FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (16th - 22nd September 1969)
This week's 19 stories include a report that called St Helens socially deprived and a slum town, the missing towels at Boundary Road baths, savage criticism of the planned St Helens’ bus cuts, there's news of the new Parr baths, a fashion feature in the Reporter and St Helens Operatic Society get a donkey for the Desert Song.
Some of the sentences for sexual offences were remarkably light fifty years ago. Recently a 65-year-old retired miner from Wigan had been fined just £10 for indecently assaulting an eight-year-old girl. On the 16th at St Helens Juvenile Panel two 16-year-old and two 15-year-old boys were fined £5 each after taking a 14-year-old girl into a field and indecently assaulting her. Another girl had managed to run away and raise the alarm.
From the 16th a weekly series of 'Modern Sequence Dancing' began in the School Hall of West Park Grammar School in Alder Hey Road. This was organised by the West Park Parents Association with admission 2/6.
The governing Labour Party released a report this week on Britain's social problems, which heavily condemned St Helens. The policy document called "Labour's Social Strategy" said the town was socially deprived, had too many slums, too few doctors and home helps, an infant mortality rate double the national average and a high number of TB sufferers. However in a league table of socially deprived towns St Helens achieved a mid-table position, alongside Warrington and Liverpool.
Dr Baines, the town's newly appointed Medical Officer, agreed largely with the report's conclusions but said hospitals in St Helens were adequately staffed and there was no shortage of midwives. However he said there were too few GPs and the town did not have enough district nurses and health visitors. St Helens did have a higher death rate than the national average, which Dr Baines blamed mainly on atmospheric pollution. However Smoke Control Orders now covered a large area of the town, which the medical officer thought would improve matters.
The council's Works Committee met on the 17th and heard that towels were going missing from Boundary Road baths. People were paying 5d to hire a towel but were not returning them and so it was decided that a 2 shillings deposit would be introduced in November. The attendants wanted the baths to close earlier on Saturdays and so it was agreed that the last tickets would be issued at 7pm, with the centre closing an hour later.
The Committee also considered revised plans for the new Parr swimming baths in Recreation Street. There had been a public outcry in July when the council chose to build a golf course in Sherdley Park instead of the long-promised baths. The reason had been financial, with the golf course estimated at costing £63,000, whereas the baths would cost £500,000.
The council said they couldn't afford both schemes but buckled under public pressure and decided to build a half-price version of the baths scheme in Parr. So no Olympic-style pool or diving area but it would still contain facilities such as a spectators' area, staff room and probably a café and be of a medium-size. Unusually the deep end would be in the middle of the pool at a depth of six feet, with both ends being three feet deep.
A reversing delivery van knocked down a telephone kiosk in Peckers Hill Road in Sutton on the 17th. The accident happened during the busy lunchtime shopping period but fortunately no one was inside the kiosk at the time.
A recording of the Radio 3 programme 'Northern Prom' took place in St Helens Town Hall on the 17th. It featured the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra and would be broadcast during the following week.
Parr Stocks Annual Pleasure Fair began on the 18th on land by the fire station. It lasted for two weeks but was closed on Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
The St Helens Reporter on the 19th revealed that three petitions were circulating in the town with passengers furious about proposed cuts to bus services. Nearly 850 Ravenhead residents had handed a petition to the Corporation's Transport Manager Alex Barlow at the beginning of the week. Another signed by Eccleston parents would be sent to the Lancashire Education Authority and the third from Sutton Leach Ratepayers' Association was expected to arrive at the Town Hall shortly.
Mr Barlow had initiated the cuts because of the severe staff shortage. The Corporation had extensively advertised in the local newspapers for drivers and conductors – and even recently on TV – but with limited success. However bus users were not sympathetic – particularly the elderly and disabled – and pensioner Thomas Walker fitted into both categories as he had only one leg. The 70-year-old complained to the Reporter that the loss of the no. 27 service from St Helens to Ravenhead meant that he would have to walk half a mile and cross a busy main road to reach the nearest bus stop.
Three weeks ago the St Helens Amateur Operatic Society put out an appeal in the Reporter for a donkey, which they needed for their October production of 'The Desert Song' at the Theatre Royal. In this week's edition there was a photo of Tony, the three-year-old from Rainford, who had won the part of the donkey. As he already was a donkey it should be an easy role for him to play! That's as long as the bright lights and all those people in the audience didn't disturb him during the show's six-night run. Tony was the pet of twelve-year-old Nicola and six-year-old Joanne Birchall from Pottery Farm and was pictured in the paper happily munching grass and unaware of his impending stardom.
"When a Young Man's Fancy Turns from Planes to Girls", was the headline to another article in the Reporter. This described a problem that the St Helens' squadron of the Air Training Corps was having with unreturned kit. When teenage boys joined the ATC they were issued with a battledress, tie, shirts, collars, beret and badge, greatcoat and groundsheet. The total cost was £25 to £28, around £500 in today's money.
However when the lads reached fifteen or sixteen, some lost interest in the ATC's thrice-weekly parades and instead wanted to spend their evenings with girls. A number of these boys failed to return their uniforms and consequently they had to be replaced at some expense to the squadron. Its Commanding Officer was Flt. Lt. Wilcock and he told the Reporter that they had 45 lads on their books but only 25 regularly attended. They were presently parading at RAF Haydock but hoped to move to new premises in Crab Street by the end of the year.
A brief article in the Reporter stated that a tree in the grounds of Loyola Hall in Rainhill was 700 years old and possibly one of the oldest in Lancashire. Also known as Rainhill Hall, the 195-year-old building is now a hotel wedding venue.
There was another advertising feature in the Reporter that was called "Autumn Fashion Scene". Advertisers included Oxleys of Claughton Street who were offering "Fabulous Fake Furs", with a "white fluffy coat" fur costing £7 19/11. Their new autumn dresses were priced from 59/11 and as usual Green Shield stamps were given on all purchases. Hayward's of 33 Westfield Street were advertising children’s fashions and Clinkards were selling 'Calf Love' boots by Clarks, "the soft touch in leg-hugging luxury".
P. & H. Jolley at 80 Westfield Street facing Beechams was "the coat and gown specialists" and had a range of autumn styles on offer including real leather coats for 18 guineas. Lilian Rogers at 30 Duke Street was offering: "Styles for your autumn elegance, including coats, suits, cocktail wear, etc. – Mourning always in stock." Also in Duke Street at no. 49 was gown specialists Evelyn Daw, whose ad also said "Mourning always in stock". Also advertising was Richardson and Bowen of 73 Ormskirk Street.
Once again the Reporter had been out on the streets of St Helens canvassing opinion on the subject of the day – which this week was the mini-skirt. Was it here to stay and was it destroying morals? John Cunliffe from Ellison Drive thought women should wear mini-skirts until they approached the age of thirty. "They look lovely on the young", said the 60-year-old. "I think if a woman has something to show, she should show it." Seventeen-year-old Robert Meadows from Gartons Lane said: "I think maxis are awful. A lot of lads feel the same way. Boys like to see girls' legs".
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster officially opened a new 32-acre industrial estate in Newton-le-Willows on September 19th. The site of the Deacon Trading Estate had previously housed railway workshops that British Rail had closed in 1964, costing nearly 2,000 people their jobs. The tenants on the new estate included the Green Shield Trading Stamp Company and Castrol.
The Bulgarian National Dance Company performed at the Theatre Royal for six nights from the 22nd, with tickets costing between 8 and 12 shillings. Meanwhile down Bridge Street 'Guns of the Magnificent Seven' began playing at the ABC Savoy.
Rainford Council's Health Committee voted against the addition of fluoride to water supplies on the 22nd with one councillor saying it was wrong to force it onto the public. However their decision was only advisory and they could not prevent fluoridation if St Helens Council decided to implement it.
Also on the 22nd St Helens C.I.D. warned long distance lorry drivers to be on their guard against bogus Ministry of Transport officials. This was after two men who claimed to be inspectors had stopped a driver on the East Lancs Road. After instructing the driver to park his vehicle on the Carr Mill Cafe car park, the duo later made off with it.
And finally the Australian Migration Department had a mobile office parked on Barrow Street car park on the 22nd and 23rd offering advice on how prospective emigrants could obtain a £10 assisted passage.
Next week's stories will include a public inquiry into a Walkers Lane scrap metal "eyesore", the St Helens Duckling Club, a public meeting to discuss the future of church schools in Sutton, there's a thirsty church thief at Ashton and a parade of historic old vehicles to Sherdley Park to mark St Helens Transport's Golden Jubilee.
Some of the sentences for sexual offences were remarkably light fifty years ago. Recently a 65-year-old retired miner from Wigan had been fined just £10 for indecently assaulting an eight-year-old girl. On the 16th at St Helens Juvenile Panel two 16-year-old and two 15-year-old boys were fined £5 each after taking a 14-year-old girl into a field and indecently assaulting her. Another girl had managed to run away and raise the alarm.
From the 16th a weekly series of 'Modern Sequence Dancing' began in the School Hall of West Park Grammar School in Alder Hey Road. This was organised by the West Park Parents Association with admission 2/6.
The governing Labour Party released a report this week on Britain's social problems, which heavily condemned St Helens. The policy document called "Labour's Social Strategy" said the town was socially deprived, had too many slums, too few doctors and home helps, an infant mortality rate double the national average and a high number of TB sufferers. However in a league table of socially deprived towns St Helens achieved a mid-table position, alongside Warrington and Liverpool.
Dr Baines, the town's newly appointed Medical Officer, agreed largely with the report's conclusions but said hospitals in St Helens were adequately staffed and there was no shortage of midwives. However he said there were too few GPs and the town did not have enough district nurses and health visitors. St Helens did have a higher death rate than the national average, which Dr Baines blamed mainly on atmospheric pollution. However Smoke Control Orders now covered a large area of the town, which the medical officer thought would improve matters.
The council's Works Committee met on the 17th and heard that towels were going missing from Boundary Road baths. People were paying 5d to hire a towel but were not returning them and so it was decided that a 2 shillings deposit would be introduced in November. The attendants wanted the baths to close earlier on Saturdays and so it was agreed that the last tickets would be issued at 7pm, with the centre closing an hour later.
The Committee also considered revised plans for the new Parr swimming baths in Recreation Street. There had been a public outcry in July when the council chose to build a golf course in Sherdley Park instead of the long-promised baths. The reason had been financial, with the golf course estimated at costing £63,000, whereas the baths would cost £500,000.
The council said they couldn't afford both schemes but buckled under public pressure and decided to build a half-price version of the baths scheme in Parr. So no Olympic-style pool or diving area but it would still contain facilities such as a spectators' area, staff room and probably a café and be of a medium-size. Unusually the deep end would be in the middle of the pool at a depth of six feet, with both ends being three feet deep.
A reversing delivery van knocked down a telephone kiosk in Peckers Hill Road in Sutton on the 17th. The accident happened during the busy lunchtime shopping period but fortunately no one was inside the kiosk at the time.
A recording of the Radio 3 programme 'Northern Prom' took place in St Helens Town Hall on the 17th. It featured the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra and would be broadcast during the following week.
Parr Stocks Annual Pleasure Fair began on the 18th on land by the fire station. It lasted for two weeks but was closed on Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
These adverts were published in the Liverpool Echo this week, along with an article in their 'Helping Hand' column
These ads / article were published in the Liverpool Echo this week
Published in the Liverpool Echo this week
Mr Barlow had initiated the cuts because of the severe staff shortage. The Corporation had extensively advertised in the local newspapers for drivers and conductors – and even recently on TV – but with limited success. However bus users were not sympathetic – particularly the elderly and disabled – and pensioner Thomas Walker fitted into both categories as he had only one leg. The 70-year-old complained to the Reporter that the loss of the no. 27 service from St Helens to Ravenhead meant that he would have to walk half a mile and cross a busy main road to reach the nearest bus stop.
Three weeks ago the St Helens Amateur Operatic Society put out an appeal in the Reporter for a donkey, which they needed for their October production of 'The Desert Song' at the Theatre Royal. In this week's edition there was a photo of Tony, the three-year-old from Rainford, who had won the part of the donkey. As he already was a donkey it should be an easy role for him to play! That's as long as the bright lights and all those people in the audience didn't disturb him during the show's six-night run. Tony was the pet of twelve-year-old Nicola and six-year-old Joanne Birchall from Pottery Farm and was pictured in the paper happily munching grass and unaware of his impending stardom.
"When a Young Man's Fancy Turns from Planes to Girls", was the headline to another article in the Reporter. This described a problem that the St Helens' squadron of the Air Training Corps was having with unreturned kit. When teenage boys joined the ATC they were issued with a battledress, tie, shirts, collars, beret and badge, greatcoat and groundsheet. The total cost was £25 to £28, around £500 in today's money.
However when the lads reached fifteen or sixteen, some lost interest in the ATC's thrice-weekly parades and instead wanted to spend their evenings with girls. A number of these boys failed to return their uniforms and consequently they had to be replaced at some expense to the squadron. Its Commanding Officer was Flt. Lt. Wilcock and he told the Reporter that they had 45 lads on their books but only 25 regularly attended. They were presently parading at RAF Haydock but hoped to move to new premises in Crab Street by the end of the year.
A brief article in the Reporter stated that a tree in the grounds of Loyola Hall in Rainhill was 700 years old and possibly one of the oldest in Lancashire. Also known as Rainhill Hall, the 195-year-old building is now a hotel wedding venue.
There was another advertising feature in the Reporter that was called "Autumn Fashion Scene". Advertisers included Oxleys of Claughton Street who were offering "Fabulous Fake Furs", with a "white fluffy coat" fur costing £7 19/11. Their new autumn dresses were priced from 59/11 and as usual Green Shield stamps were given on all purchases. Hayward's of 33 Westfield Street were advertising children’s fashions and Clinkards were selling 'Calf Love' boots by Clarks, "the soft touch in leg-hugging luxury".
P. & H. Jolley at 80 Westfield Street facing Beechams was "the coat and gown specialists" and had a range of autumn styles on offer including real leather coats for 18 guineas. Lilian Rogers at 30 Duke Street was offering: "Styles for your autumn elegance, including coats, suits, cocktail wear, etc. – Mourning always in stock." Also in Duke Street at no. 49 was gown specialists Evelyn Daw, whose ad also said "Mourning always in stock". Also advertising was Richardson and Bowen of 73 Ormskirk Street.
Once again the Reporter had been out on the streets of St Helens canvassing opinion on the subject of the day – which this week was the mini-skirt. Was it here to stay and was it destroying morals? John Cunliffe from Ellison Drive thought women should wear mini-skirts until they approached the age of thirty. "They look lovely on the young", said the 60-year-old. "I think if a woman has something to show, she should show it." Seventeen-year-old Robert Meadows from Gartons Lane said: "I think maxis are awful. A lot of lads feel the same way. Boys like to see girls' legs".
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster officially opened a new 32-acre industrial estate in Newton-le-Willows on September 19th. The site of the Deacon Trading Estate had previously housed railway workshops that British Rail had closed in 1964, costing nearly 2,000 people their jobs. The tenants on the new estate included the Green Shield Trading Stamp Company and Castrol.
The Bulgarian National Dance Company performed at the Theatre Royal for six nights from the 22nd, with tickets costing between 8 and 12 shillings. Meanwhile down Bridge Street 'Guns of the Magnificent Seven' began playing at the ABC Savoy.
Rainford Council's Health Committee voted against the addition of fluoride to water supplies on the 22nd with one councillor saying it was wrong to force it onto the public. However their decision was only advisory and they could not prevent fluoridation if St Helens Council decided to implement it.
Also on the 22nd St Helens C.I.D. warned long distance lorry drivers to be on their guard against bogus Ministry of Transport officials. This was after two men who claimed to be inspectors had stopped a driver on the East Lancs Road. After instructing the driver to park his vehicle on the Carr Mill Cafe car park, the duo later made off with it.
And finally the Australian Migration Department had a mobile office parked on Barrow Street car park on the 22nd and 23rd offering advice on how prospective emigrants could obtain a £10 assisted passage.
Next week's stories will include a public inquiry into a Walkers Lane scrap metal "eyesore", the St Helens Duckling Club, a public meeting to discuss the future of church schools in Sutton, there's a thirsty church thief at Ashton and a parade of historic old vehicles to Sherdley Park to mark St Helens Transport's Golden Jubilee.