FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK 18 - 24 DECEMBER 1973
This week's many stories include St Helens' shops preparations for the forthcoming three-day week, the man banned by Tesco for complaining about being overcharged, the clergy complain over Sunday strip shows in Derbyshire Hill, the barrage of balloons at Northgate's clothing factory in Parr, how St Helens' water supply had been safeguarded during an emergency and the seagulls on Blackbrook rugby club's waterlogged pitch.
We begin with a Department of the Environment report that revealed that during the first half of 1973, 727 new houses had been built in St Helens, with 2,250 more either under construction or planned. During the same period 203 improvement grants had been made to spruce up existing homes and 109 houses had been demolished. In Rainford 17 homes were built with 26 more in the pipeline and in Billinge 2 had been constructed with 44 more expected.
This week the first power cuts in the current crisis struck some parts of St Helens. But these were only a taster for what would come on New Year's Day when the three-day week began. For three consecutive days each week, commercial premises would not be allowed to use electricity, but unlike lockdown in more recent times, they could remain open.
On the 18th the St Helens Newspaper reported how local shops were preparing for retailing in the dark – although it was early days and there was confusion as to how the rules would operate. But Sheila Darwin was pessimistic about the prospect of lost business at her Duke Street record shop, saying: "It's going to lose us a lot of trade. I'm not keen on the idea of working without light because of the possibility of shoplifting."
Helena House (pictured above right) said they would do the best to keep going, but didn’t know how much light they would have in their store. And Kenneth Vaughan, the manager of Clinkard's shoe shop in Bridge Street, said: "Ours is a very dark shop, so we'll have to restrict service to where it's lightest, and close when it gets dark. With the aid of candles and torches we'll get through."
John Mather of Scholes Lane was featured in the paper after being banned by Tesco. The Bridge Street supermarket was upset that Mr Mather had reported them to the Weights and Measures Department for overcharging him on three occasions. However, the amounts had only been pennies and on the last occasion he had refused to accept a refund and an apology. Mr Mather explained that he was on a low income, adding, "Odd pennies here and there mean a lot to me."
At the council's Water Committee meeting on the 19th workmen were praised for their actions during a recent emergency. The Rivington aqueduct near Bolton was the main source of St Helens' water supply. However, it had been affected by a major burst that had lasted five days and there had also been six smaller leakages over the following week. But while repairs were carried out at Rivington there had been no loss of water to consumers in St Helens. That was because supplies were drawn from emergency and service reservoirs and tap pressure had been reduced.
On the 20th the local electricity board MANWEB described the present situation with power supplies as "critical, and still confused" as they issued a timetable for areas in St Helens that were at high-risk of being blacked out. On the 21st the Reporter described how most firms in St Helens had been able to operate for the whole of the week since the power cuts had begun. However, production for some had been affected, with output at Rockware Glass in Pocket Nook slashed by 25%. That was despite installing a generator.
Pilkingtons were in a more fortunate position than most as all their operations had been classed as "continuous process". That meant they were exempt from power cuts as they were not able to start / stop their glass production at will. However, Pilks' office staff that was working in semi-darkness as dusk fell were allowed to leave their jobs an hour early. They were told they would not be docked any pay but might have to work on Saturdays.
Harry Pimblett, the Employment Manager at St Helens, told the Reporter that arrangements were being made to deal with an expected rush for benefits as hours were reduced with unemployment pay being made through firms.
Some St Helens' clergymen were up in arms in the Reporter over Sunday strip shows in Parr. The leader of St Helens Roman Catholics, Canon Hugh Fitzpatrick, argued that the performances at Derbyshire Hill Labour Club could break up homes and felt they should be banned, commenting: "I think this sort of thing is disgraceful. It's salacious stuff to get men to drink and it breaks up their homes. Acts like this are generally vulgar. It destroys the individual."
And the Rev. Ted Longman, the Vicar of St Philip's, claimed that those that attended such shows in Derbyshire Hill Road must be dissatisfied with sex in their marriage, adding: "Stripping is a degradation of the female sex. It's a pity there is a demand for it." But the Labour Club secretary, Eddie McConville, claimed that the strip sessions in which the young women were paid £10 were simply a bit of fun, saying: "The shows are popular and you could say that there's a family atmosphere here on Sunday dinner times. We certainly don't lure men in to get them to spend."
There was a picture in the Reporter of some of the 800 women and teenage girls employed at Northgate's clothing factory on the Parr Industrial Estate blowing up balloons. The ladies had a tradition of sprucing up their workplace by suspending balloons across their sewing machines and tying them to girders. Personnel officer Rita Plunkett said: "When you go into the factory, all you can see is a barrage of balloons, all different shapes and colours, and it looks fabulous."
The first newspaper reference that I have seen to gulls appearing in St Helens was in this week's Reporter. Experts say the birds began migrating away from the coast during the late 1950s, boosted by the growth of inland landfill sites and the expansion of flat-roofed buildings suitable for nesting. But the reason given for gulls arriving in Blackbrook was the rugby club's continually waterlogged pitch that had made it completely unplayable.
The ground being under water was thought to be the consequence of the Corporation demolishing a nearby embankment and filling in part of the adjacent canal. The work had taken place earlier in the year and it had removed the field's natural drainage. The Parks Department said it would cost £2,000 to re-drain the pitch and while the club and council were discussing the matter the gulls were enjoying their new home.
It was Christmas and so time for seasonal adverts – promoting summer holidays! But Dixons Worldwide Travel of Baldwin Street had a bit of fun at the power crisis with this ad in the Reporter: "Travel by Candlelight – The lamp in the window burns for you. Creep into our darkened cave and book your next year's sunshine holiday to dispel your winter gloom".
The council's Transport Committee heard this week that one of the two oil companies that supplied the town’s bus fleet had increased its price of fuel by 29%. "A massive body blow", was how the Acting Transport Manager, Leslie Newall, described the news and it was expected that there would have to be a further increase in bus fares soon.
On the 22nd the Independent Broadcasting Authority announced that Sound of Merseyside had won the commercial radio franchise for Liverpool. The unnamed station that would in time be called Radio City was to be transmitted from Allerton Park in Liverpool and via a new mast in Dairy Farm Road in Rainford.
Christmas Day was on a Tuesday this year and on the preceding Sunday (23rd) two postal deliveries were made. The same also applied on Christmas Eve. As for collections from pillar-boxes, they were as normal on the Sunday but ceased at lunchtime on Christmas Eve and did not resume until the 27th.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Christmas Day babies, a fireman is injured fighting a Christmas fire, a review of the Christmas TV shows, the distemper epidemic in St Helens and the Reporter's New Year's Day baby competition.
We begin with a Department of the Environment report that revealed that during the first half of 1973, 727 new houses had been built in St Helens, with 2,250 more either under construction or planned. During the same period 203 improvement grants had been made to spruce up existing homes and 109 houses had been demolished. In Rainford 17 homes were built with 26 more in the pipeline and in Billinge 2 had been constructed with 44 more expected.
This week the first power cuts in the current crisis struck some parts of St Helens. But these were only a taster for what would come on New Year's Day when the three-day week began. For three consecutive days each week, commercial premises would not be allowed to use electricity, but unlike lockdown in more recent times, they could remain open.
On the 18th the St Helens Newspaper reported how local shops were preparing for retailing in the dark – although it was early days and there was confusion as to how the rules would operate. But Sheila Darwin was pessimistic about the prospect of lost business at her Duke Street record shop, saying: "It's going to lose us a lot of trade. I'm not keen on the idea of working without light because of the possibility of shoplifting."
John Mather of Scholes Lane was featured in the paper after being banned by Tesco. The Bridge Street supermarket was upset that Mr Mather had reported them to the Weights and Measures Department for overcharging him on three occasions. However, the amounts had only been pennies and on the last occasion he had refused to accept a refund and an apology. Mr Mather explained that he was on a low income, adding, "Odd pennies here and there mean a lot to me."
At the council's Water Committee meeting on the 19th workmen were praised for their actions during a recent emergency. The Rivington aqueduct near Bolton was the main source of St Helens' water supply. However, it had been affected by a major burst that had lasted five days and there had also been six smaller leakages over the following week. But while repairs were carried out at Rivington there had been no loss of water to consumers in St Helens. That was because supplies were drawn from emergency and service reservoirs and tap pressure had been reduced.
On the 20th the local electricity board MANWEB described the present situation with power supplies as "critical, and still confused" as they issued a timetable for areas in St Helens that were at high-risk of being blacked out. On the 21st the Reporter described how most firms in St Helens had been able to operate for the whole of the week since the power cuts had begun. However, production for some had been affected, with output at Rockware Glass in Pocket Nook slashed by 25%. That was despite installing a generator.
Pilkingtons were in a more fortunate position than most as all their operations had been classed as "continuous process". That meant they were exempt from power cuts as they were not able to start / stop their glass production at will. However, Pilks' office staff that was working in semi-darkness as dusk fell were allowed to leave their jobs an hour early. They were told they would not be docked any pay but might have to work on Saturdays.
Harry Pimblett, the Employment Manager at St Helens, told the Reporter that arrangements were being made to deal with an expected rush for benefits as hours were reduced with unemployment pay being made through firms.
Some St Helens' clergymen were up in arms in the Reporter over Sunday strip shows in Parr. The leader of St Helens Roman Catholics, Canon Hugh Fitzpatrick, argued that the performances at Derbyshire Hill Labour Club could break up homes and felt they should be banned, commenting: "I think this sort of thing is disgraceful. It's salacious stuff to get men to drink and it breaks up their homes. Acts like this are generally vulgar. It destroys the individual."
And the Rev. Ted Longman, the Vicar of St Philip's, claimed that those that attended such shows in Derbyshire Hill Road must be dissatisfied with sex in their marriage, adding: "Stripping is a degradation of the female sex. It's a pity there is a demand for it." But the Labour Club secretary, Eddie McConville, claimed that the strip sessions in which the young women were paid £10 were simply a bit of fun, saying: "The shows are popular and you could say that there's a family atmosphere here on Sunday dinner times. We certainly don't lure men in to get them to spend."
There was a picture in the Reporter of some of the 800 women and teenage girls employed at Northgate's clothing factory on the Parr Industrial Estate blowing up balloons. The ladies had a tradition of sprucing up their workplace by suspending balloons across their sewing machines and tying them to girders. Personnel officer Rita Plunkett said: "When you go into the factory, all you can see is a barrage of balloons, all different shapes and colours, and it looks fabulous."
The first newspaper reference that I have seen to gulls appearing in St Helens was in this week's Reporter. Experts say the birds began migrating away from the coast during the late 1950s, boosted by the growth of inland landfill sites and the expansion of flat-roofed buildings suitable for nesting. But the reason given for gulls arriving in Blackbrook was the rugby club's continually waterlogged pitch that had made it completely unplayable.
The ground being under water was thought to be the consequence of the Corporation demolishing a nearby embankment and filling in part of the adjacent canal. The work had taken place earlier in the year and it had removed the field's natural drainage. The Parks Department said it would cost £2,000 to re-drain the pitch and while the club and council were discussing the matter the gulls were enjoying their new home.
It was Christmas and so time for seasonal adverts – promoting summer holidays! But Dixons Worldwide Travel of Baldwin Street had a bit of fun at the power crisis with this ad in the Reporter: "Travel by Candlelight – The lamp in the window burns for you. Creep into our darkened cave and book your next year's sunshine holiday to dispel your winter gloom".
The council's Transport Committee heard this week that one of the two oil companies that supplied the town’s bus fleet had increased its price of fuel by 29%. "A massive body blow", was how the Acting Transport Manager, Leslie Newall, described the news and it was expected that there would have to be a further increase in bus fares soon.
On the 22nd the Independent Broadcasting Authority announced that Sound of Merseyside had won the commercial radio franchise for Liverpool. The unnamed station that would in time be called Radio City was to be transmitted from Allerton Park in Liverpool and via a new mast in Dairy Farm Road in Rainford.
Christmas Day was on a Tuesday this year and on the preceding Sunday (23rd) two postal deliveries were made. The same also applied on Christmas Eve. As for collections from pillar-boxes, they were as normal on the Sunday but ceased at lunchtime on Christmas Eve and did not resume until the 27th.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Christmas Day babies, a fireman is injured fighting a Christmas fire, a review of the Christmas TV shows, the distemper epidemic in St Helens and the Reporter's New Year's Day baby competition.
This week's many stories include St Helens' shops preparations for the forthcoming three-day week, the man banned by Tesco for complaining about being overcharged, the clergy complain over Sunday strip shows in Derbyshire Hill, the barrage of balloons at Northgate's clothing factory in Parr, how St Helens' water supply had been safeguarded during an emergency and the seagulls on Blackbrook rugby club's waterlogged pitch.
We begin with a Department of the Environment report that revealed that during the first half of 1973, 727 new houses had been built in St Helens, with 2,250 more either under construction or planned.
During the same period 203 improvement grants had been made to spruce up existing homes and 109 houses had been demolished.
In Rainford 17 homes were built with 26 more in the pipeline and in Billinge 2 had been constructed with 44 more expected.
This week the first power cuts in the current crisis struck some parts of St Helens. But these were only a taster for what would come on New Year's Day when the three-day week began.
For three consecutive days each week, commercial premises would not be allowed to use electricity, but unlike lockdown in more recent times, they could remain open.
On the 18th the St Helens Newspaper reported how local shops were preparing for retailing in the dark – although it was early days and there was confusion as to how the rules would operate.
But Sheila Darwin was pessimistic about the prospect of lost business at her Duke Street record shop, saying:
"It's going to lose us a lot of trade. I'm not keen on the idea of working without light because of the possibility of shoplifting."
Helena House (pictured above right) said they would do the best to keep going, but didn’t know how much light they would have in their store.
And Kenneth Vaughan, the manager of Clinkard's shoe shop in Bridge Street, said:
"Ours is a very dark shop, so we'll have to restrict service to where it's lightest, and close when it gets dark. With the aid of candles and torches we'll get through."
John Mather of Scholes Lane was featured in the paper after being banned by Tesco.
The Bridge Street supermarket was upset that Mr Mather had reported them to the Weights and Measures Department for overcharging him on three occasions.
However, the amounts had only been pennies and on the last occasion he had refused to accept a refund and an apology.
Mr Mather explained that he was on a low income, adding, "Odd pennies here and there mean a lot to me."
At the council's Water Committee meeting on the 19th workmen were praised for their actions during a recent emergency.
The Rivington aqueduct near Bolton was the main source of St Helens' water supply.
However, it had been affected by a major burst that had lasted five days and there had also been six smaller leakages over the following week.
But while repairs were carried out at Rivington there had been no loss of water to consumers in St Helens.
That was because supplies were drawn from emergency and service reservoirs and tap pressure had been reduced.
On the 20th the local electricity board MANWEB described the present situation with power supplies as "critical, and still confused" as they issued a timetable for areas in St Helens that were at high-risk of being blacked out.
On the 21st the Reporter described how most firms in St Helens had been able to operate for the whole of the week since the power cuts had begun.
However, production for some had been affected, with output at Rockware Glass in Pocket Nook slashed by 25%. That was despite installing a generator.
Pilkingtons were in a more fortunate position than most as all their operations had been classed as "continuous process".
That meant they were exempt from power cuts as they were not able to start / stop their glass production at will.
However, Pilks' office staff that was working in semi-darkness as dusk fell were allowed to leave their jobs an hour early.
They were told they would not be docked any pay but might have to work on Saturdays.
Harry Pimblett, the Employment Manager at St Helens, told the Reporter that arrangements were being made to deal with an expected rush for benefits as hours were reduced with unemployment pay being made through firms.
Some St Helens' clergymen were up in arms in the Reporter over Sunday strip shows in Parr.
The leader of St Helens Roman Catholics, Canon Hugh Fitzpatrick, argued that the performances at Derbyshire Hill Labour Club could break up homes and felt they should be banned, commenting:
"I think this sort of thing is disgraceful. It's salacious stuff to get men to drink and it breaks up their homes. Acts like this are generally vulgar. It destroys the individual."
And the Rev. Ted Longman, the Vicar of St Philip's, claimed that those that attended such shows in Derbyshire Hill Road must be dissatisfied with sex in their marriage, adding:
"Stripping is a degradation of the female sex. It's a pity there is a demand for it."
But the Labour Club secretary, Eddie McConville, claimed that the strip sessions in which the young women were paid £10 were simply a bit of fun, saying:
"The shows are popular and you could say that there's a family atmosphere here on Sunday dinner times. We certainly don't lure men in to get them to spend."
There was a picture in the Reporter of some of the 800 women and teenage girls employed at Northgate's clothing factory on the Parr Industrial Estate blowing up balloons.
The ladies had a tradition of sprucing up their workplace by suspending balloons across their sewing machines and tying them to girders.
Personnel officer Rita Plunkett said: "When you go into the factory, all you can see is a barrage of balloons, all different shapes and colours, and it looks fabulous."
The first newspaper reference that I have seen to gulls appearing in St Helens was in this week's Reporter.
Experts say the birds began migrating away from the coast during the late 1950s, boosted by the growth of inland landfill sites and the expansion of flat-roofed buildings suitable for nesting.
But the reason given for gulls arriving in Blackbrook was the rugby club's continually waterlogged pitch that had made it completely unplayable.
The ground being under water was thought to be the consequence of the Corporation demolishing a nearby embankment and filling in part of the adjacent canal.
The work had taken place earlier in the year and it had removed the field's natural drainage.
The Parks Department said it would cost £2,000 to re-drain the pitch and while the club and council were discussing the matter the gulls were enjoying their new home.
It was Christmas and so time for seasonal adverts – promoting summer holidays! But Dixons Worldwide Travel of Baldwin Street had a bit of fun at the power crisis with this ad in the Reporter:
"Travel by Candlelight – The lamp in the window burns for you. Creep into our darkened cave and book your next year's sunshine holiday to dispel your winter gloom".
The council's Transport Committee heard this week that one of the two oil companies that supplied the town’s bus fleet had increased its price of fuel by 29%.
"A massive body blow", was how the Acting Transport Manager, Leslie Newall, described the news and it was expected that there would have to be a further increase in bus fares soon.
On the 22nd the Independent Broadcasting Authority announced that Sound of Merseyside had won the commercial radio franchise for Liverpool.
The unnamed station that would in time be called Radio City was to be transmitted from Allerton Park in Liverpool and via a new mast in Dairy Farm Road in Rainford.
Christmas Day was on a Tuesday this year and on the preceding Sunday (23rd) two postal deliveries were made. The same also applied on Christmas Eve.
As for collections from pillar-boxes, they were as normal on the Sunday but ceased at lunchtime on Christmas Eve and did not resume until the 27th.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Christmas Day babies, a fireman is injured fighting a Christmas fire, a review of the Christmas TV shows, the distemper epidemic in St Helens and the Reporter's New Year's Day baby competition.
We begin with a Department of the Environment report that revealed that during the first half of 1973, 727 new houses had been built in St Helens, with 2,250 more either under construction or planned.
During the same period 203 improvement grants had been made to spruce up existing homes and 109 houses had been demolished.
In Rainford 17 homes were built with 26 more in the pipeline and in Billinge 2 had been constructed with 44 more expected.
This week the first power cuts in the current crisis struck some parts of St Helens. But these were only a taster for what would come on New Year's Day when the three-day week began.
For three consecutive days each week, commercial premises would not be allowed to use electricity, but unlike lockdown in more recent times, they could remain open.
On the 18th the St Helens Newspaper reported how local shops were preparing for retailing in the dark – although it was early days and there was confusion as to how the rules would operate.
But Sheila Darwin was pessimistic about the prospect of lost business at her Duke Street record shop, saying:
"It's going to lose us a lot of trade. I'm not keen on the idea of working without light because of the possibility of shoplifting."
And Kenneth Vaughan, the manager of Clinkard's shoe shop in Bridge Street, said:
"Ours is a very dark shop, so we'll have to restrict service to where it's lightest, and close when it gets dark. With the aid of candles and torches we'll get through."
John Mather of Scholes Lane was featured in the paper after being banned by Tesco.
The Bridge Street supermarket was upset that Mr Mather had reported them to the Weights and Measures Department for overcharging him on three occasions.
However, the amounts had only been pennies and on the last occasion he had refused to accept a refund and an apology.
Mr Mather explained that he was on a low income, adding, "Odd pennies here and there mean a lot to me."
At the council's Water Committee meeting on the 19th workmen were praised for their actions during a recent emergency.
The Rivington aqueduct near Bolton was the main source of St Helens' water supply.
However, it had been affected by a major burst that had lasted five days and there had also been six smaller leakages over the following week.
But while repairs were carried out at Rivington there had been no loss of water to consumers in St Helens.
That was because supplies were drawn from emergency and service reservoirs and tap pressure had been reduced.
On the 20th the local electricity board MANWEB described the present situation with power supplies as "critical, and still confused" as they issued a timetable for areas in St Helens that were at high-risk of being blacked out.
On the 21st the Reporter described how most firms in St Helens had been able to operate for the whole of the week since the power cuts had begun.
However, production for some had been affected, with output at Rockware Glass in Pocket Nook slashed by 25%. That was despite installing a generator.
Pilkingtons were in a more fortunate position than most as all their operations had been classed as "continuous process".
That meant they were exempt from power cuts as they were not able to start / stop their glass production at will.
However, Pilks' office staff that was working in semi-darkness as dusk fell were allowed to leave their jobs an hour early.
They were told they would not be docked any pay but might have to work on Saturdays.
Harry Pimblett, the Employment Manager at St Helens, told the Reporter that arrangements were being made to deal with an expected rush for benefits as hours were reduced with unemployment pay being made through firms.
Some St Helens' clergymen were up in arms in the Reporter over Sunday strip shows in Parr.
The leader of St Helens Roman Catholics, Canon Hugh Fitzpatrick, argued that the performances at Derbyshire Hill Labour Club could break up homes and felt they should be banned, commenting:
"I think this sort of thing is disgraceful. It's salacious stuff to get men to drink and it breaks up their homes. Acts like this are generally vulgar. It destroys the individual."
And the Rev. Ted Longman, the Vicar of St Philip's, claimed that those that attended such shows in Derbyshire Hill Road must be dissatisfied with sex in their marriage, adding:
"Stripping is a degradation of the female sex. It's a pity there is a demand for it."
But the Labour Club secretary, Eddie McConville, claimed that the strip sessions in which the young women were paid £10 were simply a bit of fun, saying:
"The shows are popular and you could say that there's a family atmosphere here on Sunday dinner times. We certainly don't lure men in to get them to spend."
There was a picture in the Reporter of some of the 800 women and teenage girls employed at Northgate's clothing factory on the Parr Industrial Estate blowing up balloons.
The ladies had a tradition of sprucing up their workplace by suspending balloons across their sewing machines and tying them to girders.
Personnel officer Rita Plunkett said: "When you go into the factory, all you can see is a barrage of balloons, all different shapes and colours, and it looks fabulous."
The first newspaper reference that I have seen to gulls appearing in St Helens was in this week's Reporter.
Experts say the birds began migrating away from the coast during the late 1950s, boosted by the growth of inland landfill sites and the expansion of flat-roofed buildings suitable for nesting.
But the reason given for gulls arriving in Blackbrook was the rugby club's continually waterlogged pitch that had made it completely unplayable.
The ground being under water was thought to be the consequence of the Corporation demolishing a nearby embankment and filling in part of the adjacent canal.
The work had taken place earlier in the year and it had removed the field's natural drainage.
The Parks Department said it would cost £2,000 to re-drain the pitch and while the club and council were discussing the matter the gulls were enjoying their new home.
It was Christmas and so time for seasonal adverts – promoting summer holidays! But Dixons Worldwide Travel of Baldwin Street had a bit of fun at the power crisis with this ad in the Reporter:
"Travel by Candlelight – The lamp in the window burns for you. Creep into our darkened cave and book your next year's sunshine holiday to dispel your winter gloom".
The council's Transport Committee heard this week that one of the two oil companies that supplied the town’s bus fleet had increased its price of fuel by 29%.
"A massive body blow", was how the Acting Transport Manager, Leslie Newall, described the news and it was expected that there would have to be a further increase in bus fares soon.
On the 22nd the Independent Broadcasting Authority announced that Sound of Merseyside had won the commercial radio franchise for Liverpool.
The unnamed station that would in time be called Radio City was to be transmitted from Allerton Park in Liverpool and via a new mast in Dairy Farm Road in Rainford.
Christmas Day was on a Tuesday this year and on the preceding Sunday (23rd) two postal deliveries were made. The same also applied on Christmas Eve.
As for collections from pillar-boxes, they were as normal on the Sunday but ceased at lunchtime on Christmas Eve and did not resume until the 27th.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Christmas Day babies, a fireman is injured fighting a Christmas fire, a review of the Christmas TV shows, the distemper epidemic in St Helens and the Reporter's New Year's Day baby competition.