FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (17th - 23rd FEBRUARY 1970)
This week's stories include snow chaos in St Helens, the child gamblers of Crab Street, the troublesome teenagers leaving Moss Lane dances, the Transport Department's new social club and a councillor and the Dean of St Helens complain about a "sex by post" book.
We begin on the 17th with a blanket of overnight snow that caused chaos for commuters. The Reporter called it a "spectacular snowstorm" in which five inches fell at the rate of almost an inch an hour. Traffic jams up to five miles long blocked main routes into St Helens from the East Lancashire Road. At Haydock Island the lights jammed on red and as a result traffic queued in all directions and the police had to take over control.
During the morning rush hour the traffic in St Helens was reduced to a crawl and buses ran forty-five minutes late. Many vehicles got stuck in the snow, which caused more jams. In the town centre the traffic lights had to be switched off and police took over control at busy junctions. Angry motorists blamed St Helens Corporation for not doing enough to clear the snow. Paul Smethurst told the Reporter:
"As soon as you get to St. Helens, chaos reigns. No one has been out to do anything to the roads. It took me 30 minutes to get from the St. Helens boundary to my bank in the town centre. The other 17 miles of the journey I did in 45 minutes." However the council claimed they'd had gritting wagons working on the roads all night and at eight o’clock five snowploughs had been sent out. At Rainhill three vehicles were involved in a collision near the Holt Hotel in Warrington Road but no one was injured.
During the evening of the 17th the Dubliners (pictured above) performed at the Theatre Royal in Corporation Street. The Irish folk band was then highly popular and all seats had been sold out well in advance. That same evening the St Helens Caledonian Society held their 'Gathering o’ the Clans' dance, described as the highlight of the Scottish organisation's season. The annual event was held at the Deaf Institute in Dentons Green Lane with music provided by the Rose, Thistle and Shamrock Band and the Clan Macleod Pipe Band.
A St Helens Corporation scheme to redevelop part of the South Windle Ward by demolishing 282 terraced properties was approved this week. The Minister of Housing, Anthony Greenwood, only requested a slight modification to the plans that would affect 700 people. The houses involved in the scheme were in Duke Street, Albion Street, York Street and Place, Lowe Street, Barton Street, Wilson Street, Randon Street, Talbot Street, Fenton Street and Grant Street.
Once demolished the Corporation planned to redevelop the site with new modern homes, flats and a primary school. The latter would serve as a replacement for the old St Mary's infants' school in York Street, St Thomas' infants and a junior school in Peter Street.
Lord Pilkington called for discipline this week in preserving industrial relationships, adding that his formula for prosperity, rising productivity and industrial peace was based on genuine wage negotiations between unions and employers. The head of the glass firm was having a dig at the Prices and Incomes Board and could not have known that his company was just weeks away from the worst strike in its history. Much goodwill was lost as a result of the seven-week dispute and industrial relations would never be the same.
"Scandal of the Child Gamblers" was a big story on the front page of the St Helens Reporter on the 20th. The headmaster of Lowe House junior school in Crab Street was concerned that some of his pupils were spending too much time and money in a nearby amusement arcade. That had only opened last November and since then Francis Wright had noticed that a few of the kids were arriving at school without dinner money.
"I don't think gambling machines are things children should play with", said Mr Wright. "I have been told of children begging for pennies outside the arcade". However the head put the blame squarely on parents, saying: "A few kiddies spend quite a bit of their spare time in the arcade because their parents don't seem to care." Sister Patricia was in charge of the infants department and was critical of the arcade management saying they should not let young children in.
However manager Frederick White was unimpressed, telling the Reporter: "I don't care who comes in here – anybody can come in. There is no law that says children can't play these machines. These kids come in at lunch, dinner and tea time. We keep having Sister coming in here and snatching the young ones out. The big lads – around 11 years old – come in here with plenty of money. They say their mums give it to them."
The Reporter checked with Brian Lace, the deputy Town Clerk, as to whether there was any legislation that banned children from gambling. Mr Lace said that as far as he knew there was no by-law but added that it would take an expert some hours to check the gambling laws to find out for sure.
The main story on the front page of the Reporter bore the headline "Sex By Post Storm – Book Slammed by Councillor". Joseph Mulcrow was furious that a book showing a nude couple making love was being offered by post to thousands of families in St Helens. Called "Variations on a Sexual Theme", the tome was intended as a lovemaking aid using forty photographs to illustrate different sexual positions.
However Cllr. Mulcrow dubbed it "pornography by post", although his comments were mild compared to those by church leaders. Canon Hugh Fitzpatrick, Dean of St Helens, said the book was "absolutely scandalous and disgraceful. It is part of the wicked society we live in. People may laugh at things like this, but if their daughter gets raped or their wife leaves them they will think again."
The Reporter described how the National Coal Board was stepping up its recruitment drive for school leavers that wanted to work in the mining industry. This year about 130 apprenticeships were on offer in Lancashire compared to 100 in 1969. Applicants were interviewed and medically examined at the Old Boston Training Centre at Haydock and told straightaway if they were suitable.
There was a feature in the Reporter on St Helens Corporation's new Social and Athletic Club for its transport workers, which was officially opened this week in Tolver Street. Their first club had been opened in 1919 on the second floor of a building in Cotham Street, offering billiards, bagatelle, card tables and a bar. Seven years later the club moved to new wooden premises opposite Providence Hospital and in 1950 it was extended by the addition of an old army hut in which a polished maple floor was laid for dancing. Driver Albert Roughley was a big fan of the new premises saying it was a "vast improvement on our old place. The layout and decoration is very pleasant. It is now a fine place to bring my wife."
There was also a report on complaints that Windle parish councillors had received from elderly residents about unruly teenagers returning from rugby dances at Moss Lane. Cllr. Tony Rimmer remarked at a council meeting: "I have had countless complaints from residents in the area round the club about teenagers coming home from the dances on Saturday nights. The boys always seem to have a girl hanging round their necks, and cause a lot of damage to people’s property. There is no need for this noise and destruction, and something should be done about it."
There were reports of gates and fences being broken, youths shouting and singing at the tops of their voices and one elderly woman had had a window smashed. Councillor Morgan said the problem was exasperated by residents not being prepared to contact the police through fear of consequences: "They are afraid that if they go to court to testify, the hooligans will hit back at them." Cllr James Hill said the police should be called in: "We are told that they are more efficient in their cars, but we have not seen much evidence of this. They would be better employed making a patrol of the area than sitting at the Moss Bank Road traffic lights."
Pictured in the Reporter were Nicholas and Mary Hynes of Haydock who were celebrating their golden wedding. The couple went to the same school, shared the same desk, lived near each other and played together. After Nicholas returned home from France in 1919 after three years military service, he asked Mary to marry him and the couple got wed on St Valentine's Day at the English Martyr's Church in Haydock.
Rainford councillors decided on the 23rd that the new housing estate being built at the North End of the village would be called Spring Field.
And finally there was a double bill of blockbuster films shown at the ABC Savoy from the 23rd in 'Bullitt' and 'Bonnie and Clyde'. Meanwhile at the Capitol David Hemmings starred in the historical swashbuckler 'Alfred the Great'.
Next week's stories will include the pirate taxi drivers on the streets of St Helens, the fish invaders in Sutton Manor, the prayer books stolen from Lowe House, the battle of Billinge Hill and the woman who dubbed St Helens dilapidated, miserable and a dump.
We begin on the 17th with a blanket of overnight snow that caused chaos for commuters. The Reporter called it a "spectacular snowstorm" in which five inches fell at the rate of almost an inch an hour. Traffic jams up to five miles long blocked main routes into St Helens from the East Lancashire Road. At Haydock Island the lights jammed on red and as a result traffic queued in all directions and the police had to take over control.
During the morning rush hour the traffic in St Helens was reduced to a crawl and buses ran forty-five minutes late. Many vehicles got stuck in the snow, which caused more jams. In the town centre the traffic lights had to be switched off and police took over control at busy junctions. Angry motorists blamed St Helens Corporation for not doing enough to clear the snow. Paul Smethurst told the Reporter:
"As soon as you get to St. Helens, chaos reigns. No one has been out to do anything to the roads. It took me 30 minutes to get from the St. Helens boundary to my bank in the town centre. The other 17 miles of the journey I did in 45 minutes." However the council claimed they'd had gritting wagons working on the roads all night and at eight o’clock five snowploughs had been sent out. At Rainhill three vehicles were involved in a collision near the Holt Hotel in Warrington Road but no one was injured.
A St Helens Corporation scheme to redevelop part of the South Windle Ward by demolishing 282 terraced properties was approved this week. The Minister of Housing, Anthony Greenwood, only requested a slight modification to the plans that would affect 700 people. The houses involved in the scheme were in Duke Street, Albion Street, York Street and Place, Lowe Street, Barton Street, Wilson Street, Randon Street, Talbot Street, Fenton Street and Grant Street.
Once demolished the Corporation planned to redevelop the site with new modern homes, flats and a primary school. The latter would serve as a replacement for the old St Mary's infants' school in York Street, St Thomas' infants and a junior school in Peter Street.
Lord Pilkington called for discipline this week in preserving industrial relationships, adding that his formula for prosperity, rising productivity and industrial peace was based on genuine wage negotiations between unions and employers. The head of the glass firm was having a dig at the Prices and Incomes Board and could not have known that his company was just weeks away from the worst strike in its history. Much goodwill was lost as a result of the seven-week dispute and industrial relations would never be the same.
"Scandal of the Child Gamblers" was a big story on the front page of the St Helens Reporter on the 20th. The headmaster of Lowe House junior school in Crab Street was concerned that some of his pupils were spending too much time and money in a nearby amusement arcade. That had only opened last November and since then Francis Wright had noticed that a few of the kids were arriving at school without dinner money.
"I don't think gambling machines are things children should play with", said Mr Wright. "I have been told of children begging for pennies outside the arcade". However the head put the blame squarely on parents, saying: "A few kiddies spend quite a bit of their spare time in the arcade because their parents don't seem to care." Sister Patricia was in charge of the infants department and was critical of the arcade management saying they should not let young children in.
However manager Frederick White was unimpressed, telling the Reporter: "I don't care who comes in here – anybody can come in. There is no law that says children can't play these machines. These kids come in at lunch, dinner and tea time. We keep having Sister coming in here and snatching the young ones out. The big lads – around 11 years old – come in here with plenty of money. They say their mums give it to them."
The Reporter checked with Brian Lace, the deputy Town Clerk, as to whether there was any legislation that banned children from gambling. Mr Lace said that as far as he knew there was no by-law but added that it would take an expert some hours to check the gambling laws to find out for sure.
The main story on the front page of the Reporter bore the headline "Sex By Post Storm – Book Slammed by Councillor". Joseph Mulcrow was furious that a book showing a nude couple making love was being offered by post to thousands of families in St Helens. Called "Variations on a Sexual Theme", the tome was intended as a lovemaking aid using forty photographs to illustrate different sexual positions.
However Cllr. Mulcrow dubbed it "pornography by post", although his comments were mild compared to those by church leaders. Canon Hugh Fitzpatrick, Dean of St Helens, said the book was "absolutely scandalous and disgraceful. It is part of the wicked society we live in. People may laugh at things like this, but if their daughter gets raped or their wife leaves them they will think again."
A selection of National Coal Board recruitment adverts featuring workers from Lea Green Colliery
NCB recruitment adverts featuring workers from Lea Green Colliery
NCB recruitment advertisement
There was a feature in the Reporter on St Helens Corporation's new Social and Athletic Club for its transport workers, which was officially opened this week in Tolver Street. Their first club had been opened in 1919 on the second floor of a building in Cotham Street, offering billiards, bagatelle, card tables and a bar. Seven years later the club moved to new wooden premises opposite Providence Hospital and in 1950 it was extended by the addition of an old army hut in which a polished maple floor was laid for dancing. Driver Albert Roughley was a big fan of the new premises saying it was a "vast improvement on our old place. The layout and decoration is very pleasant. It is now a fine place to bring my wife."
There was also a report on complaints that Windle parish councillors had received from elderly residents about unruly teenagers returning from rugby dances at Moss Lane. Cllr. Tony Rimmer remarked at a council meeting: "I have had countless complaints from residents in the area round the club about teenagers coming home from the dances on Saturday nights. The boys always seem to have a girl hanging round their necks, and cause a lot of damage to people’s property. There is no need for this noise and destruction, and something should be done about it."
There were reports of gates and fences being broken, youths shouting and singing at the tops of their voices and one elderly woman had had a window smashed. Councillor Morgan said the problem was exasperated by residents not being prepared to contact the police through fear of consequences: "They are afraid that if they go to court to testify, the hooligans will hit back at them." Cllr James Hill said the police should be called in: "We are told that they are more efficient in their cars, but we have not seen much evidence of this. They would be better employed making a patrol of the area than sitting at the Moss Bank Road traffic lights."
Pictured in the Reporter were Nicholas and Mary Hynes of Haydock who were celebrating their golden wedding. The couple went to the same school, shared the same desk, lived near each other and played together. After Nicholas returned home from France in 1919 after three years military service, he asked Mary to marry him and the couple got wed on St Valentine's Day at the English Martyr's Church in Haydock.
Rainford councillors decided on the 23rd that the new housing estate being built at the North End of the village would be called Spring Field.
And finally there was a double bill of blockbuster films shown at the ABC Savoy from the 23rd in 'Bullitt' and 'Bonnie and Clyde'. Meanwhile at the Capitol David Hemmings starred in the historical swashbuckler 'Alfred the Great'.
Next week's stories will include the pirate taxi drivers on the streets of St Helens, the fish invaders in Sutton Manor, the prayer books stolen from Lowe House, the battle of Billinge Hill and the woman who dubbed St Helens dilapidated, miserable and a dump.
This week's stories include snow chaos in St Helens, the child gamblers of Crab Street, the troublesome teenagers leaving Moss Lane dances, the Transport Department's new social club and a councillor and the Dean of St Helens complain about a "sex by post" book.
We begin on the 17th with a blanket of overnight snow that caused chaos for commuters.
The Reporter called it a "spectacular snowstorm" in which five inches fell at the rate of almost an inch an hour.
Traffic jams up to five miles long blocked main routes into St Helens from the East Lancashire Road.
At Haydock Island the lights jammed on red and as a result traffic queued in all directions and the police had to take over control.
During the morning rush hour the traffic in St Helens was reduced to a crawl and buses ran forty-five minutes late.
Many vehicles got stuck in the snow, which caused more jams. In the town centre the traffic lights had to be switched off and police took over control at busy junctions.
Angry motorists blamed St Helens Corporation for not doing enough to clear the snow. Paul Smethurst told the Reporter:
"As soon as you get to St. Helens, chaos reigns. No one has been out to do anything to the roads. It took me 30 minutes to get from the St. Helens boundary to my bank in the town centre. The other 17 miles of the journey I did in 45 minutes."
However the council claimed they'd had gritting wagons working on the roads all night and at eight o’clock five snowploughs had been sent out.
At Rainhill three vehicles were involved in a collision near the Holt Hotel in Warrington Road but no one was injured.
During the evening of the 17th the Dubliners (pictured above) performed at the Theatre Royal in Corporation Street.
The Irish folk band was then highly popular and all seats had been sold out well in advance.
That same evening the St Helens Caledonian Society held their 'Gathering o’ the Clans' dance, described as the highlight of the Scottish organisation's season.
The annual event was held at the Deaf Institute in Dentons Green Lane with music provided by the Rose, Thistle and Shamrock Band and the Clan Macleod Pipe Band.
A St Helens Corporation scheme to redevelop part of the South Windle Ward by demolishing 282 terraced properties was approved this week.
The Minister of Housing, Anthony Greenwood, only requested a slight modification to the plans that would affect 700 people.
The houses involved in the scheme were in Duke Street, Albion Street, York Street and Place, Lowe Street, Barton Street, Wilson Street, Randon Street, Talbot Street, Fenton Street and Grant Street.
Once demolished the Corporation planned to redevelop the site with new modern homes, flats and a primary school.
The latter would serve as a replacement for the old St Mary's infants' school in York Street, St Thomas' infants and a junior school in Peter Street.
Lord Pilkington called for discipline this week in preserving industrial relationships, adding that his formula for prosperity, rising productivity and industrial peace was based on genuine wage negotiations between unions and employers.
The head of the glass firm was having a dig at the Prices and Incomes Board and could not have known that his company was just weeks away from the worst strike in its history.
Much goodwill was lost as a result of the seven-week dispute and industrial relations would never be the same.
"Scandal of the Child Gamblers" was a big story on the front page of the St Helens Reporter on the 20th.
The headmaster of Lowe House junior school in Crab Street was concerned that some of his pupils were spending too much time and money in a nearby amusement arcade.
That had only opened last November and since then Francis Wright had noticed that a few of the kids were arriving at school without dinner money.
"I don't think gambling machines are things children should play with", said Mr Wright. "I have been told of children begging for pennies outside the arcade".
However the head put the blame squarely on parents, saying: "A few kiddies spend quite a bit of their spare time in the arcade because their parents don't seem to care."
Sister Patricia was in charge of the infants department and was critical of the arcade management saying they should not let young children in.
However manager Frederick White was unimpressed, telling the Reporter:
"I don't care who comes in here – anybody can come in. There is no law that says children can't play these machines. These kids come in at lunch, dinner and tea time. We keep having Sister coming in here and snatching the young ones out. The big lads – around 11 years old – come in here with plenty of money. They say their mums give it to them."
The Reporter checked with Brian Lace, the deputy Town Clerk, as to whether there was any legislation that banned children from gambling.
Mr Lace said that as far as he knew there was no by-law but added that it would take an expert some hours to check the gambling laws to find out for sure.
The main story on the front page of the Reporter bore the headline "Sex By Post Storm – Book Slammed by Councillor".
Joseph Mulcrow was furious that a book showing a nude couple making love was being offered by post to thousands of families in St Helens.
Called "Variations on a Sexual Theme", the tome was intended as a lovemaking aid using forty photographs to illustrate different sexual positions.
However Cllr. Mulcrow dubbed it "pornography by post", although his comments were mild compared to those by church leaders.
Canon Hugh Fitzpatrick, Dean of St Helens, said the book was "absolutely scandalous and disgraceful. It is part of the wicked society we live in. People may laugh at things like this, but if their daughter gets raped or their wife leaves them they will think again."
The Reporter described how the National Coal Board was stepping up its recruitment drive for school leavers that wanted to work in the mining industry.
This year about 130 apprenticeships were on offer in Lancashire compared to 100 in 1969.
Applicants were interviewed and medically examined at the Old Boston Training Centre at Haydock and told straightaway if they were suitable.
There was a feature in the Reporter on St Helens Corporation's new Social and Athletic Club for its transport workers, which was officially opened this week in Tolver Street.
Their first club had been opened in 1919 on the second floor of a building in Cotham Street, offering billiards, bagatelle, card tables and a bar.
Seven years later the club moved to new wooden premises opposite Providence Hospital and in 1950 it was extended by the addition of an old army hut in which a polished maple floor was laid for dancing.
Driver Albert Roughley was a big fan of the new premises saying it was a "vast improvement on our old place. The layout and decoration is very pleasant. It is now a fine place to bring my wife."
There was also a report on complaints that Windle parish councillors had received from elderly residents about unruly teenagers returning from rugby dances at Moss Lane.
Cllr. Tony Rimmer remarked at a council meeting: "I have had countless complaints from residents in the area round the club about teenagers coming home from the dances on Saturday nights.
"The boys always seem to have a girl hanging round their necks, and cause a lot of damage to people’s property. There is no need for this noise and destruction, and something should be done about it."
There were reports of gates and fences being broken, youths shouting and singing at the tops of their voices and one elderly woman had had a window smashed.
Councillor Morgan said the problem was exasperated by residents not being prepared to contact the police through fear of consequences:
"They are afraid that if they go to court to testify, the hooligans will hit back at them." Cllr James Hill said the police should be called in:
"We are told that they are more efficient in their cars, but we have not seen much evidence of this. They would be better employed making a patrol of the area than sitting at the Moss Bank Road traffic lights."
Pictured in the Reporter were Nicholas and Mary Hynes of Haydock who were celebrating their golden wedding.
The couple went to the same school, shared the same desk, lived near each other and played together.
After Nicholas returned home from France in 1919 after three years military service, he asked Mary to marry him and the couple got wed on St Valentine's Day at the English Martyr's Church in Haydock.
Rainford councillors decided on the 23rd that the new housing estate being built at the North End of the village would be called Spring Field.
And finally there was a double bill of blockbuster films shown at the ABC Savoy from the 23rd in 'Bullitt' and 'Bonnie and Clyde'.
Meanwhile at the Capitol David Hemmings starred in the historical swashbuckler 'Alfred the Great'.
Next week's stories will include the pirate taxi drivers on the streets of St Helens, the fish invaders in Sutton Manor, the prayer books stolen from Lowe House, the battle of Billinge Hill and the woman who dubbed St Helens dilapidated, miserable and a dump.
We begin on the 17th with a blanket of overnight snow that caused chaos for commuters.
The Reporter called it a "spectacular snowstorm" in which five inches fell at the rate of almost an inch an hour.
Traffic jams up to five miles long blocked main routes into St Helens from the East Lancashire Road.
At Haydock Island the lights jammed on red and as a result traffic queued in all directions and the police had to take over control.
During the morning rush hour the traffic in St Helens was reduced to a crawl and buses ran forty-five minutes late.
Many vehicles got stuck in the snow, which caused more jams. In the town centre the traffic lights had to be switched off and police took over control at busy junctions.
Angry motorists blamed St Helens Corporation for not doing enough to clear the snow. Paul Smethurst told the Reporter:
"As soon as you get to St. Helens, chaos reigns. No one has been out to do anything to the roads. It took me 30 minutes to get from the St. Helens boundary to my bank in the town centre. The other 17 miles of the journey I did in 45 minutes."
However the council claimed they'd had gritting wagons working on the roads all night and at eight o’clock five snowploughs had been sent out.
At Rainhill three vehicles were involved in a collision near the Holt Hotel in Warrington Road but no one was injured.
The Irish folk band was then highly popular and all seats had been sold out well in advance.
That same evening the St Helens Caledonian Society held their 'Gathering o’ the Clans' dance, described as the highlight of the Scottish organisation's season.
The annual event was held at the Deaf Institute in Dentons Green Lane with music provided by the Rose, Thistle and Shamrock Band and the Clan Macleod Pipe Band.
A St Helens Corporation scheme to redevelop part of the South Windle Ward by demolishing 282 terraced properties was approved this week.
The Minister of Housing, Anthony Greenwood, only requested a slight modification to the plans that would affect 700 people.
The houses involved in the scheme were in Duke Street, Albion Street, York Street and Place, Lowe Street, Barton Street, Wilson Street, Randon Street, Talbot Street, Fenton Street and Grant Street.
Once demolished the Corporation planned to redevelop the site with new modern homes, flats and a primary school.
The latter would serve as a replacement for the old St Mary's infants' school in York Street, St Thomas' infants and a junior school in Peter Street.
Lord Pilkington called for discipline this week in preserving industrial relationships, adding that his formula for prosperity, rising productivity and industrial peace was based on genuine wage negotiations between unions and employers.
The head of the glass firm was having a dig at the Prices and Incomes Board and could not have known that his company was just weeks away from the worst strike in its history.
Much goodwill was lost as a result of the seven-week dispute and industrial relations would never be the same.
"Scandal of the Child Gamblers" was a big story on the front page of the St Helens Reporter on the 20th.
The headmaster of Lowe House junior school in Crab Street was concerned that some of his pupils were spending too much time and money in a nearby amusement arcade.
That had only opened last November and since then Francis Wright had noticed that a few of the kids were arriving at school without dinner money.
"I don't think gambling machines are things children should play with", said Mr Wright. "I have been told of children begging for pennies outside the arcade".
However the head put the blame squarely on parents, saying: "A few kiddies spend quite a bit of their spare time in the arcade because their parents don't seem to care."
Sister Patricia was in charge of the infants department and was critical of the arcade management saying they should not let young children in.
However manager Frederick White was unimpressed, telling the Reporter:
"I don't care who comes in here – anybody can come in. There is no law that says children can't play these machines. These kids come in at lunch, dinner and tea time. We keep having Sister coming in here and snatching the young ones out. The big lads – around 11 years old – come in here with plenty of money. They say their mums give it to them."
The Reporter checked with Brian Lace, the deputy Town Clerk, as to whether there was any legislation that banned children from gambling.
Mr Lace said that as far as he knew there was no by-law but added that it would take an expert some hours to check the gambling laws to find out for sure.
The main story on the front page of the Reporter bore the headline "Sex By Post Storm – Book Slammed by Councillor".
Joseph Mulcrow was furious that a book showing a nude couple making love was being offered by post to thousands of families in St Helens.
Called "Variations on a Sexual Theme", the tome was intended as a lovemaking aid using forty photographs to illustrate different sexual positions.
However Cllr. Mulcrow dubbed it "pornography by post", although his comments were mild compared to those by church leaders.
Canon Hugh Fitzpatrick, Dean of St Helens, said the book was "absolutely scandalous and disgraceful. It is part of the wicked society we live in. People may laugh at things like this, but if their daughter gets raped or their wife leaves them they will think again."
A selection of National Coal Board recruitment adverts featuring workers from Lea Green Colliery
NCB recruitment adverts featuring workers from Lea Green Colliery
NCB recruitment advertisement
This year about 130 apprenticeships were on offer in Lancashire compared to 100 in 1969.
Applicants were interviewed and medically examined at the Old Boston Training Centre at Haydock and told straightaway if they were suitable.
There was a feature in the Reporter on St Helens Corporation's new Social and Athletic Club for its transport workers, which was officially opened this week in Tolver Street.
Their first club had been opened in 1919 on the second floor of a building in Cotham Street, offering billiards, bagatelle, card tables and a bar.
Seven years later the club moved to new wooden premises opposite Providence Hospital and in 1950 it was extended by the addition of an old army hut in which a polished maple floor was laid for dancing.
Driver Albert Roughley was a big fan of the new premises saying it was a "vast improvement on our old place. The layout and decoration is very pleasant. It is now a fine place to bring my wife."
There was also a report on complaints that Windle parish councillors had received from elderly residents about unruly teenagers returning from rugby dances at Moss Lane.
Cllr. Tony Rimmer remarked at a council meeting: "I have had countless complaints from residents in the area round the club about teenagers coming home from the dances on Saturday nights.
"The boys always seem to have a girl hanging round their necks, and cause a lot of damage to people’s property. There is no need for this noise and destruction, and something should be done about it."
There were reports of gates and fences being broken, youths shouting and singing at the tops of their voices and one elderly woman had had a window smashed.
Councillor Morgan said the problem was exasperated by residents not being prepared to contact the police through fear of consequences:
"They are afraid that if they go to court to testify, the hooligans will hit back at them." Cllr James Hill said the police should be called in:
"We are told that they are more efficient in their cars, but we have not seen much evidence of this. They would be better employed making a patrol of the area than sitting at the Moss Bank Road traffic lights."
Pictured in the Reporter were Nicholas and Mary Hynes of Haydock who were celebrating their golden wedding.
The couple went to the same school, shared the same desk, lived near each other and played together.
After Nicholas returned home from France in 1919 after three years military service, he asked Mary to marry him and the couple got wed on St Valentine's Day at the English Martyr's Church in Haydock.
Rainford councillors decided on the 23rd that the new housing estate being built at the North End of the village would be called Spring Field.
And finally there was a double bill of blockbuster films shown at the ABC Savoy from the 23rd in 'Bullitt' and 'Bonnie and Clyde'.
Meanwhile at the Capitol David Hemmings starred in the historical swashbuckler 'Alfred the Great'.
Next week's stories will include the pirate taxi drivers on the streets of St Helens, the fish invaders in Sutton Manor, the prayer books stolen from Lowe House, the battle of Billinge Hill and the woman who dubbed St Helens dilapidated, miserable and a dump.