FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK 20 - 26 JULY 1976
This week's many stories include the opening of the new St Helens Registry Office, the fire at Cowley Boys School, the planned opening of Cindys, Cobalt Hi-Fi's new music centre that offered true hi-fi quality, the fierce row over Carr Mill Dam and the objections to plans to dump toxic waste in a former clay pit.
We begin on the 21st when the Newton Guardian wrote that it was currently Newton Wakes fortnight. But they said the nearly 600-strong workforce at the Sankey Sugar refinery in Earlestown had left on their holidays with a big headache hanging over their jobs.
For while they were away on their hols, what the paper described as a "grim takeover battle" for the firm would be going on with uncertain consequences for workers' jobs. The country's other giant sugar refining combine, Tate and Lyle, were seen as the bad guys and their approaches had so far been rejected by the Sankey Sugar company and by the trade unions.
At a meeting of the St Helens Planning Sub-Committee held on the 21st, plans to dump poisonous waste were shelved pending further discussions. Waste Clearance Ltd had an old clayhole in Burtonhead Road and Pilkingtons had applied for council permission to dump what they described as "toxic chemical waste" in it.
But the West Sutton Constituency Labour Party and local residents said they were totally opposed to the dumping proposals and so a decision on granting permission was put on the back burner.
This week the new St Helens Registry Office was opened in Central Street, with the country's chief registration inspector predicting that it would lead to a slump in church weddings. Geoffrey Fielden said:
"Now this office caters for traditional white weddings this will take a lot of trade from local churches. This office has much more pleasanter surroundings than many old churches. I think many more people will get married in this office rather than their churches. Unless they are highly religious. The office is one of the best in Britain and easily the leading registry office in the North-West. The interior decoration is fantastic and the facilities on hand are excellent."
The Mayor, Cllr Tom Harvey, who opened the new building, described the previous registry office that had been used for weddings in Hardshaw Street as a "broken-down dilapidated building". He said they had just about been at the end of their tether with it but now had a "marvellous" replacement.
An advert in the Reporter on the 23rd said the St Helens Atlas Street New Market would be opening on the following day and offer: "Bargains Galore – Bargains like you have never seen before. Yes clothes, knitwear, china etc – At prices to amaze you." The market would also operate on Thursdays, as well as Saturdays.
Another opening announcement was for the Cindy's Club in Duke Street, which the ad said was exclusively for the over 21s. Its grand opening would take place on July 30th from 8 pm to 2 am, with cabaret and dancing led by Sammy Wink and comedian Kenny Ray. Having originally opened in 1912 as the Oxford Picturedrome, the cinema later became the Plaza.
You don’t hear the word hi-fi used much nowadays, although I was surprised to find that 'What Hi-Fi' still exists. Although these days the magazine focuses less on sound and more on home cinema and other entertainment technologies. But, of course, during the 1970s hi-fi was a popular term, particularly with those enthusiasts who created their own custom audio systems using separates.
And so some folk would scan magazines like What Hi-Fi for the best-rated turntables, tuners, amps etc. and link them all together in their home. For those less particular and with less cash to spend, there were music centres and radiograms.
Cobalt Hi-Fi of Bridge Street specialised in high-end separates but in their advert in this week's Reporter they stated that they were moving into the lower end music centre market but still maintaining their quality standards. "Come and hear the AIWA 5080", their advert said. "A Music Centre of true hi-fi quality." Their price was £245 but you had to pay extra for speakers of your choice.
The Theatre Royal announced that they had now closed for the summer but they were taking bookings for their autumn concerts. The acts performing then would include the Wurzels, Mike Harding, Bob Williamson, the Black Dyke Mills Band, the Oldham Tinkers and Sooty and there would also be performances of Godspell, South Pacific and pantomimes.
The Reporter described a "fierce row" over powerboat racing at a recent meeting of the council's Environmental Health Committee. The regular boat contests on Carr Mill Dam were highly controversial through the noise that was created and allegations that they drove away wildlife. In 1975 there had been a claim that one boat had killed a swan.
The environment committee considered an application from the Royal Yachting Association for permission to hold a championship powerboat race on the dam. They wanted special dispensation to allow the boats taking part to exceed the maximum 85-decibels noise limit.
Some councillors lashed out against the club and claimed if the request was granted it would spoil the pleasure of some 100 fishermen who regularly used the dam. But other members said that refusal would also spoil the pleasure of hundreds of powerboat enthusiasts who would be attracted to the lake. Eventually, it was decided not to grant permission to exceed the 85-decibel limit, although the championship race would still take place.
1977 would be Queen Elizabeth's silver jubilee year and the Reporter wrote how Rainford Sports Council was planning a week of events culminating in a Jubilee Day carnival. Discussions with local groups were taking place with events so far proposed including a sports day, gymkhana, parachute display etc.
The paper also described how two 8-year-old boys had been identified as having started a fire at Cowley Boys School last weekend. St Helens Fire Brigade had spent two hours fighting the blaze, which caused £9,500 worth of damage. The lads had smashed windows and thrown lighted paper into the school's language lab, which created a fire that completely destroyed expensive electrical equipment, including tape recorders and teaching booths.
The fire also gutted the laboratory, destroying all windows, ceiling tiles, desks and timber wall fittings. The two boys responsible were below the age of criminal responsibility, which was ten, and the Reporter said the council's juvenile liaison department would instead deal with them.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's many stories will include a rejection of fluoride being added to the water supply, the opening of a new nightclub, how sunshine boosted attendance at the St Helens Show and why Manweb and Merseyside Transport were losing money.
We begin on the 21st when the Newton Guardian wrote that it was currently Newton Wakes fortnight. But they said the nearly 600-strong workforce at the Sankey Sugar refinery in Earlestown had left on their holidays with a big headache hanging over their jobs.
For while they were away on their hols, what the paper described as a "grim takeover battle" for the firm would be going on with uncertain consequences for workers' jobs. The country's other giant sugar refining combine, Tate and Lyle, were seen as the bad guys and their approaches had so far been rejected by the Sankey Sugar company and by the trade unions.
At a meeting of the St Helens Planning Sub-Committee held on the 21st, plans to dump poisonous waste were shelved pending further discussions. Waste Clearance Ltd had an old clayhole in Burtonhead Road and Pilkingtons had applied for council permission to dump what they described as "toxic chemical waste" in it.
But the West Sutton Constituency Labour Party and local residents said they were totally opposed to the dumping proposals and so a decision on granting permission was put on the back burner.
This week the new St Helens Registry Office was opened in Central Street, with the country's chief registration inspector predicting that it would lead to a slump in church weddings. Geoffrey Fielden said:
"Now this office caters for traditional white weddings this will take a lot of trade from local churches. This office has much more pleasanter surroundings than many old churches. I think many more people will get married in this office rather than their churches. Unless they are highly religious. The office is one of the best in Britain and easily the leading registry office in the North-West. The interior decoration is fantastic and the facilities on hand are excellent."
The Mayor, Cllr Tom Harvey, who opened the new building, described the previous registry office that had been used for weddings in Hardshaw Street as a "broken-down dilapidated building". He said they had just about been at the end of their tether with it but now had a "marvellous" replacement.
An advert in the Reporter on the 23rd said the St Helens Atlas Street New Market would be opening on the following day and offer: "Bargains Galore – Bargains like you have never seen before. Yes clothes, knitwear, china etc – At prices to amaze you." The market would also operate on Thursdays, as well as Saturdays.
Another opening announcement was for the Cindy's Club in Duke Street, which the ad said was exclusively for the over 21s. Its grand opening would take place on July 30th from 8 pm to 2 am, with cabaret and dancing led by Sammy Wink and comedian Kenny Ray. Having originally opened in 1912 as the Oxford Picturedrome, the cinema later became the Plaza.
You don’t hear the word hi-fi used much nowadays, although I was surprised to find that 'What Hi-Fi' still exists. Although these days the magazine focuses less on sound and more on home cinema and other entertainment technologies. But, of course, during the 1970s hi-fi was a popular term, particularly with those enthusiasts who created their own custom audio systems using separates.
And so some folk would scan magazines like What Hi-Fi for the best-rated turntables, tuners, amps etc. and link them all together in their home. For those less particular and with less cash to spend, there were music centres and radiograms.
Cobalt Hi-Fi of Bridge Street specialised in high-end separates but in their advert in this week's Reporter they stated that they were moving into the lower end music centre market but still maintaining their quality standards. "Come and hear the AIWA 5080", their advert said. "A Music Centre of true hi-fi quality." Their price was £245 but you had to pay extra for speakers of your choice.
The Theatre Royal announced that they had now closed for the summer but they were taking bookings for their autumn concerts. The acts performing then would include the Wurzels, Mike Harding, Bob Williamson, the Black Dyke Mills Band, the Oldham Tinkers and Sooty and there would also be performances of Godspell, South Pacific and pantomimes.
The environment committee considered an application from the Royal Yachting Association for permission to hold a championship powerboat race on the dam. They wanted special dispensation to allow the boats taking part to exceed the maximum 85-decibels noise limit.
Some councillors lashed out against the club and claimed if the request was granted it would spoil the pleasure of some 100 fishermen who regularly used the dam. But other members said that refusal would also spoil the pleasure of hundreds of powerboat enthusiasts who would be attracted to the lake. Eventually, it was decided not to grant permission to exceed the 85-decibel limit, although the championship race would still take place.
1977 would be Queen Elizabeth's silver jubilee year and the Reporter wrote how Rainford Sports Council was planning a week of events culminating in a Jubilee Day carnival. Discussions with local groups were taking place with events so far proposed including a sports day, gymkhana, parachute display etc.
The paper also described how two 8-year-old boys had been identified as having started a fire at Cowley Boys School last weekend. St Helens Fire Brigade had spent two hours fighting the blaze, which caused £9,500 worth of damage. The lads had smashed windows and thrown lighted paper into the school's language lab, which created a fire that completely destroyed expensive electrical equipment, including tape recorders and teaching booths.
The fire also gutted the laboratory, destroying all windows, ceiling tiles, desks and timber wall fittings. The two boys responsible were below the age of criminal responsibility, which was ten, and the Reporter said the council's juvenile liaison department would instead deal with them.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's many stories will include a rejection of fluoride being added to the water supply, the opening of a new nightclub, how sunshine boosted attendance at the St Helens Show and why Manweb and Merseyside Transport were losing money.
This week's many stories include the opening of the new St Helens Registry Office, the fire at Cowley Boys School, the planned opening of Cindys, Cobalt Hi-Fi's new music centre that offered true hi-fi quality, the fierce row over Carr Mill Dam and the objections to plans to dump toxic waste in a former clay pit.
We begin on the 21st when the Newton Guardian wrote that it was currently Newton Wakes fortnight.
But they said the nearly 600-strong workforce at the Sankey Sugar refinery in Earlestown had left on their holidays with a big headache hanging over their jobs.
For while they were away on their hols, what the paper described as a "grim takeover battle" for the firm would be going on with uncertain consequences for workers' jobs.
The country's other giant sugar refining combine, Tate and Lyle, were seen as the bad guys and their approaches had so far been rejected by the Sankey Sugar company and by the trade unions.
At a meeting of the St Helens Planning Sub-Committee held on the 21st, plans to dump poisonous waste were shelved pending further discussions.
Waste Clearance Ltd had an old clayhole in Burtonhead Road and Pilkingtons had applied for council permission to dump what they described as "toxic chemical waste" in it.
But the West Sutton Constituency Labour Party and local residents said they were totally opposed to the dumping proposals and so a decision on granting permission was put on the back burner.
This week the new St Helens Registry Office was opened in Central Street, with the country's chief registration inspector predicting that it would lead to a slump in church weddings. Geoffrey Fielden said:
"Now this office caters for traditional white weddings this will take a lot of trade from local churches. This office has much more pleasanter surroundings than many old churches.
"I think many more people will get married in this office rather than their churches. Unless they are highly religious.
"The office is one of the best in Britain and easily the leading registry office in the North-West. The interior decoration is fantastic and the facilities on hand are excellent."
The Mayor, Cllr Tom Harvey, who opened the new building, described the previous registry office that had been used for weddings in Hardshaw Street as a "broken-down dilapidated building".
He said they had just about been at the end of their tether with it but now had a "marvellous" replacement.
An advert in the Reporter on the 23rd said the St Helens Atlas Street New Market would be opening on the following day and offer:
"Bargains Galore – Bargains like you have never seen before. Yes clothes, knitwear, china etc – At prices to amaze you."
The market would also operate on Thursdays, as well as Saturdays.
Another opening announcement was for the Cindy's Club in Duke Street, which the ad said was exclusively for the over 21s.
Its grand opening would take place on July 30th from 8 pm to 2 am, with cabaret and dancing led by Sammy Wink and comedian Kenny Ray.
Having originally opened in 1912 as the Oxford Picturedrome, the cinema later became the Plaza.
You don’t hear the word hi-fi used much nowadays, although I was surprised to find that 'What Hi-Fi' still exists.
Although these days the magazine focuses less on sound and more on home cinema and other entertainment technologies.
But, of course, during the 1970s hi-fi was a popular term, particularly with those enthusiasts who created their own custom audio systems using separates.
And so some folk would scan magazines like What Hi-Fi for the best-rated turntables, tuners, amps etc. and link them all together in their home.
For those less particular and with less cash to spend, there were music centres and radiograms.
Cobalt Hi-Fi of Bridge Street specialised in high-end separates but in their advert in this week's Reporter they stated that they were moving into the lower end music centre market but still maintaining their quality standards.
"Come and hear the AIWA 5080", their advert said. "A Music Centre of true hi-fi quality."
Their price was £245 but you had to pay extra for speakers of your choice.
The Theatre Royal announced that they had now closed for the summer but they were taking bookings for their autumn concerts.
The acts performing then would include the Wurzels, Mike Harding, Bob Williamson, the Black Dyke Mills Band, the Oldham Tinkers and Sooty and there would also be performances of Godspell, South Pacific and pantomimes.
The Reporter described a "fierce row" over powerboat racing at a recent meeting of the council's Environmental Health Committee.
The regular boat contests on Carr Mill Dam were highly controversial through the noise that was created and allegations that they drove away wildlife.
In 1975 there had been a claim that one boat had killed a swan.
The environment committee considered an application from the Royal Yachting Association for permission to hold a championship powerboat race on the dam.
They wanted special dispensation to allow the boats taking part to exceed the maximum 85-decibels noise limit.
Some councillors lashed out against the club and claimed if the request was granted it would spoil the pleasure of some 100 fishermen who regularly used the dam.
But other members said that refusal would also spoil the pleasure of hundreds of powerboat enthusiasts who would be attracted to the lake.
Eventually, it was decided not to grant permission to exceed the 85-decibel limit, although the championship race would still take place.
1977 would be Queen Elizabeth's silver jubilee year and the Reporter wrote how Rainford Sports Council was planning a week of events culminating in a Jubilee Day carnival.
Discussions with local groups were taking place with events so far proposed including a sports day, gymkhana, parachute display etc.
The paper also described how two 8-year-old boys had been identified as having started a fire at Cowley Boys School last weekend.
St Helens Fire Brigade had spent two hours fighting the blaze, which caused £9,500 worth of damage.
The lads had smashed windows and thrown lighted paper into the school's language lab, which created a fire that completely destroyed expensive electrical equipment, including tape recorders and teaching booths.
The fire also gutted the laboratory, destroying all windows, ceiling tiles, desks and timber wall fittings.
The two boys responsible were below the age of criminal responsibility, which was ten, and the Reporter said the council's juvenile liaison department would instead deal with them.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's many stories will include a rejection of fluoride being added to the water supply, the opening of a new nightclub, how the sunshine boosted attendance at the St Helens Show and why Manweb and Merseyside Transport were losing money.
We begin on the 21st when the Newton Guardian wrote that it was currently Newton Wakes fortnight.
But they said the nearly 600-strong workforce at the Sankey Sugar refinery in Earlestown had left on their holidays with a big headache hanging over their jobs.
For while they were away on their hols, what the paper described as a "grim takeover battle" for the firm would be going on with uncertain consequences for workers' jobs.
The country's other giant sugar refining combine, Tate and Lyle, were seen as the bad guys and their approaches had so far been rejected by the Sankey Sugar company and by the trade unions.
At a meeting of the St Helens Planning Sub-Committee held on the 21st, plans to dump poisonous waste were shelved pending further discussions.
Waste Clearance Ltd had an old clayhole in Burtonhead Road and Pilkingtons had applied for council permission to dump what they described as "toxic chemical waste" in it.
But the West Sutton Constituency Labour Party and local residents said they were totally opposed to the dumping proposals and so a decision on granting permission was put on the back burner.
This week the new St Helens Registry Office was opened in Central Street, with the country's chief registration inspector predicting that it would lead to a slump in church weddings. Geoffrey Fielden said:
"Now this office caters for traditional white weddings this will take a lot of trade from local churches. This office has much more pleasanter surroundings than many old churches.
"I think many more people will get married in this office rather than their churches. Unless they are highly religious.
"The office is one of the best in Britain and easily the leading registry office in the North-West. The interior decoration is fantastic and the facilities on hand are excellent."
The Mayor, Cllr Tom Harvey, who opened the new building, described the previous registry office that had been used for weddings in Hardshaw Street as a "broken-down dilapidated building".
He said they had just about been at the end of their tether with it but now had a "marvellous" replacement.
An advert in the Reporter on the 23rd said the St Helens Atlas Street New Market would be opening on the following day and offer:
"Bargains Galore – Bargains like you have never seen before. Yes clothes, knitwear, china etc – At prices to amaze you."
The market would also operate on Thursdays, as well as Saturdays.
Another opening announcement was for the Cindy's Club in Duke Street, which the ad said was exclusively for the over 21s.
Its grand opening would take place on July 30th from 8 pm to 2 am, with cabaret and dancing led by Sammy Wink and comedian Kenny Ray.
Having originally opened in 1912 as the Oxford Picturedrome, the cinema later became the Plaza.
You don’t hear the word hi-fi used much nowadays, although I was surprised to find that 'What Hi-Fi' still exists.
Although these days the magazine focuses less on sound and more on home cinema and other entertainment technologies.
But, of course, during the 1970s hi-fi was a popular term, particularly with those enthusiasts who created their own custom audio systems using separates.
And so some folk would scan magazines like What Hi-Fi for the best-rated turntables, tuners, amps etc. and link them all together in their home.
For those less particular and with less cash to spend, there were music centres and radiograms.
Cobalt Hi-Fi of Bridge Street specialised in high-end separates but in their advert in this week's Reporter they stated that they were moving into the lower end music centre market but still maintaining their quality standards.
"Come and hear the AIWA 5080", their advert said. "A Music Centre of true hi-fi quality."
Their price was £245 but you had to pay extra for speakers of your choice.
The Theatre Royal announced that they had now closed for the summer but they were taking bookings for their autumn concerts.
The acts performing then would include the Wurzels, Mike Harding, Bob Williamson, the Black Dyke Mills Band, the Oldham Tinkers and Sooty and there would also be performances of Godspell, South Pacific and pantomimes.
The Reporter described a "fierce row" over powerboat racing at a recent meeting of the council's Environmental Health Committee.
In 1975 there had been a claim that one boat had killed a swan.
The environment committee considered an application from the Royal Yachting Association for permission to hold a championship powerboat race on the dam.
They wanted special dispensation to allow the boats taking part to exceed the maximum 85-decibels noise limit.
Some councillors lashed out against the club and claimed if the request was granted it would spoil the pleasure of some 100 fishermen who regularly used the dam.
But other members said that refusal would also spoil the pleasure of hundreds of powerboat enthusiasts who would be attracted to the lake.
Eventually, it was decided not to grant permission to exceed the 85-decibel limit, although the championship race would still take place.
1977 would be Queen Elizabeth's silver jubilee year and the Reporter wrote how Rainford Sports Council was planning a week of events culminating in a Jubilee Day carnival.
Discussions with local groups were taking place with events so far proposed including a sports day, gymkhana, parachute display etc.
The paper also described how two 8-year-old boys had been identified as having started a fire at Cowley Boys School last weekend.
St Helens Fire Brigade had spent two hours fighting the blaze, which caused £9,500 worth of damage.
The lads had smashed windows and thrown lighted paper into the school's language lab, which created a fire that completely destroyed expensive electrical equipment, including tape recorders and teaching booths.
The fire also gutted the laboratory, destroying all windows, ceiling tiles, desks and timber wall fittings.
The two boys responsible were below the age of criminal responsibility, which was ten, and the Reporter said the council's juvenile liaison department would instead deal with them.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's many stories will include a rejection of fluoride being added to the water supply, the opening of a new nightclub, how the sunshine boosted attendance at the St Helens Show and why Manweb and Merseyside Transport were losing money.