FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (19th - 25th August 1969)
This week's stories include the inaugural St Helens Show in Sherdley Park, the new system of doctors' appointments is criticised by patients, a Clock Face man's new invention to prevent oil slicks, TSB's "self-service electronic cash dispenser", the persons of "moronic temperament" at the Pilkington Gala and a new season of star shows at the Theatre Royal.
We begin on the 20th at Prescot Magistrates Court when a 23-year-old joiner was fined just £15 for attacking his brother-in-law with a saw. The court was told the assault had been committed as a result of severe provocation. On the same day it was reported that William Neill and Son of Neill's Road in Bold had won an £830,000 contract to design and erect oil storage tanks and plant in Abu Dhabi.
It was the end of an era this week as the St Helens Co-op replaced their "divi" with trading stamps. However this was only in their food shops and the dividend would still be available in the Co-op's other stores.
The Theatre Royal announced the highlights of their new season this week, with two Harry Corbetts set to perform in two different types of show. Harry H. Corbett – better known as Harold Steptoe – would be appearing with Shirley Anne Field in an adult comedy called 'Little Jack'. While 'The Sooty Show' – with the other Mr Corbett – would return to St Helens in April. Robertson Hare and Cicely Courtridge would star in Agathie Christie's 'Spiders Web' and there would also be separate shows featuring Lenny the Lion (with assistance from Terry Hall) and Jon Pertwee.
The Bulgarian National Dance Company would be creating a musical spectacle and the American Folk, Blues and Gospel Festival must have been a real treat as it starred the legendary "King of the Boogie", John Lee Hooker. And the great comic Sandy Powell – best known for his catchphrase "Can you hear me, mother?" – would head an all-star cast in 'Old Time Music Hall'.
The St Helens Reporter's front-page splash on the 22nd was an unusual one in which the paper described the new invention of Gordon Rigby from Clock Face Road. They said the chemical worker had patented a valve that separated water from liquid impurities. The Reporter felt this could prove to be a "massive weapon" against sea and river pollution and might have limited the damage from the Torrey Canyon oil spill of 1967.
A picture of a smiling Francis Morris was also on the front page of the paper after the 21-year-old from Hammond Street had been awarded a psychology degree at Manchester University. Unlike today not many individuals from St Helens went to university and so attaining a degree could be a front-page story.
Another photo was of Ann Dixon from Allan Road in Haresfinch who had been judged winner of the Miss Pinta competition at Butlin's Pwllheli camp. The 15-year-old Grange Park pupil said she wanted to become a fashion model. I wonder if Ann managed to achieve her dream?
Sending a reporter and a photographer onto the streets of St Helens to canvas opinion on the subject of the day was an easy way to fill half a page of the paper. This week the topic was the appointment system that had recently been introduced into a number of doctors' surgeries in St Helens. As might be expected few people had good things to say about it, with many of the grumbles echoing present-day concerns about GPs.
Norah Atherton from Woodlands Road thought the new appointments system was a good idea overall but felt there were not enough doctors and too many patients: "When you go, they soon push you off. They book too many. It's becoming like a conveyor-belt." Charles Wilcock from Cooper Street felt the new system would lead to doctors having to make more home visits and May Ball was concerned over waiting times, saying: "Sometimes, when you phone, they can't fit you in and it means a wait of one to three days".
Martha Leadbetter from Hamer Street remarked: "I think it's dreadful. You can't anticipate when you are going to be ill, so how can you make an appointment in advance?" Rose Grimes of Parkside Avenue reckoned that at some surgeries no appointment was needed in urgent cases, which meant patients had to self-diagnose: "Often, the sole reason for going to see the doctor in the first place is to find out just how serious a complaint is. I can visualise someone who is ill, leaving matters until they get worse because they have been told not to trouble the doctor."
The Reporter's headline to another story was "Gay Time at Garden Party" with a photo of a "gay lampshade" on the White Elephant stall at the Wesley Methodist church's recent garden party. A letter in the paper from E. L. Smeltzer of Kiln Lane complained about the amount of broken glass at the recent Pilkington Gala, writing:
"One has to accept that in the present age there exists a high ratio of persons of moronic temperament, who delight in destroying; who are too idle to walk a few steps to return a used glass, or who prefer to use it as a football and whose minute grey matter cannot visualise the terrible potential danger of broken littered glass, or, who could even care in the event of an injury or tragedy."
Mr Smeltzer also wondered why plastic glasses could not be used? Pilkingtons was asked to comment and said the law prevented the serving of draught beer in anything other than Government stamped glasses.
Also enjoying a good grumble in the Reporter was W. Pennington from Laurel Drive in Eccleston, who was complaining about the bus service – a regular topic of complaint in the late ‘60s! He said he had been waiting for a bus in Duke Street and the driver "took the usual delight of playing the well-known game of dodge the passengers". However the strength of Mr Pennington's argument was somewhat diminished by his admission that he had been waiting at the wrong bus stop!
Barclays Bank had introduced the first cash machine or ATM at its Enfield Town branch in June 1967, with comic actor Reg Varney making the first withdrawal. Slowly the machines were rolled out by the banks and in the Reporter the Trustee Savings Bank was advertising that their St Helens' branches now had them installed. These were at their Higher Parr Street, Hardshaw Street and Ellamsbridge Road branches.
Simple instructions were given as to how to operate the "self-service electronic cash dispenser", although what we would call a PIN was referred to as a "personal code number". Customers had to apply for a cash card to use the service and were limited to withdrawals of £10 per card.
Profiled in the Reporter this week was the St Helens and District Marriage Guidance Council who had counsellors based at their small terraced house at 22 Vincent Street. Last year the "marriage menders" – as the Reporter dubbed them – dealt with 103 fresh cases of marital trouble.
After the success of last year's Centenary Show in Sherdley Park it was decided that a similar event should be held annually over two days towards the end of August. So on the 22nd and 23rd the inaugural St Helens Show took place. The many attractions included a hovercraft display, a sheep dog demonstration, mounted police display, US Army and RAF helicopter displays, St Helens Fire Service demonstration, Wild West rodeo, the North of England Morris Dancing championship and over eighty trade stands.
St Helens' schools competed in 'It's A Knockout' and there was also a model railway exhibition, go karts, Punch and Judy, fashion shows, all-in wrestling, children's talent concert and to close the show at 10pm on the Saturday, a firework display was held. The competitive classes included show jumping, horticulture, fur and feather and arts and crafts. There was also a dog show in which over 1,000 pets were entered. I hope they managed to keep the mutts away from the budgies, as 180 of them were entered into the budgerigar class.
You could also enter the Rolf Harris 'Sunny Smile' family photo competition with a "mobile photo unit" based in the park taking people's pictures for free. That's as long as they could produce an Ardmona Australian canned fruit label, with Harris – "T.V.'s sunny, smiling, happy fella from down-under" – one of the judges.
There was no charge for admission to the Show but the public was encouraged to contribute to the cost of the event by paying 3 shillings to park their vehicle on the public car park. They could also purchase a programme for 2s 6d and a kiosk had been set up outside Burtons in Church Street manned by Linda Coan to encourage people to buy programmes in advance.
And finally it was the end of an era in the fruit trade on the 23rd when Fishwicks of Baldwin Street closed after 51 years. George Fishwick – who had died last November – had founded the first shop in Liverpool Road in 1918 and soon more branches were established in North Road, Toll Bar, Higher Parr Street, Junction Lane and Thatto Heath Road. The closure was brought about by the retirement of George's daughter, Clarice, and the sole remaining shop in Baldwin Street was being taken over by a travel agent.
Next week's stories will include a strange Haydock washing machine theft, an historic Crank wedding, criticisms of St Helens' doctors, condemnation of the St Helens Show's beer prices, a donkey is wanted at the Theatre Royal and why a Marks and Spencer Evening at a Billinge church hall led to a visit from a weights and measures inspector.
We begin on the 20th at Prescot Magistrates Court when a 23-year-old joiner was fined just £15 for attacking his brother-in-law with a saw. The court was told the assault had been committed as a result of severe provocation. On the same day it was reported that William Neill and Son of Neill's Road in Bold had won an £830,000 contract to design and erect oil storage tanks and plant in Abu Dhabi.
It was the end of an era this week as the St Helens Co-op replaced their "divi" with trading stamps. However this was only in their food shops and the dividend would still be available in the Co-op's other stores.
Harold H. Corbett and John Lee Hooker who were two of the stars set to appear at the Theatre Royal in Corporation Street
Harold H. Corbett and John Lee Hooker, two of the stars at the Theatre Royal
Harold H. Corbett and John Lee Hooker
The Bulgarian National Dance Company would be creating a musical spectacle and the American Folk, Blues and Gospel Festival must have been a real treat as it starred the legendary "King of the Boogie", John Lee Hooker. And the great comic Sandy Powell – best known for his catchphrase "Can you hear me, mother?" – would head an all-star cast in 'Old Time Music Hall'.
The St Helens Reporter's front-page splash on the 22nd was an unusual one in which the paper described the new invention of Gordon Rigby from Clock Face Road. They said the chemical worker had patented a valve that separated water from liquid impurities. The Reporter felt this could prove to be a "massive weapon" against sea and river pollution and might have limited the damage from the Torrey Canyon oil spill of 1967.
A picture of a smiling Francis Morris was also on the front page of the paper after the 21-year-old from Hammond Street had been awarded a psychology degree at Manchester University. Unlike today not many individuals from St Helens went to university and so attaining a degree could be a front-page story.
Another photo was of Ann Dixon from Allan Road in Haresfinch who had been judged winner of the Miss Pinta competition at Butlin's Pwllheli camp. The 15-year-old Grange Park pupil said she wanted to become a fashion model. I wonder if Ann managed to achieve her dream?
Sending a reporter and a photographer onto the streets of St Helens to canvas opinion on the subject of the day was an easy way to fill half a page of the paper. This week the topic was the appointment system that had recently been introduced into a number of doctors' surgeries in St Helens. As might be expected few people had good things to say about it, with many of the grumbles echoing present-day concerns about GPs.
Norah Atherton from Woodlands Road thought the new appointments system was a good idea overall but felt there were not enough doctors and too many patients: "When you go, they soon push you off. They book too many. It's becoming like a conveyor-belt." Charles Wilcock from Cooper Street felt the new system would lead to doctors having to make more home visits and May Ball was concerned over waiting times, saying: "Sometimes, when you phone, they can't fit you in and it means a wait of one to three days".
Martha Leadbetter from Hamer Street remarked: "I think it's dreadful. You can't anticipate when you are going to be ill, so how can you make an appointment in advance?" Rose Grimes of Parkside Avenue reckoned that at some surgeries no appointment was needed in urgent cases, which meant patients had to self-diagnose: "Often, the sole reason for going to see the doctor in the first place is to find out just how serious a complaint is. I can visualise someone who is ill, leaving matters until they get worse because they have been told not to trouble the doctor."
The Reporter's headline to another story was "Gay Time at Garden Party" with a photo of a "gay lampshade" on the White Elephant stall at the Wesley Methodist church's recent garden party. A letter in the paper from E. L. Smeltzer of Kiln Lane complained about the amount of broken glass at the recent Pilkington Gala, writing:
"One has to accept that in the present age there exists a high ratio of persons of moronic temperament, who delight in destroying; who are too idle to walk a few steps to return a used glass, or who prefer to use it as a football and whose minute grey matter cannot visualise the terrible potential danger of broken littered glass, or, who could even care in the event of an injury or tragedy."
Mr Smeltzer also wondered why plastic glasses could not be used? Pilkingtons was asked to comment and said the law prevented the serving of draught beer in anything other than Government stamped glasses.
Also enjoying a good grumble in the Reporter was W. Pennington from Laurel Drive in Eccleston, who was complaining about the bus service – a regular topic of complaint in the late ‘60s! He said he had been waiting for a bus in Duke Street and the driver "took the usual delight of playing the well-known game of dodge the passengers". However the strength of Mr Pennington's argument was somewhat diminished by his admission that he had been waiting at the wrong bus stop!
Barclays Bank had introduced the first cash machine or ATM at its Enfield Town branch in June 1967, with comic actor Reg Varney making the first withdrawal. Slowly the machines were rolled out by the banks and in the Reporter the Trustee Savings Bank was advertising that their St Helens' branches now had them installed. These were at their Higher Parr Street, Hardshaw Street and Ellamsbridge Road branches.
Simple instructions were given as to how to operate the "self-service electronic cash dispenser", although what we would call a PIN was referred to as a "personal code number". Customers had to apply for a cash card to use the service and were limited to withdrawals of £10 per card.
Profiled in the Reporter this week was the St Helens and District Marriage Guidance Council who had counsellors based at their small terraced house at 22 Vincent Street. Last year the "marriage menders" – as the Reporter dubbed them – dealt with 103 fresh cases of marital trouble.
After the success of last year's Centenary Show in Sherdley Park it was decided that a similar event should be held annually over two days towards the end of August. So on the 22nd and 23rd the inaugural St Helens Show took place. The many attractions included a hovercraft display, a sheep dog demonstration, mounted police display, US Army and RAF helicopter displays, St Helens Fire Service demonstration, Wild West rodeo, the North of England Morris Dancing championship and over eighty trade stands.
St Helens' schools competed in 'It's A Knockout' and there was also a model railway exhibition, go karts, Punch and Judy, fashion shows, all-in wrestling, children's talent concert and to close the show at 10pm on the Saturday, a firework display was held. The competitive classes included show jumping, horticulture, fur and feather and arts and crafts. There was also a dog show in which over 1,000 pets were entered. I hope they managed to keep the mutts away from the budgies, as 180 of them were entered into the budgerigar class.
There was no charge for admission to the Show but the public was encouraged to contribute to the cost of the event by paying 3 shillings to park their vehicle on the public car park. They could also purchase a programme for 2s 6d and a kiosk had been set up outside Burtons in Church Street manned by Linda Coan to encourage people to buy programmes in advance.
And finally it was the end of an era in the fruit trade on the 23rd when Fishwicks of Baldwin Street closed after 51 years. George Fishwick – who had died last November – had founded the first shop in Liverpool Road in 1918 and soon more branches were established in North Road, Toll Bar, Higher Parr Street, Junction Lane and Thatto Heath Road. The closure was brought about by the retirement of George's daughter, Clarice, and the sole remaining shop in Baldwin Street was being taken over by a travel agent.
Next week's stories will include a strange Haydock washing machine theft, an historic Crank wedding, criticisms of St Helens' doctors, condemnation of the St Helens Show's beer prices, a donkey is wanted at the Theatre Royal and why a Marks and Spencer Evening at a Billinge church hall led to a visit from a weights and measures inspector.