturday had occurred in Union Bank Lane in Sutton Manor when a car driven by John's father hit a stationary lorry. A car and a bus also collided in Junction Lane in Sutton on the morning of the 9th. 19-year-old car passenger Susan Houghton from Orville Street was treated at St Helens Hospital for cuts and shock but she was later allowed home.
Last year the then Prime Minister Harold Wilson had officially opened Massey-Ferguson’s showpiece earth-moving factory on the Knowsley Industrial Estate. On the 9th shop stewards at the plant were shocked to hear that the Canadian-based manufacturer was planning to make at least 30 redundancies. Also many of the 130 other workers were going to be placed on short-time working. As a result the unions planned to write to Mr Wilson – their local MP – to ask him to intervene.
During the evening of the 9th, Joseph Broadhurst, of Millom Avenue in Rainhill, was awarded an RSPCA certificate of merit for undertaking animal rescue work at personal risk. Mr Broadhurst had helped to rescue a sheep trapped on a cliff under Harlech Castle last August while on holiday.
On the 10th it was reported that the "good as new" shop operated in Prescot by St Anne's Church of Rainhill had made £556 (around £9,000 in today's money) for the Church of England Children's Society.
A bus driver from Woolton was fined a total of £70 and banned from driving for 12 months at St Helens Magistrates Court on the 11th. The 30-year-old had driven a single-decker bus down Lancots Lane in Sutton (shown above) while over the limit. The vehicle became lodged beneath the low bridge and several passengers on the bus had to be treated in hospital for injuries. The accident had occurred on June 12th and the man admitted driving with excessive alcohol in his blood and careless driving. These days the derelict railway bridge tends to catch out supermarket delivery drivers rather than buses!
Also on that morning, a water main in Portico Lane burst cutting off water supplies for a time to many households in the Eccleston Park area.
The Echo reported on the 11th that Bob Cross of Bretherton Road in Prescot, a conductor guard at Lime Street, was to receive a long-service award from British Rail. During his 40 years' service, Mr Cross had been the guard on the Royal train for most members of the Royal family, including King George VI and the present Queen's family, while making visits to Liverpool.
The Reporter was published on the 12th and a big front-page story was the discrepancy in two compensation awards. Last Christmas in Hardshaw Street, coping stones and other masonry had fallen 40 feet from a building that was being demolished. As a result 65-year-old Elsie Robinson, of Pollitt Crescent in St Helens, and 38-year-old John Griffiths, of Doulton Street, were both killed. Their inquests revealed that the site had not been fenced off and there had been no scaffolding to protect the street.
However, Mrs Robinson’s husband Hugh had only received £559 compensation, compared to £11,110 awarded to the widow of Mrs Griffiths – although she did have two children. Hugh Robinson told the Reporter: "I know that money could not bring my wife back, but when I heard of Mrs. Griffiths' award I was shocked."
The Reporter also described how the St Helens Juvenile Organisations Soccer League was split over the legality of a substitute in a recent match. Fifteen minutes before the end of Clock Face Under-12s home game against Chiltern Rovers, 11-year-old E. Whittall took the field as a sub and scored. So what was the problem? Well, E. Whittall from Clock Face Road was Elizabeth Whittall and the league's secretary, Alan Syder, argued that girls couldn't play in a boys' team.
But his deputy, Leslie Kane – who managed the Clock Face side – reckoned that they could. Elizabeth told the Reporter: "I love playing the game, and I'm just as good as the boys. I don't want to finish. If I have to, I'll still carry on training with the team." Her appearance led to a heated meeting of the local league's council this week, which ended with a ruling being requested from their governing body in Liverpool.
The paper also described how a "giant" one-way traffic plan should be in operation in St Helens within six months. The scheme would make Westfield Street, Ormskirk Street and Bridge Street one-way in a clockwise direction. Also Kirkland Street, Lingholme Road and Dentons Green Lane would become one-way out from the town centre and Greenfield Road would be made one-way into town.
On the 12th an hour-long meeting of all the 350 workers employed in building the new float glass plant at Pilks was held. They met to consider whether on not they should continue their strike in support of their colleague who claimed to have been sacked for taking a loo break. The men voted by 150 to 118 to return to work.
The inquests on 79-years-old Christina Worley and her 56-year-old daughter Winifred were held on the 13th. The two women from O'Keefe Road in Pocket Nook had received fatal injuries after being struck down by a car on October 6th. The 22-year-old driver told the hearing that he had been driving slowly along Pocket Nook Street at about 11pm with his sidelights on.
"My attention was momentarily attracted by the lights from a chip shop", he said. "And when I looked back to the road, I saw two dark figures in front of me. I braked hard but could not avoid them. When I saw I had knocked down two women, I called an ambulance." The coroner Ronald Lloyd told the inquest: "It has been said in this court many times that if motorists would drive on dipped headlights they would be seen more easily."
On the 13th the Echo published a photo of a beaming eight-year-old Rainhill lad holding a long brush in front of a snarling young lion, with this accompanying text: "Eight-years-old Tony French lived his wildest dream when he became a fully fledged lion tamer. Tony was a member of a party from Longton Lane Junior School, Rainhill, who visited Lord Derby's Safari Park, at Knowsley. And part of this educational trip meant they were given the chance to look after some of the animals in the Pets' Corner.
"But Tony, who lives in Amanda Road, Rainhill, wanted to come face to face with lions, so he was given the chance. Under the watchful eye of two keepers, he went into the lion cubs' cage. Facing him were two of the latest arrivals at the Safari Park – Sonny and Cher. Although they are not yet a year old, the cubs are still wild – but that did not frighten Tony in the least. Armed with a large brush, he moved the lions into a corner of the cage and then set about cleaning the floor.
"After a few minutes, Tony emerged from the “den” without a scratch, and laughed as he told classmates, “It was easy. They were only cubs and I think they were more frightened of me than I was of them. We have been doing a project about animals at our school and last week Lord Derby came and talked to us about the animals in the park.”
"The Safari Park is hoping to become more involved in the educational work of schools in the area. Mr. Dick Howard, who organises the school visits said: “We have all the facilities for children to see the animals living as they would if they were roaming wild. All the children are fascinated when they come here and it gives them a much better idea of the way animals live.”"
I don't think that would be allowed to happen today. Can you imagine the risk assessment forms that schoolteachers would have to fill in prior to their kids entering a lions' den? Something like: "The risk of the child being mauled to death is probably low. They are only young lions and two keepers will be standing over the kids with guns ready to shoot the lions if they make a false move." No, I don't think so…
Next week's stories will include the soaring VD toll in St Helens, a police raid on the Wizard's Cave, the lengthy telephone waiting list, a fundraising game is played in aid of Jack Pimblett's family and the 16-year-old Parr girl who lost most of a hand in a machine.
We begin on the 8th when as part of a special promotion, Sayers "pie girls" were in St Helens, Prescot and Earlestown. The young ladies were calling at houses and giving away "meaty pies" and vouchers for free mince pies. And in their shops, steak and kidney pies were on sale for 8p. Buy two and you could get a free balloon!
Post-coding began in St Helens on the 8th. During the week a caravan was situated in the market area to encourage residents to write the postcode they'd been designated on letters.
Two months ago I described a dispute between one of the contractors building a new giant float glass tank at Pilks' Cowley Hill works and its workforce. The union and the contractor had completely different tales to tell as to why some men had been laid off and – despite the passage of time – there was clearly still much friction between the two sides. On the 8th a man was sacked – allegedly for going to the toilet – and quickly the workers downed tools in sympathy. Two days later, the Daily Mirror published this article:
"Brickie Peter Lenehan's trip to the loo started an unexpected chain reaction. For when he left the building site lavatory, his boss told him: “You should have asked first – you're sacked.” Within ten minutes 350 bricklayers, joiners, electricians and building workers employed by thirty-six contracting firms at the site downed tools in protest. Then their shop stewards declared the site black. They have told the management that no worker will be allowed on the site until Peter, of Carr Mill, St. Helens, Lancs, is fully reinstated in his £22-a-week job. Peter, who was working for Blacks Refractory Services, one of the firms building a new £13,000,000 glass producing plant at St. Helens, said:
"“I got the shock of my life when I found the boss waiting for me. I just popped in to spend a penny. They can't expect us to stick our hands in the air and ask permission like schoolboys. But this is what happens if we don't.” A spokesman for the Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers said: “I've never heard of anyone being sacked for a reason like this. Everyone has to answer the call of nature now and again, and you can't expect full-grown men to ask permission. They must have some dignity.” A management spokesman refused to comment on the loo strike, which started on Monday afternoon."
Tragically John Miller of Farm Road in Clock Face died at Whiston Hospital on the 8th from injuries received from an accident that killed his mother Marie. The crash last Saturday had occurred in Union Bank Lane in Sutton Manor when a car driven by John's father hit a stationary lorry. A car and a bus also collided in Junction Lane in Sutton on the morning of the 9th. 19-year-old car passenger Susan Houghton from Orville Street was treated at St Helens Hospital for cuts and shock but she was later allowed home.
Last year the then Prime Minister Harold Wilson had officially opened Massey-Ferguson’s showpiece earth-moving factory on the Knowsley Industrial Estate. On the 9th shop stewards at the plant were shocked to hear that the Canadian-based manufacturer was planning to make at least 30 redundancies. Also many of the 130 other workers were going to be placed on short-time working. As a result the unions planned to write to Mr Wilson – their local MP – to ask him to intervene.
During the evening of the 9th, Joseph Broadhurst, of Millom Avenue in Rainhill, was awarded an RSPCA certificate of merit for undertaking animal rescue work at personal risk. Mr Broadhurst had helped to rescue a sheep trapped on a cliff under Harlech Castle last August while on holiday.
On the 10th it was reported that the "good as new" shop operated in Prescot by St Anne's Church of Rainhill had made £556 (around £9,000 in today's money) for the Church of England Children's Society.
Also on that morning, a water main in Portico Lane burst cutting off water supplies for a time to many households in the Eccleston Park area.
The Echo reported on the 11th that Bob Cross of Bretherton Road in Prescot, a conductor guard at Lime Street, was to receive a long-service award from British Rail. During his 40 years' service, Mr Cross had been the guard on the Royal train for most members of the Royal family, including King George VI and the present Queen's family, while making visits to Liverpool.
The Reporter was published on the 12th and a big front-page story was the discrepancy in two compensation awards. Last Christmas in Hardshaw Street, coping stones and other masonry had fallen 40 feet from a building that was being demolished. As a result 65-year-old Elsie Robinson, of Pollitt Crescent in St Helens, and 38-year-old John Griffiths, of Doulton Street, were both killed. Their inquests revealed that the site had not been fenced off and there had been no scaffolding to protect the street.
However, Mrs Robinson’s husband Hugh had only received £559 compensation, compared to £11,110 awarded to the widow of Mrs Griffiths – although she did have two children. Hugh Robinson told the Reporter: "I know that money could not bring my wife back, but when I heard of Mrs. Griffiths' award I was shocked."
The Reporter also described how the St Helens Juvenile Organisations Soccer League was split over the legality of a substitute in a recent match. Fifteen minutes before the end of Clock Face Under-12s home game against Chiltern Rovers, 11-year-old E. Whittall took the field as a sub and scored. So what was the problem? Well, E. Whittall from Clock Face Road was Elizabeth Whittall and the league's secretary, Alan Syder, argued that girls couldn't play in a boys' team.
But his deputy, Leslie Kane – who managed the Clock Face side – reckoned that they could. Elizabeth told the Reporter: "I love playing the game, and I'm just as good as the boys. I don't want to finish. If I have to, I'll still carry on training with the team." Her appearance led to a heated meeting of the local league's council this week, which ended with a ruling being requested from their governing body in Liverpool.
The paper also described how a "giant" one-way traffic plan should be in operation in St Helens within six months. The scheme would make Westfield Street, Ormskirk Street and Bridge Street one-way in a clockwise direction. Also Kirkland Street, Lingholme Road and Dentons Green Lane would become one-way out from the town centre and Greenfield Road would be made one-way into town.
On the 12th an hour-long meeting of all the 350 workers employed in building the new float glass plant at Pilks was held. They met to consider whether on not they should continue their strike in support of their colleague who claimed to have been sacked for taking a loo break. The men voted by 150 to 118 to return to work.
The inquests on 79-years-old Christina Worley and her 56-year-old daughter Winifred were held on the 13th. The two women from O'Keefe Road in Pocket Nook had received fatal injuries after being struck down by a car on October 6th. The 22-year-old driver told the hearing that he had been driving slowly along Pocket Nook Street at about 11pm with his sidelights on.
"My attention was momentarily attracted by the lights from a chip shop", he said. "And when I looked back to the road, I saw two dark figures in front of me. I braked hard but could not avoid them. When I saw I had knocked down two women, I called an ambulance." The coroner Ronald Lloyd told the inquest: "It has been said in this court many times that if motorists would drive on dipped headlights they would be seen more easily."
"But Tony, who lives in Amanda Road, Rainhill, wanted to come face to face with lions, so he was given the chance. Under the watchful eye of two keepers, he went into the lion cubs' cage. Facing him were two of the latest arrivals at the Safari Park – Sonny and Cher. Although they are not yet a year old, the cubs are still wild – but that did not frighten Tony in the least. Armed with a large brush, he moved the lions into a corner of the cage and then set about cleaning the floor.
"After a few minutes, Tony emerged from the “den” without a scratch, and laughed as he told classmates, “It was easy. They were only cubs and I think they were more frightened of me than I was of them. We have been doing a project about animals at our school and last week Lord Derby came and talked to us about the animals in the park.”
"The Safari Park is hoping to become more involved in the educational work of schools in the area. Mr. Dick Howard, who organises the school visits said: “We have all the facilities for children to see the animals living as they would if they were roaming wild. All the children are fascinated when they come here and it gives them a much better idea of the way animals live.”"
I don't think that would be allowed to happen today. Can you imagine the risk assessment forms that schoolteachers would have to fill in prior to their kids entering a lions' den? Something like: "The risk of the child being mauled to death is probably low. They are only young lions and two keepers will be standing over the kids with guns ready to shoot the lions if they make a false move." No, I don't think so…
Next week's stories will include the soaring VD toll in St Helens, a police raid on the Wizard's Cave, the lengthy telephone waiting list, a fundraising game is played in aid of Jack Pimblett's family and the 16-year-old Parr girl who lost most of a hand in a machine.
This week's 17 stories include the Pilkington loo strike, plans for a giant one-way road system in St Helens, the young lion tamer from Rainhill, a call for dipped headlights on cars after a tragedy in Pocket Nook, the bus driver who lodged his vehicle under a Sutton bridge while over the limit and the girl footballer from Clock Face who caused a row after playing for a boys' team.
We begin on the 8th when as part of a special promotion, Sayers "pie girls" were in St Helens, Prescot and Earlestown.
The young ladies were calling at houses and giving away "meaty pies" and vouchers for free mince pies.
And in their shops, steak and kidney pies were on sale for 8p. Buy two and you could get a free balloon!
Post-coding began in St Helens on the 8th. During the week a caravan was situated in the market area to encourage residents to write the postcode they'd been designated on letters.
Two months ago I described a dispute between one of the contractors building a new giant float glass tank at Pilks' Cowley Hill works and its workforce.
The union and the contractor had completely different tales to tell as to why some men had been laid off and – despite the passage of time – there was clearly still much friction between the two sides.
On the 8th a man was sacked – allegedly for going to the toilet – and quickly the workers downed tools in sympathy. Two days later, the Daily Mirror published this article:
"Brickie Peter Lenehan's trip to the loo started an unexpected chain reaction. For when he left the building site lavatory, his boss told him: “You should have asked first – you're sacked.”
"Within ten minutes 350 bricklayers, joiners, electricians and building workers employed by thirty-six contracting firms at the site downed tools in protest.
"Then their shop stewards declared the site black. They have told the management that no worker will be allowed on the site until Peter, of Carr Mill, St. Helens, Lancs, is fully reinstated in his £22-a-week job. Peter, who was working for Blacks Refractory Services, one of the firms building a new £13,000,000 glass producing plant at St. Helens, said:
"“I got the shock of my life when I found the boss waiting for me. I just popped in to spend a penny. They can't expect us to stick our hands in the air and ask permission like schoolboys. But this is what happens if we don't.”
"A spokesman for the Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers said: “I've never heard of anyone being sacked for a reason like this. Everyone has to answer the call of nature now and again, and you can't expect full-grown men to ask permission. They must have some dignity.”
"A management spokesman refused to comment on the loo strike, which started on Monday afternoon."
Tragically John Miller of Farm Road in Clock Face died at Whiston Hospital on the 8th from injuries received from an accident that killed his mother Marie.
The crash last Saturday had occurred in Union Bank Lane in Sutton Manor when a car driven by John's father hit a stationary lorry.
A car and a bus also collided in Junction Lane in Sutton on the morning of the 9th.
19-year-old car passenger Susan Houghton from Orville Street was treated at St Helens Hospital for cuts and shock but she was later allowed home.
Last year the then Prime Minister Harold Wilson had officially opened Massey-Ferguson’s showpiece earth-moving factory on the Knowsley Industrial Estate.
On the 9th shop stewards at the plant were shocked to hear that the Canadian-based manufacturer was planning to make at least 30 redundancies.
Also many of the 130 other workers were going to be placed on short-time working.
As a result the unions planned to write to Mr Wilson – their local MP – to ask him to intervene.
During the evening of the 9th, Joseph Broadhurst, of Millom Avenue in Rainhill, was awarded an RSPCA certificate of merit for undertaking animal rescue work at personal risk.
Mr Broadhurst had helped to rescue a sheep trapped on a cliff under Harlech Castle last August while on holiday.
On the 10th it was reported that the "good as new" shop operated in Prescot by St Anne's Church of Rainhill had made £556 (around £9,000 in today's money) for the Church of England Children's Society.
A bus driver from Woolton was fined a total of £70 and banned from driving for 12 months at St Helens Magistrates Court on the 11th.
The 30-year-old had driven a single-decker bus down Lancots Lane in Sutton (pictured above) while over the limit.
The vehicle became lodged beneath the low bridge and several passengers on the bus had to be treated in hospital for injuries.
The accident had occurred on June 12th and the man admitted driving with excessive alcohol in his blood and careless driving.
These days the derelict railway bridge tends to catch out supermarket delivery drivers rather than buses!
Also on that morning, a water main in Portico Lane burst cutting off water supplies for a time to many households in the Eccleston Park area.
The Echo reported on the 11th that Bob Cross of Bretherton Road in Prescot, a conductor guard at Lime Street, was to receive a long-service award from British Rail.
During his 40 years' service, Mr Cross had been the guard on the Royal train for most members of the Royal family, including King George VI and the present Queen's family, while making visits to Liverpool.
The Reporter was published on the 12th and a big front-page story was the discrepancy in two compensation awards.
Last Christmas in Hardshaw Street, coping stones and other masonry had fallen 40 feet from a building that was being demolished.
As a result 65-year-old Elsie Robinson, of Pollitt Crescent in St Helens, and 38-year-old John Griffiths, of Doulton Street, were both killed.
Their inquests revealed that the site had not been fenced off and there had been no scaffolding to protect the street.
However, Mrs Robinson’s husband Hugh had only received £559 compensation, compared to £11,110 awarded to the widow of Mrs Griffiths – although she did have two children.
Hugh Robinson told the Reporter: "I know that money could not bring my wife back, but when I heard of Mrs. Griffiths' award I was shocked."
The Reporter also described how the St Helens Juvenile Organisations Soccer League was split over the legality of a substitute in a recent match.
Fifteen minutes before the end of Clock Face Under-12s home game against Chiltern Rovers, 11-year-old E. Whittall took the field as a sub and scored. So what was the problem?
Well, E. Whittall from Clock Face Road was Elizabeth Whittall and the league's secretary, Alan Syder, argued that girls couldn't play in a boys' team.
But his deputy, Leslie Kane – who managed the Clock Face side – reckoned that they could. Elizabeth told the Reporter:
"I love playing the game, and I'm just as good as the boys. I don't want to finish. If I have to, I'll still carry on training with the team."
Her appearance led to a heated meeting of the local league's council this week, which ended with a ruling being requested from their governing body in Liverpool.
The paper also described how a "giant" one-way traffic plan should be in operation in St Helens within six months.
The scheme would make Westfield Street, Ormskirk Street and Bridge Street one-way in a clockwise direction.
Also Kirkland Street, Lingholme Road and Dentons Green Lane would become one-way out from the town centre and Greenfield Road would be made one-way into town.
On the 12th an hour-long meeting of all the 350 workers employed in building the new float glass plant at Pilks was held.
They met to consider whether on not they should continue their strike in support of their colleague who claimed to have been sacked for taking a loo break. The men voted by 150 to 118 to return to work.
The inquests on 79-years-old Christina Worley and her 56-year-old daughter Winifred were held on the 13th.
The two women from O'Keefe Road in Pocket Nook had received fatal injuries after being struck down by a car on October 6th.
The 22-year-old driver told the hearing that he had been driving slowly along Pocket Nook Street at about 11pm with his sidelights on.
"My attention was momentarily attracted by the lights from a chip shop", he said. "And when I looked back to the road, I saw two dark figures in front of me. I braked hard but could not avoid them. When I saw I had knocked down two women, I called an ambulance."
The coroner Ronald Lloyd told the inquest: "It has been said in this court many times that if motorists would drive on dipped headlights they would be seen more easily."
On the 13th the Echo published a photo of a beaming eight-year-old Rainhill lad holding a long brush in front of a snarling young lion, with this accompanying text:
"Eight-years-old Tony French lived his wildest dream when he became a fully fledged lion tamer. Tony was a member of a party from Longton Lane Junior School, Rainhill, who visited Lord Derby's Safari Park, at Knowsley.
"And part of this educational trip meant they were given the chance to look after some of the animals in the Pets' Corner.
"But Tony, who lives in Amanda Road, Rainhill, wanted to come face to face with lions, so he was given the chance.
"Under the watchful eye of two keepers, he went into the lion cubs' cage. Facing him were two of the latest arrivals at the Safari Park – Sonny and Cher.
"Although they are not yet a year old, the cubs are still wild – but that did not frighten Tony in the least.
"Armed with a large brush, he moved the lions into a corner of the cage and then set about cleaning the floor.
"After a few minutes, Tony emerged from the “den” without a scratch, and laughed as he told classmates, “It was easy. They were only cubs and I think they were more frightened of me than I was of them.
"“We have been doing a project about animals at our school and last week Lord Derby came and talked to us about the animals in the park.”
"The Safari Park is hoping to become more involved in the educational work of schools in the area.
"Mr. Dick Howard, who organises the school visits said: “We have all the facilities for children to see the animals living as they would if they were roaming wild. All the children are fascinated when they come here and it gives them a much better idea of the way animals live.”"
I don't think that would be allowed to happen today. Can you imagine the risk assessment forms that schoolteachers would have to fill in prior to their kids entering a lions' den? Something like:
"The risk of the child being mauled to death is probably low. They are only young lions and two keepers will be standing over the kids with guns ready to shoot the lions if they make a false move." No, I don't think so…
Next week's stories will include the soaring VD toll in St Helens, a police raid on the Wizard's Cave, the lengthy telephone waiting list, a fundraising game is played in aid of Jack Pimblett's family and the 16-year-old Parr girl who lost most of a hand in a machine.
We begin on the 8th when as part of a special promotion, Sayers "pie girls" were in St Helens, Prescot and Earlestown.
The young ladies were calling at houses and giving away "meaty pies" and vouchers for free mince pies.
And in their shops, steak and kidney pies were on sale for 8p. Buy two and you could get a free balloon!
Post-coding began in St Helens on the 8th. During the week a caravan was situated in the market area to encourage residents to write the postcode they'd been designated on letters.
Two months ago I described a dispute between one of the contractors building a new giant float glass tank at Pilks' Cowley Hill works and its workforce.
The union and the contractor had completely different tales to tell as to why some men had been laid off and – despite the passage of time – there was clearly still much friction between the two sides.
On the 8th a man was sacked – allegedly for going to the toilet – and quickly the workers downed tools in sympathy. Two days later, the Daily Mirror published this article:
"Brickie Peter Lenehan's trip to the loo started an unexpected chain reaction. For when he left the building site lavatory, his boss told him: “You should have asked first – you're sacked.”
"Within ten minutes 350 bricklayers, joiners, electricians and building workers employed by thirty-six contracting firms at the site downed tools in protest.
"Then their shop stewards declared the site black. They have told the management that no worker will be allowed on the site until Peter, of Carr Mill, St. Helens, Lancs, is fully reinstated in his £22-a-week job. Peter, who was working for Blacks Refractory Services, one of the firms building a new £13,000,000 glass producing plant at St. Helens, said:
"“I got the shock of my life when I found the boss waiting for me. I just popped in to spend a penny. They can't expect us to stick our hands in the air and ask permission like schoolboys. But this is what happens if we don't.”
"A spokesman for the Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers said: “I've never heard of anyone being sacked for a reason like this. Everyone has to answer the call of nature now and again, and you can't expect full-grown men to ask permission. They must have some dignity.”
"A management spokesman refused to comment on the loo strike, which started on Monday afternoon."
Tragically John Miller of Farm Road in Clock Face died at Whiston Hospital on the 8th from injuries received from an accident that killed his mother Marie.
The crash last Saturday had occurred in Union Bank Lane in Sutton Manor when a car driven by John's father hit a stationary lorry.
A car and a bus also collided in Junction Lane in Sutton on the morning of the 9th.
19-year-old car passenger Susan Houghton from Orville Street was treated at St Helens Hospital for cuts and shock but she was later allowed home.
Last year the then Prime Minister Harold Wilson had officially opened Massey-Ferguson’s showpiece earth-moving factory on the Knowsley Industrial Estate.
On the 9th shop stewards at the plant were shocked to hear that the Canadian-based manufacturer was planning to make at least 30 redundancies.
Also many of the 130 other workers were going to be placed on short-time working.
As a result the unions planned to write to Mr Wilson – their local MP – to ask him to intervene.
During the evening of the 9th, Joseph Broadhurst, of Millom Avenue in Rainhill, was awarded an RSPCA certificate of merit for undertaking animal rescue work at personal risk.
Mr Broadhurst had helped to rescue a sheep trapped on a cliff under Harlech Castle last August while on holiday.
On the 10th it was reported that the "good as new" shop operated in Prescot by St Anne's Church of Rainhill had made £556 (around £9,000 in today's money) for the Church of England Children's Society.
A bus driver from Woolton was fined a total of £70 and banned from driving for 12 months at St Helens Magistrates Court on the 11th.
The vehicle became lodged beneath the low bridge and several passengers on the bus had to be treated in hospital for injuries.
The accident had occurred on June 12th and the man admitted driving with excessive alcohol in his blood and careless driving.
These days the derelict railway bridge tends to catch out supermarket delivery drivers rather than buses!
Also on that morning, a water main in Portico Lane burst cutting off water supplies for a time to many households in the Eccleston Park area.
The Echo reported on the 11th that Bob Cross of Bretherton Road in Prescot, a conductor guard at Lime Street, was to receive a long-service award from British Rail.
During his 40 years' service, Mr Cross had been the guard on the Royal train for most members of the Royal family, including King George VI and the present Queen's family, while making visits to Liverpool.
The Reporter was published on the 12th and a big front-page story was the discrepancy in two compensation awards.
Last Christmas in Hardshaw Street, coping stones and other masonry had fallen 40 feet from a building that was being demolished.
As a result 65-year-old Elsie Robinson, of Pollitt Crescent in St Helens, and 38-year-old John Griffiths, of Doulton Street, were both killed.
Their inquests revealed that the site had not been fenced off and there had been no scaffolding to protect the street.
However, Mrs Robinson’s husband Hugh had only received £559 compensation, compared to £11,110 awarded to the widow of Mrs Griffiths – although she did have two children.
Hugh Robinson told the Reporter: "I know that money could not bring my wife back, but when I heard of Mrs. Griffiths' award I was shocked."
The Reporter also described how the St Helens Juvenile Organisations Soccer League was split over the legality of a substitute in a recent match.
Fifteen minutes before the end of Clock Face Under-12s home game against Chiltern Rovers, 11-year-old E. Whittall took the field as a sub and scored. So what was the problem?
Well, E. Whittall from Clock Face Road was Elizabeth Whittall and the league's secretary, Alan Syder, argued that girls couldn't play in a boys' team.
But his deputy, Leslie Kane – who managed the Clock Face side – reckoned that they could. Elizabeth told the Reporter:
"I love playing the game, and I'm just as good as the boys. I don't want to finish. If I have to, I'll still carry on training with the team."
Her appearance led to a heated meeting of the local league's council this week, which ended with a ruling being requested from their governing body in Liverpool.
The paper also described how a "giant" one-way traffic plan should be in operation in St Helens within six months.
The scheme would make Westfield Street, Ormskirk Street and Bridge Street one-way in a clockwise direction.
Also Kirkland Street, Lingholme Road and Dentons Green Lane would become one-way out from the town centre and Greenfield Road would be made one-way into town.
On the 12th an hour-long meeting of all the 350 workers employed in building the new float glass plant at Pilks was held.
They met to consider whether on not they should continue their strike in support of their colleague who claimed to have been sacked for taking a loo break. The men voted by 150 to 118 to return to work.
The inquests on 79-years-old Christina Worley and her 56-year-old daughter Winifred were held on the 13th.
The two women from O'Keefe Road in Pocket Nook had received fatal injuries after being struck down by a car on October 6th.
The 22-year-old driver told the hearing that he had been driving slowly along Pocket Nook Street at about 11pm with his sidelights on.
"My attention was momentarily attracted by the lights from a chip shop", he said. "And when I looked back to the road, I saw two dark figures in front of me. I braked hard but could not avoid them. When I saw I had knocked down two women, I called an ambulance."
The coroner Ronald Lloyd told the inquest: "It has been said in this court many times that if motorists would drive on dipped headlights they would be seen more easily."
"Eight-years-old Tony French lived his wildest dream when he became a fully fledged lion tamer. Tony was a member of a party from Longton Lane Junior School, Rainhill, who visited Lord Derby's Safari Park, at Knowsley.
"And part of this educational trip meant they were given the chance to look after some of the animals in the Pets' Corner.
"But Tony, who lives in Amanda Road, Rainhill, wanted to come face to face with lions, so he was given the chance.
"Under the watchful eye of two keepers, he went into the lion cubs' cage. Facing him were two of the latest arrivals at the Safari Park – Sonny and Cher.
"Although they are not yet a year old, the cubs are still wild – but that did not frighten Tony in the least.
"Armed with a large brush, he moved the lions into a corner of the cage and then set about cleaning the floor.
"After a few minutes, Tony emerged from the “den” without a scratch, and laughed as he told classmates, “It was easy. They were only cubs and I think they were more frightened of me than I was of them.
"“We have been doing a project about animals at our school and last week Lord Derby came and talked to us about the animals in the park.”
"The Safari Park is hoping to become more involved in the educational work of schools in the area.
"Mr. Dick Howard, who organises the school visits said: “We have all the facilities for children to see the animals living as they would if they were roaming wild. All the children are fascinated when they come here and it gives them a much better idea of the way animals live.”"
I don't think that would be allowed to happen today. Can you imagine the risk assessment forms that schoolteachers would have to fill in prior to their kids entering a lions' den? Something like:
"The risk of the child being mauled to death is probably low. They are only young lions and two keepers will be standing over the kids with guns ready to shoot the lions if they make a false move." No, I don't think so…
Next week's stories will include the soaring VD toll in St Helens, a police raid on the Wizard's Cave, the lengthy telephone waiting list, a fundraising game is played in aid of Jack Pimblett's family and the 16-year-old Parr girl who lost most of a hand in a machine.