FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (20th - 26th JULY 1970)
This week's stories include the St Helens firemen who worked part-time as pallbearers at funerals, a community rallies to help a Dentons Green pensioner, the second annual St Helens Show is held, a wedding feature is in the Reporter and the Parr man who'd waited 15 years for a new garden gate from the council.
There were two different Pilkingtons stories at the start of this week. First the company announced an average 7.6% price rise on all glass products that they made for the building trade. A spokesman insisted that the increase had been necessary through higher overheads and it was not an attempt to recoup losses caused by the 7-week strike.
The national press also claimed that the security authorities had proof that a small number of "professional revolutionaries" had been associated with the Pilkington strike. It was stated that the names of these agitators were known and the security authorities (presumably MI5) were watching their movements, although the Government was powerless to stop them.
On the 20th Rainford Council's Housing Committee considered a Government recommendation to sell their council houses to their tenants. Over the previous fifty years the urban district council had built up a stock of 558 homes and Councillor Richard Smith was keen to sell some of them off, telling the meeting:
"Council houses are our most valuable asset. By selling, we can realise capital." However Cllr. Walter Darlington disagreed, saying: "Only a few months ago, Councillor Robert Rose told a Housing Meeting that we should not sell our most valuable assets, and I agree with him." The committee members voted six to four in favour of a proposal to take no action on the Government recommendation to put council houses up for sale.
The 3-day St Helens Show was held in Sherdley Park from the 23rd with a highlight being an exhibition of a one-third scale model of a nuclear submarine. This was part of a display by the Royal Marines, who also had a motorcycle team putting on two shows a day and displays of unarmed combat. There were also fashion shows, the K IX Commandos War Dog Display Team, a coal carrying race, a miniature railway and Punch and Judy.
An inter-school 'It's A Knockout' competition was held, with Cowley being the winner. The above photo shows David Brown competing for Robins Lane School in Sherdley Park. Hot-air balloon flights were available twice a day, along with the usual competitive classes of show jumping, horticulture, fur and feather, arts and crafts etc. There were also daily children's concerts and a talent contest, with a grand firework display closing the show on the Saturday.
The St Helens Reporter on the 24th described how firemen in St Helens were driving hearses and acting as pallbearers at funerals in order to make ends meet. Their basic rate of pay was £22 10s per week and John Barnett of Alder Hey Road in Eccleston said he had been forced to work for undertakers to supplement his wages. "We call it cash-and-carry", explained the fireman. "10s. for driving the hearse and an extra five shillings for carrying the coffin. On a good week you can earn around £7 – depending on how lucky you are."
What was as described as "one of the town's leading undertakers" told the Reporter: "I doubt there is one undertaker in the town who hasn't employed firemen at one time or another." The fire fighters were officially banned from doing other work but John Barnett was speaking out because he was quitting his job as a driver. "My wife Joyce is expecting a baby and it would be impossible to try and bring up a family on a fireman's wage," he explained.
The local secretary of the Fire Brigades Union was John Hill, who said: "The pay is fair enough for a single man but for a married man it is impossible to live on. Over the last few years we have had more men leaving the service than joining it – the pay can't compete with industry."
The Reporter also described how a community had rallied round to help "crippled pensioner" Bill Stout of Priory Gardens, off Hard Lane, after he'd been duped out of his pension. "All the money I lost has been replaced and I am very grateful", said Bill. "People whom I have never seen before have been to say how sorry they feel and to see if they can help." A blonde woman had persuaded the 85-year-old to hand over £6 of his £7 1s weekly pension claiming a neighbour needed to borrow the cash to clinch a carpet deal.
The paper also stated that Colonel Guy Pilkington of Rainford Hall in Crank (pictured above) had left £459,000 in his will. That's the equivalent of about £8 million in today's money. He had been one of the oldest members of the glassmaking family and had died last March. Pilkington followed the tradition of many wealthy folk in rewarding longstanding servants handsomely. Full-time staff were bequeathed £50 for each year of service. So if someone had worked for him for ten years, they would receive the equivalent of about £10,000 in today's money.
Key workers at a new engineering works at Parr told the Reporter that they were on the point of quitting because of harassment by gipsies. Three months earlier the Manchester-based Ceramic, Machine and Die Company had sent four machinists to St Helens to train twenty locals to operate machinery. However there was a group of gipsies on the other side of Southport Street who, the men claimed, were regularly making a nuisance of themselves.
"We can't get our work done", explained machinist Jim Devitt from Salford. "They’re always in here, begging for water and asking to borrow tools. And when we lend them tools they refuse to give them back until we let them have some water." Foreman Keith Riley had also come to the town from Salford and added: "St. Helens is meant to be a development area trying to attract industry. But what are people meant to think when this sort of thing happens?" The gipsies had now been given notice to quit the council-owned land but the workers at the factory were still not happy. Jim Devitt commented: "As soon as they have been moved off some more will come."
'Wedding Bells and Beautiful Brides' was the title of an advertising feature in the Reporter aimed at those planning to get hitched. The advertisers included J. Brunskill & Associates who claimed to be "the town's leading wedding photographers". They had recently moved from premises opposite the Hippodrome in Corporation Street to the YMCA Buildings in North Road, opposite the Capitol. Other wedding photographers advertising were Arthur Normington of Waterdale Crescent in Sutton and T. Swift of Higher Parr Street.
Venues advertising their rooms for receptions included the Geraldo Club in Lord Street and the Princess Room of the Sefton Arms – which was then run by Joan and Gordon Weston. Rimmer & Welding of 25 Duke Street was advertising wedding rings and Tom Howard's Travel Agent's at Rexmore House in Cotham Street was happy to arrange honeymoons. Rexmore House would later become the home of St Helens County Court.
Helena House Travel Services was offering the "perfect honeymoon" and wedding flowers of "charm and distinction" were available from Fosters of Ormskirk Street. Couples getting married obviously need somewhere to live. So under the dubious headline of "Love at First Site", Gibsons of Wigan was advertising homes on the Chain Lane Estate at Blackbrook from £3,750.
I suppose people getting wed also need milk – but don't most folk? Worrall's Dairy of Liverpool Road in Haydock had this advert in the feature: "Getting married? Then don't forget to order your daily pintas of Rigbys milk, fresh cream, eggs and fruit drinks." Probably not top of a bride and groom's wedding list!
'Whalley's World' in the Reporter put out an appeal for new members of the St Helens Glee Club who met every week in the Crab Street Rooms and whose membership was dwindling. Dr Stanley Siddall from Prescot Road had founded the singing group for young men in 1905 when he was Pilkington's medical officer.
There was a picture in the paper of 17 teenagers who had set out from the Y-Club at the YWCA centre in Nunn Street on a European tour. Club leader Norman Wilson was leading the group on a two-week minibus journey through France to Italy.
George Derbyshire of Surrey Street in Parr was also pictured in the Reporter along with his broken garden gate. The 87-year-old told the paper that he had been waiting for a replacement gate from St Helens Council since 1955 and had been to see them about it on eight or nine occasions. A spokesman for the town's Building Department said he was at a loss to understand why Mr Derbyshire was still waiting for his new gate before adding (without a hint of irony): "We are looking into it. He may get a new one in the next few months."
And finally on the 26th, for one-day only, 'One of Our Spies is Missing' was shown at the Capitol. It was a feature-length film version of episodes from 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.' starring Robert Vaughn and David McCallum.
Next week's stories will include outrage over plans for a gipsy camp in Burtonwood, a 3-year-old receives 47 dog bites in Sherdley Road, a call for employers to hire married women, the sad story of a College Street fish-frying range and an advertising feature on historic businesses.
There were two different Pilkingtons stories at the start of this week. First the company announced an average 7.6% price rise on all glass products that they made for the building trade. A spokesman insisted that the increase had been necessary through higher overheads and it was not an attempt to recoup losses caused by the 7-week strike.
The national press also claimed that the security authorities had proof that a small number of "professional revolutionaries" had been associated with the Pilkington strike. It was stated that the names of these agitators were known and the security authorities (presumably MI5) were watching their movements, although the Government was powerless to stop them.
On the 20th Rainford Council's Housing Committee considered a Government recommendation to sell their council houses to their tenants. Over the previous fifty years the urban district council had built up a stock of 558 homes and Councillor Richard Smith was keen to sell some of them off, telling the meeting:
"Council houses are our most valuable asset. By selling, we can realise capital." However Cllr. Walter Darlington disagreed, saying: "Only a few months ago, Councillor Robert Rose told a Housing Meeting that we should not sell our most valuable assets, and I agree with him." The committee members voted six to four in favour of a proposal to take no action on the Government recommendation to put council houses up for sale.
The 3-day St Helens Show was held in Sherdley Park from the 23rd with a highlight being an exhibition of a one-third scale model of a nuclear submarine. This was part of a display by the Royal Marines, who also had a motorcycle team putting on two shows a day and displays of unarmed combat. There were also fashion shows, the K IX Commandos War Dog Display Team, a coal carrying race, a miniature railway and Punch and Judy.
The St Helens Reporter on the 24th described how firemen in St Helens were driving hearses and acting as pallbearers at funerals in order to make ends meet. Their basic rate of pay was £22 10s per week and John Barnett of Alder Hey Road in Eccleston said he had been forced to work for undertakers to supplement his wages. "We call it cash-and-carry", explained the fireman. "10s. for driving the hearse and an extra five shillings for carrying the coffin. On a good week you can earn around £7 – depending on how lucky you are."
What was as described as "one of the town's leading undertakers" told the Reporter: "I doubt there is one undertaker in the town who hasn't employed firemen at one time or another." The fire fighters were officially banned from doing other work but John Barnett was speaking out because he was quitting his job as a driver. "My wife Joyce is expecting a baby and it would be impossible to try and bring up a family on a fireman's wage," he explained.
The local secretary of the Fire Brigades Union was John Hill, who said: "The pay is fair enough for a single man but for a married man it is impossible to live on. Over the last few years we have had more men leaving the service than joining it – the pay can't compete with industry."
The Reporter also described how a community had rallied round to help "crippled pensioner" Bill Stout of Priory Gardens, off Hard Lane, after he'd been duped out of his pension. "All the money I lost has been replaced and I am very grateful", said Bill. "People whom I have never seen before have been to say how sorry they feel and to see if they can help." A blonde woman had persuaded the 85-year-old to hand over £6 of his £7 1s weekly pension claiming a neighbour needed to borrow the cash to clinch a carpet deal.
Key workers at a new engineering works at Parr told the Reporter that they were on the point of quitting because of harassment by gipsies. Three months earlier the Manchester-based Ceramic, Machine and Die Company had sent four machinists to St Helens to train twenty locals to operate machinery. However there was a group of gipsies on the other side of Southport Street who, the men claimed, were regularly making a nuisance of themselves.
"We can't get our work done", explained machinist Jim Devitt from Salford. "They’re always in here, begging for water and asking to borrow tools. And when we lend them tools they refuse to give them back until we let them have some water." Foreman Keith Riley had also come to the town from Salford and added: "St. Helens is meant to be a development area trying to attract industry. But what are people meant to think when this sort of thing happens?" The gipsies had now been given notice to quit the council-owned land but the workers at the factory were still not happy. Jim Devitt commented: "As soon as they have been moved off some more will come."
'Wedding Bells and Beautiful Brides' was the title of an advertising feature in the Reporter aimed at those planning to get hitched. The advertisers included J. Brunskill & Associates who claimed to be "the town's leading wedding photographers". They had recently moved from premises opposite the Hippodrome in Corporation Street to the YMCA Buildings in North Road, opposite the Capitol. Other wedding photographers advertising were Arthur Normington of Waterdale Crescent in Sutton and T. Swift of Higher Parr Street.
Venues advertising their rooms for receptions included the Geraldo Club in Lord Street and the Princess Room of the Sefton Arms – which was then run by Joan and Gordon Weston. Rimmer & Welding of 25 Duke Street was advertising wedding rings and Tom Howard's Travel Agent's at Rexmore House in Cotham Street was happy to arrange honeymoons. Rexmore House would later become the home of St Helens County Court.
Helena House Travel Services was offering the "perfect honeymoon" and wedding flowers of "charm and distinction" were available from Fosters of Ormskirk Street. Couples getting married obviously need somewhere to live. So under the dubious headline of "Love at First Site", Gibsons of Wigan was advertising homes on the Chain Lane Estate at Blackbrook from £3,750.
I suppose people getting wed also need milk – but don't most folk? Worrall's Dairy of Liverpool Road in Haydock had this advert in the feature: "Getting married? Then don't forget to order your daily pintas of Rigbys milk, fresh cream, eggs and fruit drinks." Probably not top of a bride and groom's wedding list!
'Whalley's World' in the Reporter put out an appeal for new members of the St Helens Glee Club who met every week in the Crab Street Rooms and whose membership was dwindling. Dr Stanley Siddall from Prescot Road had founded the singing group for young men in 1905 when he was Pilkington's medical officer.
There was a picture in the paper of 17 teenagers who had set out from the Y-Club at the YWCA centre in Nunn Street on a European tour. Club leader Norman Wilson was leading the group on a two-week minibus journey through France to Italy.
George Derbyshire of Surrey Street in Parr was also pictured in the Reporter along with his broken garden gate. The 87-year-old told the paper that he had been waiting for a replacement gate from St Helens Council since 1955 and had been to see them about it on eight or nine occasions. A spokesman for the town's Building Department said he was at a loss to understand why Mr Derbyshire was still waiting for his new gate before adding (without a hint of irony): "We are looking into it. He may get a new one in the next few months."
And finally on the 26th, for one-day only, 'One of Our Spies is Missing' was shown at the Capitol. It was a feature-length film version of episodes from 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.' starring Robert Vaughn and David McCallum.
Next week's stories will include outrage over plans for a gipsy camp in Burtonwood, a 3-year-old receives 47 dog bites in Sherdley Road, a call for employers to hire married women, the sad story of a College Street fish-frying range and an advertising feature on historic businesses.
This week's stories include the St Helens firemen who worked part-time as pallbearers at funerals, a community rallies to help a Dentons Green pensioner, the second annual St Helens Show is held, a wedding feature is in the Reporter and the Parr man who'd waited 15 years for a new garden gate from the council.
There were two different Pilkingtons stories at the start of this week.
First the company announced an average 7.6% price rise on all glass products that they made for the building trade.
A spokesman insisted that the increase had been necessary through higher overheads and it was not an attempt to recoup losses caused by the 7-week strike.
The national press also claimed that the security authorities had proof that a small number of "professional revolutionaries" had been associated with the Pilkington strike.
It was stated that the names of these agitators were known and the security authorities (presumably MI5) were watching their movements, although the Government was powerless to stop them.
On the 20th Rainford Council's Housing Committee considered a Government recommendation to sell their council houses to their tenants.
Over the previous fifty years the urban district council had built up a stock of 558 homes and Councillor Richard Smith was keen to sell some of them off, telling the meeting:
"Council houses are our most valuable asset. By selling, we can realise capital." However Cllr. Walter Darlington disagreed, saying:
"Only a few months ago, Councillor Robert Rose told a Housing Meeting that we should not sell our most valuable assets, and I agree with him."
The committee members voted six to four in favour of a proposal to take no action on the Government recommendation to put council houses up for sale.
The 3-day St Helens Show was held in Sherdley Park from the 23rd with a highlight being an exhibition of a one-third scale model of a nuclear submarine.
This was part of a display by the Royal Marines, who also had a motorcycle team putting on two shows a day and displays of unarmed combat.
There were also fashion shows, the K IX Commandos War Dog Display Team, a coal carrying race, a miniature railway and Punch and Judy.
An inter-school 'It's A Knockout' competition was held, with Cowley being the winner. The above photo shows David Brown competing for Robins Lane School in Sherdley Park.
Hot-air balloon flights were available twice a day, along with the usual competitive classes of show jumping, horticulture, fur and feather, arts and crafts etc.
There were also daily children's concerts and a talent contest, with a grand firework display closing the show on the Saturday.
The St Helens Reporter on the 24th described how firemen in St Helens were driving hearses and acting as pallbearers at funerals in order to make ends meet.
Their basic rate of pay was £22 10s per week and John Barnett of Alder Hey Road in Eccleston said he had been forced to work for undertakers to supplement his wages.
"We call it cash-and-carry", explained the fireman. "10s. for driving the hearse and an extra five shillings for carrying the coffin. On a good week you can earn around £7 – depending on how lucky you are."
What was as described as "one of the town's leading undertakers" told the Reporter: "I doubt there is one undertaker in the town who hasn't employed firemen at one time or another."
The fire fighters were officially banned from doing other work but John Barnett was speaking out because he was quitting his job as a driver.
"My wife Joyce is expecting a baby and it would be impossible to try and bring up a family on a fireman's wage," he explained.
The local secretary of the Fire Brigades Union was John Hill, who said:
"The pay is fair enough for a single man but for a married man it is impossible to live on. Over the last few years we have had more men leaving the service than joining it – the pay can't compete with industry."
The Reporter also described how a community had rallied round to help "crippled pensioner" Bill Stout of Priory Gardens, off Hard Lane, after he'd been duped out of his pension.
"All the money I lost has been replaced and I am very grateful", said Bill. "People whom I have never seen before have been to say how sorry they feel and to see if they can help."
A blonde woman had persuaded the 85-year-old to hand over £6 of his £7 1s weekly pension claiming a neighbour needed to borrow the cash to clinch a carpet deal.
The paper also stated that Colonel Guy Pilkington of Rainford Hall in Crank (pictured above) had left £459,000 in his will.
That's the equivalent of about £8 million in today's money. He had been one of the oldest members of the glassmaking family and had died last March.
Pilkington followed the tradition of many wealthy folk in rewarding longstanding servants handsomely. Full-time staff were bequeathed £50 for each year of service.
So if someone had worked for him for ten years, they would receive the equivalent of about £10,000 in today's money.
Key workers at a new engineering works at Parr told the Reporter that they were on the point of quitting because of harassment by gipsies.
Three months earlier the Manchester-based Ceramic, Machine and Die Company had sent four machinists to St Helens to train twenty locals to operate machinery.
However there was a group of gipsies on the other side of Southport Street who, the men claimed, were regularly making a nuisance of themselves.
"We can't get our work done", explained machinist Jim Devitt from Salford. "They’re always in here, begging for water and asking to borrow tools. And when we lend them tools they refuse to give them back until we let them have some water."
Foreman Keith Riley had also come to the town from Salford and added: "St. Helens is meant to be a development area trying to attract industry. But what are people meant to think when this sort of thing happens?"
The gipsies had now been given notice to quit the council-owned land but the workers at the factory were still not happy. Jim Devitt commented: "As soon as they have been moved off some more will come."
'Wedding Bells and Beautiful Brides' was the title of an advertising feature in the Reporter aimed at those planning to get hitched.
The advertisers included J. Brunskill & Associates who claimed to be "the town's leading wedding photographers".
They had recently moved from premises opposite the Hippodrome in Corporation Street to the YMCA Buildings in North Road, opposite the Capitol.
Other wedding photographers advertising were Arthur Normington of Waterdale Crescent in Sutton and T. Swift of Higher Parr Street.
Venues advertising their rooms for receptions included the Geraldo Club in Lord Street and the Princess Room of the Sefton Arms – which was then run by Joan and Gordon Weston.
Rimmer & Welding of 25 Duke Street was advertising wedding rings and Tom Howard's Travel Agent's at Rexmore House in Cotham Street was happy to arrange honeymoons.
Rexmore House would later become the home of St Helens County Court.
Helena House Travel Services was offering the "perfect honeymoon" and wedding flowers of "charm and distinction" were available from Fosters of Ormskirk Street.
Couples getting married obviously need somewhere to live. So under the dubious headline of "Love at First Site", Gibsons of Wigan was advertising homes on the Chain Lane Estate at Blackbrook from £3,750.
I suppose people getting wed also need milk – but don't most folk?
Worrall's Dairy of Liverpool Road in Haydock had this advert in the feature: "Getting married? Then don't forget to order your daily pintas of Rigbys milk, fresh cream, eggs and fruit drinks."
Probably not top of a bride and groom's wedding list!
'Whalley's World' in the Reporter put out an appeal for new members of the St Helens Glee Club who met every week in the Crab Street Rooms and whose membership was dwindling.
Dr Stanley Siddall from Prescot Road had founded the singing group for young men in 1905 when he was Pilkington's medical officer.
There was a picture in the paper of 17 teenagers who had set out from the Y-Club at the YWCA centre in Nunn Street on a European tour.
Club leader Norman Wilson was leading the group on a two-week minibus journey through France to Italy.
George Derbyshire of Surrey Street in Parr was also pictured in the Reporter along with his broken garden gate.
The 87-year-old told the paper that he had been waiting for a replacement gate from St Helens Council since 1955 and had been to see them about it on eight or nine occasions.
A spokesman for the town's Building Department said he was at a loss to understand why Mr Derbyshire was still waiting for his new gate before adding (without a hint of irony): "We are looking into it. He may get a new one in the next few months."
And finally on the 26th, for one-day only, 'One of Our Spies is Missing' was shown at the Capitol.
It was a feature-length film version of episodes from 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.' starring Robert Vaughn and David McCallum.
Next week's stories will include outrage over plans for a gipsy camp in Burtonwood, a 3-year-old receives 47 dog bites in Sherdley Road, a call for employers to hire married women, the sad story of a College Street fish-frying range and an advertising feature on historic businesses.
There were two different Pilkingtons stories at the start of this week.
First the company announced an average 7.6% price rise on all glass products that they made for the building trade.
A spokesman insisted that the increase had been necessary through higher overheads and it was not an attempt to recoup losses caused by the 7-week strike.
The national press also claimed that the security authorities had proof that a small number of "professional revolutionaries" had been associated with the Pilkington strike.
It was stated that the names of these agitators were known and the security authorities (presumably MI5) were watching their movements, although the Government was powerless to stop them.
On the 20th Rainford Council's Housing Committee considered a Government recommendation to sell their council houses to their tenants.
Over the previous fifty years the urban district council had built up a stock of 558 homes and Councillor Richard Smith was keen to sell some of them off, telling the meeting:
"Council houses are our most valuable asset. By selling, we can realise capital." However Cllr. Walter Darlington disagreed, saying:
"Only a few months ago, Councillor Robert Rose told a Housing Meeting that we should not sell our most valuable assets, and I agree with him."
The committee members voted six to four in favour of a proposal to take no action on the Government recommendation to put council houses up for sale.
The 3-day St Helens Show was held in Sherdley Park from the 23rd with a highlight being an exhibition of a one-third scale model of a nuclear submarine.
This was part of a display by the Royal Marines, who also had a motorcycle team putting on two shows a day and displays of unarmed combat.
There were also fashion shows, the K IX Commandos War Dog Display Team, a coal carrying race, a miniature railway and Punch and Judy.
Hot-air balloon flights were available twice a day, along with the usual competitive classes of show jumping, horticulture, fur and feather, arts and crafts etc.
There were also daily children's concerts and a talent contest, with a grand firework display closing the show on the Saturday.
The St Helens Reporter on the 24th described how firemen in St Helens were driving hearses and acting as pallbearers at funerals in order to make ends meet.
Their basic rate of pay was £22 10s per week and John Barnett of Alder Hey Road in Eccleston said he had been forced to work for undertakers to supplement his wages.
"We call it cash-and-carry", explained the fireman. "10s. for driving the hearse and an extra five shillings for carrying the coffin. On a good week you can earn around £7 – depending on how lucky you are."
What was as described as "one of the town's leading undertakers" told the Reporter: "I doubt there is one undertaker in the town who hasn't employed firemen at one time or another."
The fire fighters were officially banned from doing other work but John Barnett was speaking out because he was quitting his job as a driver.
"My wife Joyce is expecting a baby and it would be impossible to try and bring up a family on a fireman's wage," he explained.
The local secretary of the Fire Brigades Union was John Hill, who said:
"The pay is fair enough for a single man but for a married man it is impossible to live on. Over the last few years we have had more men leaving the service than joining it – the pay can't compete with industry."
The Reporter also described how a community had rallied round to help "crippled pensioner" Bill Stout of Priory Gardens, off Hard Lane, after he'd been duped out of his pension.
"All the money I lost has been replaced and I am very grateful", said Bill. "People whom I have never seen before have been to say how sorry they feel and to see if they can help."
A blonde woman had persuaded the 85-year-old to hand over £6 of his £7 1s weekly pension claiming a neighbour needed to borrow the cash to clinch a carpet deal.
That's the equivalent of about £8 million in today's money. He had been one of the oldest members of the glassmaking family and had died last March.
Pilkington followed the tradition of many wealthy folk in rewarding longstanding servants handsomely. Full-time staff were bequeathed £50 for each year of service.
So if someone had worked for him for ten years, they would receive the equivalent of about £10,000 in today's money.
Key workers at a new engineering works at Parr told the Reporter that they were on the point of quitting because of harassment by gipsies.
Three months earlier the Manchester-based Ceramic, Machine and Die Company had sent four machinists to St Helens to train twenty locals to operate machinery.
However there was a group of gipsies on the other side of Southport Street who, the men claimed, were regularly making a nuisance of themselves.
"We can't get our work done", explained machinist Jim Devitt from Salford. "They’re always in here, begging for water and asking to borrow tools. And when we lend them tools they refuse to give them back until we let them have some water."
Foreman Keith Riley had also come to the town from Salford and added: "St. Helens is meant to be a development area trying to attract industry. But what are people meant to think when this sort of thing happens?"
The gipsies had now been given notice to quit the council-owned land but the workers at the factory were still not happy. Jim Devitt commented: "As soon as they have been moved off some more will come."
'Wedding Bells and Beautiful Brides' was the title of an advertising feature in the Reporter aimed at those planning to get hitched.
The advertisers included J. Brunskill & Associates who claimed to be "the town's leading wedding photographers".
They had recently moved from premises opposite the Hippodrome in Corporation Street to the YMCA Buildings in North Road, opposite the Capitol.
Other wedding photographers advertising were Arthur Normington of Waterdale Crescent in Sutton and T. Swift of Higher Parr Street.
Venues advertising their rooms for receptions included the Geraldo Club in Lord Street and the Princess Room of the Sefton Arms – which was then run by Joan and Gordon Weston.
Rimmer & Welding of 25 Duke Street was advertising wedding rings and Tom Howard's Travel Agent's at Rexmore House in Cotham Street was happy to arrange honeymoons.
Rexmore House would later become the home of St Helens County Court.
Helena House Travel Services was offering the "perfect honeymoon" and wedding flowers of "charm and distinction" were available from Fosters of Ormskirk Street.
Couples getting married obviously need somewhere to live. So under the dubious headline of "Love at First Site", Gibsons of Wigan was advertising homes on the Chain Lane Estate at Blackbrook from £3,750.
I suppose people getting wed also need milk – but don't most folk?
Worrall's Dairy of Liverpool Road in Haydock had this advert in the feature: "Getting married? Then don't forget to order your daily pintas of Rigbys milk, fresh cream, eggs and fruit drinks."
Probably not top of a bride and groom's wedding list!
'Whalley's World' in the Reporter put out an appeal for new members of the St Helens Glee Club who met every week in the Crab Street Rooms and whose membership was dwindling.
Dr Stanley Siddall from Prescot Road had founded the singing group for young men in 1905 when he was Pilkington's medical officer.
There was a picture in the paper of 17 teenagers who had set out from the Y-Club at the YWCA centre in Nunn Street on a European tour.
Club leader Norman Wilson was leading the group on a two-week minibus journey through France to Italy.
George Derbyshire of Surrey Street in Parr was also pictured in the Reporter along with his broken garden gate.
The 87-year-old told the paper that he had been waiting for a replacement gate from St Helens Council since 1955 and had been to see them about it on eight or nine occasions.
A spokesman for the town's Building Department said he was at a loss to understand why Mr Derbyshire was still waiting for his new gate before adding (without a hint of irony): "We are looking into it. He may get a new one in the next few months."
And finally on the 26th, for one-day only, 'One of Our Spies is Missing' was shown at the Capitol.
It was a feature-length film version of episodes from 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.' starring Robert Vaughn and David McCallum.
Next week's stories will include outrage over plans for a gipsy camp in Burtonwood, a 3-year-old receives 47 dog bites in Sherdley Road, a call for employers to hire married women, the sad story of a College Street fish-frying range and an advertising feature on historic businesses.