FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (14th - 20th FEBRUARY 1972)
This week's 16 stories include the Derbyshire Hill woman who refused to have electricity in her home, another post office robbery takes place, the death of the Rainhill clogmaker called "Our Joe", the hole-in-the-heart Haydock boy returns to school, more on the St Helens power cuts and vandals cause a near-train disaster at Marshalls Cross.
Like today, this week in St Helens fifty years ago was the school half-term week and for its first three days, Disney's 'One Hundred and One Dalmatians' was shown at the Capitol Cinema. Meanwhile, the ABC Savoy had a couple of matinee showings of 'Sleeping Beauty'.
Last week I wrote how raiders had brazenly smashed their way into the Cambridge Road post office in St Helens and stolen £1,000 while the staff was at lunch. That's the equivalent of around £15,000 in today’s money. Security was clearly poor – with what was described as only a makeshift burglar alarm that the burglars had no trouble in disconnecting.
In the early hours of the 14th, the same sub-post office was raided for the second time in six days. This time the thieves stole a safe containing £1,500 in cash and £8,500 worth of postal orders, savings certificates and Premium Bonds. It was thought that the robbers had cut the telephone wires, forced open the front door and then removed the safe from behind the counter. Later in the week the safe was discovered empty in Princess Drive in Liverpool. A car that vanished at the same time was also abandoned nearby.
On the 15th the Liverpool Echo wrote: "Sporting a fine sun tan, a 20-years-old St. Helens girl arrived back home last night, after spending a month living without mod-cons in the mountains of Ethiopia. Jean Strettle, of Fleet Lane, St. Helens, was one of a 40 strong party of young people who made the trip as a member of the John Hunt expedition group, under the auspices of the Endeavour Training Council. Adventure girl Jean endured daytime temperatures of 104 deg. F. in the remote Simien Mountains, which fell to well below freezing point at night."
This week it was revealed that St Helens was among five pilot areas that would try out the new community service orders on offenders that Parliament was in the process of approving. The scheme would start at the end of the year – or early 1973 – and last for several years in order to thoroughly test its effectiveness. Community service might be the ideal punishment for railway vandals as the placing of objects on the lines and other acts was an increasing problem.
On the 16th an express passenger train travelling from Liverpool to Newton-le-Willows ploughed into three oil drums that had been placed on the track at Marshalls Cross bridge. The train had been hurtling along the track at 70 mph and a British Rail spokesman said: "This was the work of senseless people. The train could have been derailed and somebody killed." A reward of £50 was offered for information leading to the arrest of the culprits.
On the 16th two St Helens miners involved in the picketing of Fiddlers Ferry power station appeared in court charged with causing a breach of the peace. They had been among a group of 200 pickets and were bound over to keep the peace.
Last year I wrote how Elizabeth Livesey from Eccleston had written to Dr Christian Barnard in South Africa pleading with the heart pioneer to save the lives of her two nephews. John Bickerstaffe and his brother Harold of Bishop Reeves Road in Haydock both suffered from holes in their hearts. Thirteen-year-old John subsequently underwent a major operation at the Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital after preferring not to travel to South Africa – but sadly died. Then his brother underwent the same operation and his parents prayed for a better outcome.
On the 17th cheering schoolmates welcomed back Harold as he returned to the classroom at St James Junior School in Haydock. The ten-year-old was so anxious to return to school that he arrived half-an-hour early. "It's great to be going back," he told the Reporter. "I couldn't think of anything to do at home." Harold's mother, Audrey Bickerstaffe, said: "I feel that Harold is almost completely recovered. It's a great relief to know he’s getting better at last. The specialist is very pleased with him, and he doesn't have to go for another check for six months."
Also on the 17th, Whiston Council's General Purposes Committee said it would continue to fight for the creation of a £12,000 car park at Eccleston Park station to provide park and ride facilities for Liverpool commuters. British Rail wanted to sell off some land near to the station for residential development. However, Whiston Council wanted them to retain a portion of the land and build a car park for rail travellers on it capable of accommodating 50 vehicles. Their Clerk, Mike Carter, said: "We have got to safeguard this land. We have got to stop British Rail selling it for housing."
It was also revealed that the Department of the Environment had approved proposals for road improvements outside Rainhill Hospital. The work would cost £50,000 and involve widening the road to about 33 feet and building a new entrance at the hospital.
The first public meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous in St Helens had been held in December 1970. There was criticism that none of the forty or so Catholic priests in the district had attended – despite invitations having been despatched to all parishes. The Reporter revealed this week that treatment for alcoholics was soon to start in St Helens. The twice-weekly morning sessions would be held at the Hardshaw Street clinic with the Merseyside Council on Alcoholism estimating that there could be over 1,000 chronic alcoholics in the town.
The power blackouts caused by the miners' striker were still making life difficult for St Helens residents – apart from Elsie Lancaster. The 76-year-old from Derbyshire Hill Road was profiled in the Reporter on the 18th – as her home was all-gas. "I have been asked to convert to electricity but I've never trusted it," said Elsie. "People wonder how I've lived without electricity in this house for 50 years but I wouldn't change for anything. I'm quite happy as I am, thank you."
Meanwhile the editor of the paper wrote on his front page: "Today's Reporter is a crisis edition because of the power situation," as he apologised for many regular features having to be omitted or curtailed. The paper was in the same boat as other businesses in St Helens in only being able to operate for limited periods – and some firms were having to lay off staff.
However, camping retailers were doing brisk business as the crisis sparked off a rush to buy portable stoves and lighting equipment. Candle supplies were said to be exhausted and so many householders were turning to bottled gas. The St Helens Director of Social Services, Terence Dennier, appealed to people to be good neighbours to the elderly and sick during the crisis.
Last week the Reporter's lead story was an expose of the St Helens Ambulance Service, after journalist Nick Peake had met four whistle-blowers. Their main accusation was that there were critical equipment failures on board the town's ambulances and one whistle-blower had told the Reporter: "When a member of the St. Helens public rides in an ambulance he does not know how close to death he is." The men claimed to have reached the point of desperation and felt the issues were being covered up.
This week the paper described how the St Helens Health Committee had launched a full-scale investigation into the allegations, after Dr Julian Baines, the St Helens Medical Officer of Health, had held a 3-hour meeting with the men. Dr Baines would also be discussing with the unions at the ambulance station how liaison between the Corporation and its employees could be improved.
The Reporter also described how the St Helens Trolley-bus Society had been launched, with its ten members wanting to show how public transport had operated in the recent past "without the perils of pollution". The paper added: "Disgusted at the fumes and smoke belched out by noisy buses run on diesel oil, they're out to spark off interest in a revival of the old vehicles."
The Reporter lamented the death of "Our Joe", who had made and repaired clogs in Rainhill for 43 years. Frederick Joseph Gladwin had been born in St Helens but moved to Rainhill in the late 1920s, opening his shoe shop in Station Road. The 69-year-old was still making clogs until nearly a month ago when taken ill – although his main work had become shoe repairing, as the demand for clogs had petered off. The Reporter described "Our Joe" as a well-known character in the village who would be remembered for his home-spun philosophy.
Peggy Mount and Richard Leech were the stars performing in 'The Rivals' at the Theatre Royal throughout this week. However, Saturday night's performance had to start an hour early to beat the power cuts. On the 20th the ABC Savoy began a week's screening of the film 'Shaft', but added this caveat to their St Helens Reporter advert: "Patrons please note – Times are subject to alterations due to power cuts."
The Capitol cinema continued with their horror season – showing from the 20th 'Fright' starring Honor Blackman and 'I Monster' featuring Christopher Lee. Meanwhile, at the Studio 1 cinema at Earlestown, 'Woodstock' ended a week’s screenings on the 19th and then on the 20th 'Kelly's Heroes' was shown for 7 days.
Next Week's stories will include the end of the miners strike, the church leaders gassed in Ormskirk Street, the Sutton explosion after a North Sea gas conversion and the monster scheme on the East Lancs that was expected to cause monster hold-ups.
Like today, this week in St Helens fifty years ago was the school half-term week and for its first three days, Disney's 'One Hundred and One Dalmatians' was shown at the Capitol Cinema. Meanwhile, the ABC Savoy had a couple of matinee showings of 'Sleeping Beauty'.
Last week I wrote how raiders had brazenly smashed their way into the Cambridge Road post office in St Helens and stolen £1,000 while the staff was at lunch. That's the equivalent of around £15,000 in today’s money. Security was clearly poor – with what was described as only a makeshift burglar alarm that the burglars had no trouble in disconnecting.
In the early hours of the 14th, the same sub-post office was raided for the second time in six days. This time the thieves stole a safe containing £1,500 in cash and £8,500 worth of postal orders, savings certificates and Premium Bonds. It was thought that the robbers had cut the telephone wires, forced open the front door and then removed the safe from behind the counter. Later in the week the safe was discovered empty in Princess Drive in Liverpool. A car that vanished at the same time was also abandoned nearby.
On the 15th the Liverpool Echo wrote: "Sporting a fine sun tan, a 20-years-old St. Helens girl arrived back home last night, after spending a month living without mod-cons in the mountains of Ethiopia. Jean Strettle, of Fleet Lane, St. Helens, was one of a 40 strong party of young people who made the trip as a member of the John Hunt expedition group, under the auspices of the Endeavour Training Council. Adventure girl Jean endured daytime temperatures of 104 deg. F. in the remote Simien Mountains, which fell to well below freezing point at night."
This week it was revealed that St Helens was among five pilot areas that would try out the new community service orders on offenders that Parliament was in the process of approving. The scheme would start at the end of the year – or early 1973 – and last for several years in order to thoroughly test its effectiveness. Community service might be the ideal punishment for railway vandals as the placing of objects on the lines and other acts was an increasing problem.
On the 16th an express passenger train travelling from Liverpool to Newton-le-Willows ploughed into three oil drums that had been placed on the track at Marshalls Cross bridge. The train had been hurtling along the track at 70 mph and a British Rail spokesman said: "This was the work of senseless people. The train could have been derailed and somebody killed." A reward of £50 was offered for information leading to the arrest of the culprits.
On the 16th two St Helens miners involved in the picketing of Fiddlers Ferry power station appeared in court charged with causing a breach of the peace. They had been among a group of 200 pickets and were bound over to keep the peace.
Last year I wrote how Elizabeth Livesey from Eccleston had written to Dr Christian Barnard in South Africa pleading with the heart pioneer to save the lives of her two nephews. John Bickerstaffe and his brother Harold of Bishop Reeves Road in Haydock both suffered from holes in their hearts. Thirteen-year-old John subsequently underwent a major operation at the Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital after preferring not to travel to South Africa – but sadly died. Then his brother underwent the same operation and his parents prayed for a better outcome.
On the 17th cheering schoolmates welcomed back Harold as he returned to the classroom at St James Junior School in Haydock. The ten-year-old was so anxious to return to school that he arrived half-an-hour early. "It's great to be going back," he told the Reporter. "I couldn't think of anything to do at home." Harold's mother, Audrey Bickerstaffe, said: "I feel that Harold is almost completely recovered. It's a great relief to know he’s getting better at last. The specialist is very pleased with him, and he doesn't have to go for another check for six months."
Also on the 17th, Whiston Council's General Purposes Committee said it would continue to fight for the creation of a £12,000 car park at Eccleston Park station to provide park and ride facilities for Liverpool commuters. British Rail wanted to sell off some land near to the station for residential development. However, Whiston Council wanted them to retain a portion of the land and build a car park for rail travellers on it capable of accommodating 50 vehicles. Their Clerk, Mike Carter, said: "We have got to safeguard this land. We have got to stop British Rail selling it for housing."
It was also revealed that the Department of the Environment had approved proposals for road improvements outside Rainhill Hospital. The work would cost £50,000 and involve widening the road to about 33 feet and building a new entrance at the hospital.
The first public meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous in St Helens had been held in December 1970. There was criticism that none of the forty or so Catholic priests in the district had attended – despite invitations having been despatched to all parishes. The Reporter revealed this week that treatment for alcoholics was soon to start in St Helens. The twice-weekly morning sessions would be held at the Hardshaw Street clinic with the Merseyside Council on Alcoholism estimating that there could be over 1,000 chronic alcoholics in the town.
The power blackouts caused by the miners' striker were still making life difficult for St Helens residents – apart from Elsie Lancaster. The 76-year-old from Derbyshire Hill Road was profiled in the Reporter on the 18th – as her home was all-gas. "I have been asked to convert to electricity but I've never trusted it," said Elsie. "People wonder how I've lived without electricity in this house for 50 years but I wouldn't change for anything. I'm quite happy as I am, thank you."
Meanwhile the editor of the paper wrote on his front page: "Today's Reporter is a crisis edition because of the power situation," as he apologised for many regular features having to be omitted or curtailed. The paper was in the same boat as other businesses in St Helens in only being able to operate for limited periods – and some firms were having to lay off staff.
However, camping retailers were doing brisk business as the crisis sparked off a rush to buy portable stoves and lighting equipment. Candle supplies were said to be exhausted and so many householders were turning to bottled gas. The St Helens Director of Social Services, Terence Dennier, appealed to people to be good neighbours to the elderly and sick during the crisis.
Last week the Reporter's lead story was an expose of the St Helens Ambulance Service, after journalist Nick Peake had met four whistle-blowers. Their main accusation was that there were critical equipment failures on board the town's ambulances and one whistle-blower had told the Reporter: "When a member of the St. Helens public rides in an ambulance he does not know how close to death he is." The men claimed to have reached the point of desperation and felt the issues were being covered up.
This week the paper described how the St Helens Health Committee had launched a full-scale investigation into the allegations, after Dr Julian Baines, the St Helens Medical Officer of Health, had held a 3-hour meeting with the men. Dr Baines would also be discussing with the unions at the ambulance station how liaison between the Corporation and its employees could be improved.
The Reporter lamented the death of "Our Joe", who had made and repaired clogs in Rainhill for 43 years. Frederick Joseph Gladwin had been born in St Helens but moved to Rainhill in the late 1920s, opening his shoe shop in Station Road. The 69-year-old was still making clogs until nearly a month ago when taken ill – although his main work had become shoe repairing, as the demand for clogs had petered off. The Reporter described "Our Joe" as a well-known character in the village who would be remembered for his home-spun philosophy.
Peggy Mount and Richard Leech were the stars performing in 'The Rivals' at the Theatre Royal throughout this week. However, Saturday night's performance had to start an hour early to beat the power cuts. On the 20th the ABC Savoy began a week's screening of the film 'Shaft', but added this caveat to their St Helens Reporter advert: "Patrons please note – Times are subject to alterations due to power cuts."
The Capitol cinema continued with their horror season – showing from the 20th 'Fright' starring Honor Blackman and 'I Monster' featuring Christopher Lee. Meanwhile, at the Studio 1 cinema at Earlestown, 'Woodstock' ended a week’s screenings on the 19th and then on the 20th 'Kelly's Heroes' was shown for 7 days.
Next Week's stories will include the end of the miners strike, the church leaders gassed in Ormskirk Street, the Sutton explosion after a North Sea gas conversion and the monster scheme on the East Lancs that was expected to cause monster hold-ups.
This week's 16 stories include the Derbyshire Hill woman who refused to have electricity in her home, another post office robbery takes place, the death of the Rainhill clogmaker called "Our Joe", the hole-in-the-heart Haydock boy returns to school, more on the St Helens power cuts and vandals cause a near-train disaster at Marshalls Cross.
Like today, this week in St Helens fifty years ago was the school half-term week and for its first three days, Disney's 'One Hundred and One Dalmatians' was shown at the Capitol Cinema.
Meanwhile, the ABC Savoy had a couple of matinee showings of 'Sleeping Beauty'.
Last week I wrote how raiders had brazenly smashed their way into the Cambridge Road post office in St Helens and stolen £1,000 while the staff was at lunch. That's the equivalent of around £15,000 in today’s money.
Security was clearly poor – with what was described as only a makeshift burglar alarm that the burglars had no trouble in disconnecting.
In the early hours of the 14th, the same sub-post office was raided for the second time in six days.
This time the thieves stole a safe containing £1,500 in cash and £8,500 worth of postal orders, savings certificates and Premium Bonds.
It was thought that the robbers had cut the telephone wires, forced open the front door and then removed the safe from behind the counter.
Later in the week the safe was discovered empty in Princess Drive in Liverpool. A car that vanished at the same time was also abandoned nearby.
On the 15th the Liverpool Echo wrote: "Sporting a fine sun tan, a 20-years-old St. Helens girl arrived back home last night, after spending a month living without mod-cons in the mountains of Ethiopia.
"Jean Strettle, of Fleet Lane, St. Helens, was one of a 40 strong party of young people who made the trip as a member of the John Hunt expedition group, under the auspices of the Endeavour Training Council.
"Adventure girl Jean endured daytime temperatures of 104 deg. F. in the remote Simien Mountains, which fell to well below freezing point at night."
This week it was revealed that St Helens was among five pilot areas that would try out the new community service orders on offenders that Parliament was in the process of approving.
The scheme would start at the end of the year – or early 1973 – and last for several years in order to thoroughly test its effectiveness.
Community service might be the ideal punishment for railway vandals as the placing of objects on the lines and other acts was an increasing problem.
On the 16th an express passenger train travelling from Liverpool to Newton-le-Willows ploughed into three oil drums that had been placed on the track at Marshalls Cross bridge.
The train had been hurtling along the track at 70 mph and a British Rail spokesman said:
"This was the work of senseless people. The train could have been derailed and somebody killed."
A reward of £50 was offered for information leading to the arrest of the culprits.
On the 16th two St Helens miners involved in the picketing of Fiddlers Ferry power station appeared in court charged with causing a breach of the peace.
They had been among a group of 200 pickets and were bound over to keep the peace.
Last year I wrote how Elizabeth Livesey from Eccleston had written to Dr Christian Barnard in South Africa pleading with the heart pioneer to save the lives of her two nephews.
John Bickerstaffe and his brother Harold of Bishop Reeves Road in Haydock both suffered from holes in their hearts.
Thirteen-year-old John subsequently underwent a major operation at the Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital after preferring not to travel to South Africa – but sadly died.
Then his brother underwent the same operation and his parents prayed for a better outcome.
On the 17th cheering schoolmates welcomed back Harold as he returned to the classroom at St James Junior School in Haydock.
The ten-year-old was so anxious to return to school that he arrived half-an-hour early. "It's great to be going back," he told the Reporter. "I couldn't think of anything to do at home."
Harold's mother, Audrey Bickerstaffe, said: "I feel that Harold is almost completely recovered. It's a great relief to know he’s getting better at last. The specialist is very pleased with him, and he doesn't have to go for another check for six months."
Also on the 17th, Whiston Council's General Purposes Committee said it would continue to fight for the creation of a £12,000 car park at Eccleston Park station to provide park and ride facilities for Liverpool commuters.
British Rail wanted to sell off some land near to the station for residential development.
However, Whiston Council wanted them to retain a portion of the land and build a car park for rail travellers on it capable of accommodating 50 vehicles. Their Clerk, Mike Carter, said:
"We have got to safeguard this land. We have got to stop British Rail selling it for housing."
It was also revealed that the Department of the Environment had approved proposals for road improvements outside Rainhill Hospital.
The work would cost £50,000 and involve widening the road to about 33 feet and building a new entrance at the hospital.
The first public meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous in St Helens had been held in December 1970.
There was criticism that none of the forty or so Catholic priests in the district had attended – despite invitations having been despatched to all parishes.
The Reporter revealed this week that treatment for alcoholics was soon to start in St Helens.
The twice-weekly morning sessions would be held at the Hardshaw Street clinic with the Merseyside Council on Alcoholism estimating that there could be over 1,000 chronic alcoholics in the town.
The power blackouts caused by the miners' striker were still making life difficult for St Helens residents – apart from Elsie Lancaster.
The 76-year-old from Derbyshire Hill Road was profiled in the Reporter on the 18th – as her home was all-gas.
"I have been asked to convert to electricity but I've never trusted it," said Elsie. "People wonder how I've lived without electricity in this house for 50 years but I wouldn't change for anything. I'm quite happy as I am, thank you."
Meanwhile the editor of the paper wrote on his front page: "Today's Reporter is a crisis edition because of the power situation," as he apologised for many regular features having to be omitted or curtailed.
The paper was in the same boat as other businesses in St Helens in only being able to operate for limited periods – and some firms were having to lay off staff.
However, camping retailers were doing brisk business as the crisis sparked off a rush to buy portable stoves and lighting equipment.
Candle supplies were said to be exhausted and so many householders were turning to bottled gas.
The St Helens Director of Social Services, Terence Dennier, appealed to people to be good neighbours to the elderly and sick during the crisis.
Last week the Reporter's lead story was an expose of the St Helens Ambulance Service, after journalist Nick Peake had met four whistle-blowers.
Their main accusation was that there were critical equipment failures on board the town's ambulances and one whistle-blower had told the Reporter:
"When a member of the St. Helens public rides in an ambulance he does not know how close to death he is."
The men claimed to have reached the point of desperation and felt the issues were being covered up.
This week the paper described how the St Helens Health Committee had launched a full-scale investigation into the allegations, after Dr Julian Baines, the St Helens Medical Officer of Health, had held a 3-hour meeting with the men.
Dr Baines would also be discussing with the unions at the ambulance station how liaison between the Corporation and its employees could be improved.
The Reporter also described how the St Helens Trolley-bus Society had been launched, with its ten members wanting to show how public transport had operated in the recent past "without the perils of pollution".
"Disgusted at the fumes and smoke belched out by noisy buses run on diesel oil, they're out to spark off interest in a revival of the old vehicles," added the paper.
The Reporter lamented the death of "Our Joe", who had made and repaired clogs in Rainhill for 43 years.
Frederick Joseph Gladwin had been born in St Helens but moved to Rainhill in the late 1920s, opening his shoe shop in Station Road.
The 69-year-old was still making clogs until nearly a month ago when taken ill – although his main work had become shoe repairing, as the demand for clogs had petered off.
The Reporter described "Our Joe" as a well-known character in the village who would be remembered for his home-spun philosophy.
Peggy Mount and Richard Leech were the stars performing in 'The Rivals' at the Theatre Royal throughout this week.
However, Saturday night's performance had to start an hour early to beat the power cuts.
On the 20th the ABC Savoy began a week's screening of the film 'Shaft', but added this caveat to their St Helens Reporter advert:
"Patrons please note – Times are subject to alterations due to power cuts."
The Capitol cinema continued with their horror season – showing from the 20th 'Fright' starring Honor Blackman and 'I Monster' featuring Christopher Lee.
Meanwhile, at the Studio 1 cinema at Earlestown, 'Woodstock' ended a week’s screenings on the 19th and then on the 20th 'Kelly's Heroes' was shown for 7 days.
Next Week's stories will include the end of the miners strike, the church leaders gassed in Ormskirk Street, the Sutton explosion after a North Sea gas conversion and the monster scheme on the East Lancs that was expected to cause monster hold-ups.
Like today, this week in St Helens fifty years ago was the school half-term week and for its first three days, Disney's 'One Hundred and One Dalmatians' was shown at the Capitol Cinema.
Meanwhile, the ABC Savoy had a couple of matinee showings of 'Sleeping Beauty'.
Last week I wrote how raiders had brazenly smashed their way into the Cambridge Road post office in St Helens and stolen £1,000 while the staff was at lunch. That's the equivalent of around £15,000 in today’s money.
Security was clearly poor – with what was described as only a makeshift burglar alarm that the burglars had no trouble in disconnecting.
In the early hours of the 14th, the same sub-post office was raided for the second time in six days.
This time the thieves stole a safe containing £1,500 in cash and £8,500 worth of postal orders, savings certificates and Premium Bonds.
It was thought that the robbers had cut the telephone wires, forced open the front door and then removed the safe from behind the counter.
Later in the week the safe was discovered empty in Princess Drive in Liverpool. A car that vanished at the same time was also abandoned nearby.
On the 15th the Liverpool Echo wrote: "Sporting a fine sun tan, a 20-years-old St. Helens girl arrived back home last night, after spending a month living without mod-cons in the mountains of Ethiopia.
"Jean Strettle, of Fleet Lane, St. Helens, was one of a 40 strong party of young people who made the trip as a member of the John Hunt expedition group, under the auspices of the Endeavour Training Council.
"Adventure girl Jean endured daytime temperatures of 104 deg. F. in the remote Simien Mountains, which fell to well below freezing point at night."
This week it was revealed that St Helens was among five pilot areas that would try out the new community service orders on offenders that Parliament was in the process of approving.
The scheme would start at the end of the year – or early 1973 – and last for several years in order to thoroughly test its effectiveness.
Community service might be the ideal punishment for railway vandals as the placing of objects on the lines and other acts was an increasing problem.
On the 16th an express passenger train travelling from Liverpool to Newton-le-Willows ploughed into three oil drums that had been placed on the track at Marshalls Cross bridge.
The train had been hurtling along the track at 70 mph and a British Rail spokesman said:
"This was the work of senseless people. The train could have been derailed and somebody killed."
A reward of £50 was offered for information leading to the arrest of the culprits.
On the 16th two St Helens miners involved in the picketing of Fiddlers Ferry power station appeared in court charged with causing a breach of the peace.
They had been among a group of 200 pickets and were bound over to keep the peace.
Last year I wrote how Elizabeth Livesey from Eccleston had written to Dr Christian Barnard in South Africa pleading with the heart pioneer to save the lives of her two nephews.
John Bickerstaffe and his brother Harold of Bishop Reeves Road in Haydock both suffered from holes in their hearts.
Thirteen-year-old John subsequently underwent a major operation at the Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital after preferring not to travel to South Africa – but sadly died.
Then his brother underwent the same operation and his parents prayed for a better outcome.
On the 17th cheering schoolmates welcomed back Harold as he returned to the classroom at St James Junior School in Haydock.
The ten-year-old was so anxious to return to school that he arrived half-an-hour early. "It's great to be going back," he told the Reporter. "I couldn't think of anything to do at home."
Harold's mother, Audrey Bickerstaffe, said: "I feel that Harold is almost completely recovered. It's a great relief to know he’s getting better at last. The specialist is very pleased with him, and he doesn't have to go for another check for six months."
Also on the 17th, Whiston Council's General Purposes Committee said it would continue to fight for the creation of a £12,000 car park at Eccleston Park station to provide park and ride facilities for Liverpool commuters.
British Rail wanted to sell off some land near to the station for residential development.
However, Whiston Council wanted them to retain a portion of the land and build a car park for rail travellers on it capable of accommodating 50 vehicles. Their Clerk, Mike Carter, said:
"We have got to safeguard this land. We have got to stop British Rail selling it for housing."
It was also revealed that the Department of the Environment had approved proposals for road improvements outside Rainhill Hospital.
The work would cost £50,000 and involve widening the road to about 33 feet and building a new entrance at the hospital.
The first public meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous in St Helens had been held in December 1970.
There was criticism that none of the forty or so Catholic priests in the district had attended – despite invitations having been despatched to all parishes.
The Reporter revealed this week that treatment for alcoholics was soon to start in St Helens.
The twice-weekly morning sessions would be held at the Hardshaw Street clinic with the Merseyside Council on Alcoholism estimating that there could be over 1,000 chronic alcoholics in the town.
The power blackouts caused by the miners' striker were still making life difficult for St Helens residents – apart from Elsie Lancaster.
The 76-year-old from Derbyshire Hill Road was profiled in the Reporter on the 18th – as her home was all-gas.
"I have been asked to convert to electricity but I've never trusted it," said Elsie. "People wonder how I've lived without electricity in this house for 50 years but I wouldn't change for anything. I'm quite happy as I am, thank you."
Meanwhile the editor of the paper wrote on his front page: "Today's Reporter is a crisis edition because of the power situation," as he apologised for many regular features having to be omitted or curtailed.
The paper was in the same boat as other businesses in St Helens in only being able to operate for limited periods – and some firms were having to lay off staff.
However, camping retailers were doing brisk business as the crisis sparked off a rush to buy portable stoves and lighting equipment.
Candle supplies were said to be exhausted and so many householders were turning to bottled gas.
The St Helens Director of Social Services, Terence Dennier, appealed to people to be good neighbours to the elderly and sick during the crisis.
Last week the Reporter's lead story was an expose of the St Helens Ambulance Service, after journalist Nick Peake had met four whistle-blowers.
Their main accusation was that there were critical equipment failures on board the town's ambulances and one whistle-blower had told the Reporter:
"When a member of the St. Helens public rides in an ambulance he does not know how close to death he is."
The men claimed to have reached the point of desperation and felt the issues were being covered up.
This week the paper described how the St Helens Health Committee had launched a full-scale investigation into the allegations, after Dr Julian Baines, the St Helens Medical Officer of Health, had held a 3-hour meeting with the men.
Dr Baines would also be discussing with the unions at the ambulance station how liaison between the Corporation and its employees could be improved.
"Disgusted at the fumes and smoke belched out by noisy buses run on diesel oil, they're out to spark off interest in a revival of the old vehicles," added the paper.
The Reporter lamented the death of "Our Joe", who had made and repaired clogs in Rainhill for 43 years.
Frederick Joseph Gladwin had been born in St Helens but moved to Rainhill in the late 1920s, opening his shoe shop in Station Road.
The 69-year-old was still making clogs until nearly a month ago when taken ill – although his main work had become shoe repairing, as the demand for clogs had petered off.
The Reporter described "Our Joe" as a well-known character in the village who would be remembered for his home-spun philosophy.
Peggy Mount and Richard Leech were the stars performing in 'The Rivals' at the Theatre Royal throughout this week.
However, Saturday night's performance had to start an hour early to beat the power cuts.
On the 20th the ABC Savoy began a week's screening of the film 'Shaft', but added this caveat to their St Helens Reporter advert:
"Patrons please note – Times are subject to alterations due to power cuts."
The Capitol cinema continued with their horror season – showing from the 20th 'Fright' starring Honor Blackman and 'I Monster' featuring Christopher Lee.
Meanwhile, at the Studio 1 cinema at Earlestown, 'Woodstock' ended a week’s screenings on the 19th and then on the 20th 'Kelly's Heroes' was shown for 7 days.
Next Week's stories will include the end of the miners strike, the church leaders gassed in Ormskirk Street, the Sutton explosion after a North Sea gas conversion and the monster scheme on the East Lancs that was expected to cause monster hold-ups.