FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (24th FEB. - 1st MARCH 1970)
This week's stories include the pirate taxi drivers on the streets of St Helens, the fish invaders in Sutton Manor, the prayer books stolen from Lowe House, the battle of Billinge Hill and the woman who dubbed St Helens dilapidated, miserable and a dump.
We begin at Buckingham Palace on the 24th when Alastair Pilkington (pictured above) from View Road in Rainhill received his knighthood from the Queen. The investiture was for services to technology as the inventor of float glass, a technique that had revolutionised glass-making.
Janet Jones – described as a sales assistant from St Helens – was pictured in the Liverpool Echo on the 24th. The 24-year-old was a contestant in the paper's girl-of-the-month competition with a prize worth 20 guineas going to the winner of the Miss February title.
St Helens Council met on the 25th and approved their controversial rent-rise plan. Tenants of council houses would be asked to pay up to 19s 7d extra a week, with a few told to pay even more.
The Corporation had 12,000 tenants and the rise for some would be in excess of the Ministry of Housing's maximum permitted increase of ten shillings. So they had the power to block the proposal but Councillor Tom Harvey – the chairman of the Housing Committee – pointed out that a "very good" rent rebate scheme had been produced.
There was much industrial unrest in St Helens at this time. On the 25th 350 workers at Crosby Spring Interiors walked out of their Fleet Lane factory over a pay dispute. They made spring seating for the motor industry and the unofficial strike would continue for some weeks. On the 26th 900 shift workers at the UGB Sherdley and Peasley bottlemaking plants downed tools. The strikers were protesting over a sixpence an hour pay increase that they felt was insufficient but they returned to work for the evening shift.
David Gibb from View Road in Rainhill had a letter published in the Liverpool Echo on the 26th praising the Water Board for the efficiency of its service. At 9:30am on a Saturday morning David had reported a problem with the water supply to his house. Thirty minutes later inspectors called and apologised for the fact that little could be done until Monday. However at 1:30pm a number of workmen arrived from Liverpool, discovered a blocked main and rectified the fault.
A big story in the Reporter on the 27th bore the headline "Pirate Cabbies: War Declared" and told how taxi boss Thomas Farrell was fighting back against part-time drivers. Mr Farrell claimed that all an ordinary motorist had to do to run a taxi service was stick a sign in his car window and he could operate unchecked without a licence.
If the driver bothered to apply to St Helens Council for a taxi licence, they were handed over for just 5 shillings without any questions being asked – although a vehicle inspection cost £1. As a result the streets during the evenings were full of "pirate" taxis manned by tired individuals who had already done a day's work. Mr Farrell alleged that one taxi firm was manned exclusively by off-duty firemen and argued that licences should only be granted to persons who were running taxis for a living.
Horace Mitchell was the owner of Taylor's Taxis and he was in agreement with Thomas Farrell, saying: "We work hard during the day trying to establish a good service, taking people to hospitals and so on – and these part-time boys come out at night to pinch the cream. There is a safety factor involved. These part-time men work every night – often going out straight after coming home from work. They are bound to be very tired." Thomas Farrell was now campaigning for tighter regulation of taxi drivers by St Helens Council and was calling on the town's MP, Leslie Spriggs, and the Mayor, Tom Wilcock, to take action.
A Mrs E. Darwin from Harlow Close in Sutton Heath had a very critical letter published in the paper about the rent rises for council house tenants. She wrote: "Why not get a larger area for the gipsy caravans and then some of us can join them instead of being penalised with high rents which an ordinary working man can’t afford." However Mrs Darwin's criticisms also extended to the state of St Helens itself: "Everywhere you go is dilapidated and miserable. Why not start rebuilding now and councillors, stop making the town look as if it has been bombed. I only wish I was younger to get out of this dump."
The Reporter also wrote about a dispute between local councillors and a quarrying firm, which they called "The Battle of Billinge Hill". Billinge Council claimed that Joseph Pickavance Ltd had blown up, dug up or covered up public footpaths that belonged to the village. However the quarriers claimed to have planning permission to mine Billinge "Lump" and recognised only one footpath on the County map. For more than three hours last week the councillors had pored over maps in order to – as the Reporter put it – come up with "a master plan" against Pickavance's activities.
Another battle described by the paper was against "fish invaders" – the mobile vans that came into St Helens from Fleetwood each week. Fish retailers who had to pay rates and other overheads did not appreciate the incomers pinching their trade – but the public loved them. St Helens Council's Works Committee was considering restrictions on where the vans could park and as a result the fish dealers were organising petitions.
At a fish stall in Forest Road in Sutton Manor over 100 signatures had been obtained in just a few hours. Margaret Glover from Milton Street told the Reporter: "I buy from here every Tuesday and Friday. The fish is cheaper here and it's a lot more convenient. It's right on our doorsteps." One St Helens fishmonger had criticised the mobile traders for selling poorer quality fish but Mrs Glover denied this, saying: "The fish is every bit as good as you buy in shops. I have never been disappointed." Emeline Pye from Bell Lane added: "I think the shop traders are just jealous because the vans are getting so much custom."
Eric Bromilow was promoting his spin dryers in the St Helens Reporter, saying "all makes supplied 6/- weekly". The electrical retailer with shops in Baldwin Street and Church Street stated no prices for his machines, assuming all purchases would be made on HP.
The St Helens out of hours chemists' rota in the Reporter listed some long-gone names of pharmacies. These included Glovers of Ormskirk Street, F. Flynn of Duke Street, A. I. Bender of Lugsmore Lane, Jacksons Ltd of Westfield Street, W. A. Jackson of Higher Parr Street and Joaillet Ltd from Thatto Heath Road. The only chemist's shops listed that still exist (as far as I know) are P. A. White of North Road and Jacksons pharmacy in Cambridge Road. Other chemists that were regularly listed in the rota were Warr and Co of Duke Street, H. Frodsham of Concourse Way and T. A. Ashcroft of Westfield Street.
Of all the things that you might expect thieves to steal, prayer books must be at the bottom of the list. However the Reporter described how more than seventy books had been taken within a day from Lowe House Church (pictured above). The prayer books had been left on a stand at the rear of the church with visitors invited to take a copy and put their money in a collecting box. Fr. Thomas Connor felt children would likely have been responsible for the theft with the books having been sold onto parishioners for coppers.
The church had experienced much trouble from children tampering with fittings when Lowe House had been left open in the afternoons, although they had now reluctantly decided to lock their doors. "I know that many people like to call in and say a short prayer", said Fr. Connor. "But one has to judge their desire against the amount of damage that could be done. We just daren't leave the church open."
There was an advertising feature in the Reporter on the shops in Westfield Street with a particular focus on R. S. Slinn at nos. 96 /98 and M. J. Hayward at no. 33. Henry Slinn, the father of Reginald Slinn, had founded the former in 1894. I think it is his Henry's grandson Eric who is still fulfilling decorating needs from Hill Street. Michael Hayward's children's outfitter's was even older, having been founded by his grandfather in the 1860s.
Other advertisers in the feature included Thomas Foster & Sons, who went back even further than Haywards! They claimed to have been established in 1842 and had just opened their new shop at 37 Westfield Street offering "all your aquarium requirements". Foster's also had florists – or "floral departments", as they preferred to call them – in Hardshaw Street and Ormskirk Street.
Couldwell Hearing Services did not claim any vintage in their ad but offered the usual hearing aids and batteries for the hard of hearing from their premises at 26 Westfield Street. "You can relax when you book with St. Helens leading travel agent", claimed Ellison's Travel Service who was at no. 28.
On the 28th St Helens YMCA's Youth Club held a dance with the music provided by the curiously named Barny Googles Booze Band with Radio Doom.
And finally a cinema guide. For seven days from March 1st the ABC Savoy started screening 'Women in Love' starring Alan Bates and Glenda Jackson – "love in its widest, freest sense", said their advert. Meanwhile the Capitol was showing Alfred Hitchcock's spy thriller 'Topaz'.
Next week's stories will include the 6-year-old Thatto Heath housing estate that was becoming a slum, the "devilish" noise from British Sidac, the new Rivington School, the Fleet Lane factory strike and a councillor's claim that the town was still living in the days of the horse and carriage.
Sir Alastair Pilkington the inventor of the float glass process which is shown on the right
Sir Alastair Pilkington the inventor of the float glass process
Sir Alastair Pilkington
Janet Jones – described as a sales assistant from St Helens – was pictured in the Liverpool Echo on the 24th. The 24-year-old was a contestant in the paper's girl-of-the-month competition with a prize worth 20 guineas going to the winner of the Miss February title.
St Helens Council met on the 25th and approved their controversial rent-rise plan. Tenants of council houses would be asked to pay up to 19s 7d extra a week, with a few told to pay even more.
The Corporation had 12,000 tenants and the rise for some would be in excess of the Ministry of Housing's maximum permitted increase of ten shillings. So they had the power to block the proposal but Councillor Tom Harvey – the chairman of the Housing Committee – pointed out that a "very good" rent rebate scheme had been produced.
There was much industrial unrest in St Helens at this time. On the 25th 350 workers at Crosby Spring Interiors walked out of their Fleet Lane factory over a pay dispute. They made spring seating for the motor industry and the unofficial strike would continue for some weeks. On the 26th 900 shift workers at the UGB Sherdley and Peasley bottlemaking plants downed tools. The strikers were protesting over a sixpence an hour pay increase that they felt was insufficient but they returned to work for the evening shift.
David Gibb from View Road in Rainhill had a letter published in the Liverpool Echo on the 26th praising the Water Board for the efficiency of its service. At 9:30am on a Saturday morning David had reported a problem with the water supply to his house. Thirty minutes later inspectors called and apologised for the fact that little could be done until Monday. However at 1:30pm a number of workmen arrived from Liverpool, discovered a blocked main and rectified the fault.
A big story in the Reporter on the 27th bore the headline "Pirate Cabbies: War Declared" and told how taxi boss Thomas Farrell was fighting back against part-time drivers. Mr Farrell claimed that all an ordinary motorist had to do to run a taxi service was stick a sign in his car window and he could operate unchecked without a licence.
If the driver bothered to apply to St Helens Council for a taxi licence, they were handed over for just 5 shillings without any questions being asked – although a vehicle inspection cost £1. As a result the streets during the evenings were full of "pirate" taxis manned by tired individuals who had already done a day's work. Mr Farrell alleged that one taxi firm was manned exclusively by off-duty firemen and argued that licences should only be granted to persons who were running taxis for a living.
Horace Mitchell was the owner of Taylor's Taxis and he was in agreement with Thomas Farrell, saying: "We work hard during the day trying to establish a good service, taking people to hospitals and so on – and these part-time boys come out at night to pinch the cream. There is a safety factor involved. These part-time men work every night – often going out straight after coming home from work. They are bound to be very tired." Thomas Farrell was now campaigning for tighter regulation of taxi drivers by St Helens Council and was calling on the town's MP, Leslie Spriggs, and the Mayor, Tom Wilcock, to take action.
A Mrs E. Darwin from Harlow Close in Sutton Heath had a very critical letter published in the paper about the rent rises for council house tenants. She wrote: "Why not get a larger area for the gipsy caravans and then some of us can join them instead of being penalised with high rents which an ordinary working man can’t afford." However Mrs Darwin's criticisms also extended to the state of St Helens itself: "Everywhere you go is dilapidated and miserable. Why not start rebuilding now and councillors, stop making the town look as if it has been bombed. I only wish I was younger to get out of this dump."
The Reporter also wrote about a dispute between local councillors and a quarrying firm, which they called "The Battle of Billinge Hill". Billinge Council claimed that Joseph Pickavance Ltd had blown up, dug up or covered up public footpaths that belonged to the village. However the quarriers claimed to have planning permission to mine Billinge "Lump" and recognised only one footpath on the County map. For more than three hours last week the councillors had pored over maps in order to – as the Reporter put it – come up with "a master plan" against Pickavance's activities.
Another battle described by the paper was against "fish invaders" – the mobile vans that came into St Helens from Fleetwood each week. Fish retailers who had to pay rates and other overheads did not appreciate the incomers pinching their trade – but the public loved them. St Helens Council's Works Committee was considering restrictions on where the vans could park and as a result the fish dealers were organising petitions.
At a fish stall in Forest Road in Sutton Manor over 100 signatures had been obtained in just a few hours. Margaret Glover from Milton Street told the Reporter: "I buy from here every Tuesday and Friday. The fish is cheaper here and it's a lot more convenient. It's right on our doorsteps." One St Helens fishmonger had criticised the mobile traders for selling poorer quality fish but Mrs Glover denied this, saying: "The fish is every bit as good as you buy in shops. I have never been disappointed." Emeline Pye from Bell Lane added: "I think the shop traders are just jealous because the vans are getting so much custom."
Eric Bromilow was promoting his spin dryers in the St Helens Reporter, saying "all makes supplied 6/- weekly". The electrical retailer with shops in Baldwin Street and Church Street stated no prices for his machines, assuming all purchases would be made on HP.
The St Helens out of hours chemists' rota in the Reporter listed some long-gone names of pharmacies. These included Glovers of Ormskirk Street, F. Flynn of Duke Street, A. I. Bender of Lugsmore Lane, Jacksons Ltd of Westfield Street, W. A. Jackson of Higher Parr Street and Joaillet Ltd from Thatto Heath Road. The only chemist's shops listed that still exist (as far as I know) are P. A. White of North Road and Jacksons pharmacy in Cambridge Road. Other chemists that were regularly listed in the rota were Warr and Co of Duke Street, H. Frodsham of Concourse Way and T. A. Ashcroft of Westfield Street.
The church had experienced much trouble from children tampering with fittings when Lowe House had been left open in the afternoons, although they had now reluctantly decided to lock their doors. "I know that many people like to call in and say a short prayer", said Fr. Connor. "But one has to judge their desire against the amount of damage that could be done. We just daren't leave the church open."
There was an advertising feature in the Reporter on the shops in Westfield Street with a particular focus on R. S. Slinn at nos. 96 /98 and M. J. Hayward at no. 33. Henry Slinn, the father of Reginald Slinn, had founded the former in 1894. I think it is his Henry's grandson Eric who is still fulfilling decorating needs from Hill Street. Michael Hayward's children's outfitter's was even older, having been founded by his grandfather in the 1860s.
Other advertisers in the feature included Thomas Foster & Sons, who went back even further than Haywards! They claimed to have been established in 1842 and had just opened their new shop at 37 Westfield Street offering "all your aquarium requirements". Foster's also had florists – or "floral departments", as they preferred to call them – in Hardshaw Street and Ormskirk Street.
Couldwell Hearing Services did not claim any vintage in their ad but offered the usual hearing aids and batteries for the hard of hearing from their premises at 26 Westfield Street. "You can relax when you book with St. Helens leading travel agent", claimed Ellison's Travel Service who was at no. 28.
On the 28th St Helens YMCA's Youth Club held a dance with the music provided by the curiously named Barny Googles Booze Band with Radio Doom.
And finally a cinema guide. For seven days from March 1st the ABC Savoy started screening 'Women in Love' starring Alan Bates and Glenda Jackson – "love in its widest, freest sense", said their advert. Meanwhile the Capitol was showing Alfred Hitchcock's spy thriller 'Topaz'.
Next week's stories will include the 6-year-old Thatto Heath housing estate that was becoming a slum, the "devilish" noise from British Sidac, the new Rivington School, the Fleet Lane factory strike and a councillor's claim that the town was still living in the days of the horse and carriage.
This week's stories include the pirate taxi drivers on the streets of St Helens, the fish invaders in Sutton Manor, the prayer books stolen from Lowe House, the battle of Billinge Hill and the woman who dubbed St Helens dilapidated, miserable and a dump.
We begin at Buckingham Palace on the 24th when Alastair Pilkington (pictured above) from View Road in Rainhill received his knighthood from the Queen.
The investiture was for services to technology as the inventor of float glass, a technique that had revolutionised glass-making.
Janet Jones – described as a sales assistant from St Helens – was pictured in the Liverpool Echo on the 24th.
The 24-year-old was a contestant in the paper's girl-of-the-month competition with a prize worth 20 guineas going to the winner of the Miss February title.
St Helens Council met on the 25th and approved their controversial rent-rise plan.
Tenants of council houses would be asked to pay up to 19s 7d extra a week, with a few told to pay even more.
The Corporation had 12,000 tenants and the rise for some would be in excess of the Ministry of Housing's maximum permitted increase of ten shillings.
So the Government had the power to block the proposal but Councillor Tom Harvey – the chairman of the Housing Committee – pointed out that a "very good" rent rebate scheme had been produced.
There was much industrial unrest in St Helens at this time. On the 25th 350 workers at Crosby Spring Interiors walked out of their Fleet Lane factory over a pay dispute.
They made spring seating for the motor industry and the unofficial strike would continue for some weeks.
On the 26th 900 shift workers at the UGB Sherdley and Peasley bottlemaking plants downed tools.
The strikers were protesting over a sixpence an hour pay increase that they felt was insufficient but they returned to work for the evening shift.
David Gibb from View Road in Rainhill had a letter published in the Liverpool Echo on the 26th praising the Water Board for the efficiency of its service.
At 9:30am on a Saturday morning David had reported a problem with the water supply to his house.
Thirty minutes later inspectors called and apologised for the fact that little could be done until Monday.
However at 1:30pm a number of workmen arrived from Liverpool, discovered a blocked main and rectified the fault.
A big story in the Reporter on the 27th bore the headline "Pirate Cabbies: War Declared" and told how taxi boss Thomas Farrell was fighting back against part-time drivers.
Mr Farrell claimed that all an ordinary motorist had to do to run a taxi service was stick a sign in his car window and he could operate unchecked without a licence.
If the driver bothered to apply to St Helens Council for a taxi licence, they were handed over for just 5 shillings without any questions being asked – although a vehicle inspection cost £1.
As a result the streets during the evenings were full of "pirate" taxis manned by tired individuals who had already done a day's work.
Mr Farrell alleged that one taxi firm was manned exclusively by off-duty firemen and argued that licences should only be granted to persons who were running taxis for a living.
Horace Mitchell was the owner of Taylor's Taxis and he was in agreement with Thomas Farrell, saying:
"We work hard during the day trying to establish a good service, taking people to hospitals and so on – and these part-time boys come out at night to pinch the cream.
“There is a safety factor involved. These part-time men work every night – often going out straight after coming home from work. They are bound to be very tired."
Thomas Farrell was now campaigning for tighter regulation of taxi drivers by St Helens Council and was calling on the town's MP, Leslie Spriggs, and the Mayor, Tom Wilcock, to take action.
A Mrs E. Darwin from Harlow Close in Sutton Heath had a very critical letter published in the paper about the rent rises for council house tenants.
She wrote: "Why not get a larger area for the gipsy caravans and then some of us can join them instead of being penalised with high rents which an ordinary working man can’t afford."
However Mrs Darwin's criticisms also extended to the state of St Helens itself:
"Everywhere you go is dilapidated and miserable. Why not start rebuilding now and councillors, stop making the town look as if it has been bombed. I only wish I was younger to get out of this dump."
The Reporter also wrote about a dispute between local councillors and a quarrying firm, which they called "The Battle of Billinge Hill".
Billinge Council claimed that Joseph Pickavance Ltd had blown up, dug up or covered up public footpaths that belonged to the village.
However the quarriers claimed to have planning permission to mine Billinge "Lump" and recognised only one footpath on the County map.
For more than three hours last week the councillors had pored over maps in order to – as the Reporter put it – come up with "a master plan" against Pickavance's activities.
Another battle described by the paper was against "fish invaders" – the mobile vans that came into St Helens from Fleetwood each week.
Fish retailers who had to pay rates and other overheads did not appreciate the incomers pinching their trade – but the public loved them.
St Helens Council's Works Committee was considering restrictions on where the vans could park and as a result the fish dealers were organising petitions.
At a fish stall in Forest Road in Sutton Manor over 100 signatures had been obtained in just a few hours.
Margaret Glover from Milton Street told the Reporter: "I buy from here every Tuesday and Friday. The fish is cheaper here and it's a lot more convenient. It's right on our doorsteps."
One St Helens fishmonger had criticised the mobile traders for selling poorer quality fish but Mrs Glover denied this, saying:
"The fish is every bit as good as you buy in shops. I have never been disappointed."
Emeline Pye from Bell Lane added: "I think the shop traders are just jealous because the vans are getting so much custom."
Eric Bromilow was promoting his spin dryers in the St Helens Reporter, saying "all makes supplied 6/- weekly".
The electrical retailer with shops in Baldwin Street and Church Street stated no prices for his machines, assuming all purchases would be made on HP.
The St Helens out of hours chemists' rota in the Reporter listed some long-gone names of pharmacies.
These included Glovers of Ormskirk Street, F. Flynn of Duke Street, A. I. Bender of Lugsmore Lane, Jacksons Ltd of Westfield Street, W. A. Jackson of Higher Parr Street and Joaillet Ltd from Thatto Heath Road.
The only chemist's shops listed that still exist (as far as I know) are P. A. White of North Road and Jacksons pharmacy in Cambridge Road.
Other chemists that were regularly listed in the rota were Warr and Co of Duke Street, H. Frodsham of Concourse Way and T. A. Ashcroft of Westfield Street.
Of all the things that you might expect thieves to steal, prayer books must be at the bottom of the list.
However the Reporter described how more than seventy books had been taken within a day from Lowe House Church (pictured above).
The prayer books had been left on a stand at the rear of the church with visitors invited to take a copy and put their money in a collecting box.
Fr. Thomas Connor felt children would likely have been responsible for the theft with the books having been sold onto parishioners for coppers.
The church had experienced much trouble from kids tampering with fittings when Lowe House had been left open in the afternoons, although they had now reluctantly decided to lock their doors.
"I know that many people like to call in and say a short prayer", said Fr. Connor.
"But one has to judge their desire against the amount of damage that could be done. We just daren't leave the church open."
There was an advertising feature in the Reporter on the shops in Westfield Street with a particular focus on R. S. Slinn at nos. 96 /98 and M. J. Hayward at no. 33.
Henry Slinn, the father of Reginald Slinn, had founded the former in 1894. I think it is his Henry's grandson Eric who is still fulfilling decorating needs from Hill Street.
Michael Hayward's children's outfitter's was even older, having been founded by his grandfather in the 1860s.
Other advertisers in the feature included Thomas Foster & Sons, who went back even further than Haywards!
They claimed to have been established in 1842 and had just opened their new shop at 37 Westfield Street offering "all your aquarium requirements".
Foster's also had florists – or "floral departments", as they preferred to call them – in Hardshaw Street and Ormskirk Street.
Couldwell Hearing Services did not claim any vintage in their ad but offered the usual hearing aids and batteries for the hard of hearing from their premises at 26 Westfield Street.
"You can relax when you book with St. Helens leading travel agent", claimed Ellison's Travel Service who was at no. 28.
On the 28th St Helens YMCA's Youth Club held a dance with the music provided by the curiously named Barny Googles Booze Band with Radio Doom.
And finally a cinema guide. For seven days from March 1st the ABC Savoy started screening 'Women in Love' starring Alan Bates and Glenda Jackson – "love in its widest, freest sense", said their advert.
Meanwhile the Capitol was showing Alfred Hitchcock's spy thriller 'Topaz'.
Next week's stories will include the 6-year-old Thatto Heath housing estate that was becoming a slum, the "devilish" noise from British Sidac, the new Rivington School, the Fleet Lane factory strike and a councillor's claim that the town was still living in the days of the horse and carriage.
Sir Alastair Pilkington the inventor of the float glass process which is shown on the right
Sir Alastair Pilkington the inventor of the float glass process
Sir Alastair Pilkington
The investiture was for services to technology as the inventor of float glass, a technique that had revolutionised glass-making.
Janet Jones – described as a sales assistant from St Helens – was pictured in the Liverpool Echo on the 24th.
The 24-year-old was a contestant in the paper's girl-of-the-month competition with a prize worth 20 guineas going to the winner of the Miss February title.
St Helens Council met on the 25th and approved their controversial rent-rise plan.
Tenants of council houses would be asked to pay up to 19s 7d extra a week, with a few told to pay even more.
The Corporation had 12,000 tenants and the rise for some would be in excess of the Ministry of Housing's maximum permitted increase of ten shillings.
So the Government had the power to block the proposal but Councillor Tom Harvey – the chairman of the Housing Committee – pointed out that a "very good" rent rebate scheme had been produced.
There was much industrial unrest in St Helens at this time. On the 25th 350 workers at Crosby Spring Interiors walked out of their Fleet Lane factory over a pay dispute.
They made spring seating for the motor industry and the unofficial strike would continue for some weeks.
On the 26th 900 shift workers at the UGB Sherdley and Peasley bottlemaking plants downed tools.
The strikers were protesting over a sixpence an hour pay increase that they felt was insufficient but they returned to work for the evening shift.
David Gibb from View Road in Rainhill had a letter published in the Liverpool Echo on the 26th praising the Water Board for the efficiency of its service.
At 9:30am on a Saturday morning David had reported a problem with the water supply to his house.
Thirty minutes later inspectors called and apologised for the fact that little could be done until Monday.
However at 1:30pm a number of workmen arrived from Liverpool, discovered a blocked main and rectified the fault.
A big story in the Reporter on the 27th bore the headline "Pirate Cabbies: War Declared" and told how taxi boss Thomas Farrell was fighting back against part-time drivers.
Mr Farrell claimed that all an ordinary motorist had to do to run a taxi service was stick a sign in his car window and he could operate unchecked without a licence.
If the driver bothered to apply to St Helens Council for a taxi licence, they were handed over for just 5 shillings without any questions being asked – although a vehicle inspection cost £1.
As a result the streets during the evenings were full of "pirate" taxis manned by tired individuals who had already done a day's work.
Mr Farrell alleged that one taxi firm was manned exclusively by off-duty firemen and argued that licences should only be granted to persons who were running taxis for a living.
Horace Mitchell was the owner of Taylor's Taxis and he was in agreement with Thomas Farrell, saying:
"We work hard during the day trying to establish a good service, taking people to hospitals and so on – and these part-time boys come out at night to pinch the cream.
“There is a safety factor involved. These part-time men work every night – often going out straight after coming home from work. They are bound to be very tired."
Thomas Farrell was now campaigning for tighter regulation of taxi drivers by St Helens Council and was calling on the town's MP, Leslie Spriggs, and the Mayor, Tom Wilcock, to take action.
A Mrs E. Darwin from Harlow Close in Sutton Heath had a very critical letter published in the paper about the rent rises for council house tenants.
She wrote: "Why not get a larger area for the gipsy caravans and then some of us can join them instead of being penalised with high rents which an ordinary working man can’t afford."
However Mrs Darwin's criticisms also extended to the state of St Helens itself:
"Everywhere you go is dilapidated and miserable. Why not start rebuilding now and councillors, stop making the town look as if it has been bombed. I only wish I was younger to get out of this dump."
The Reporter also wrote about a dispute between local councillors and a quarrying firm, which they called "The Battle of Billinge Hill".
Billinge Council claimed that Joseph Pickavance Ltd had blown up, dug up or covered up public footpaths that belonged to the village.
However the quarriers claimed to have planning permission to mine Billinge "Lump" and recognised only one footpath on the County map.
For more than three hours last week the councillors had pored over maps in order to – as the Reporter put it – come up with "a master plan" against Pickavance's activities.
Another battle described by the paper was against "fish invaders" – the mobile vans that came into St Helens from Fleetwood each week.
Fish retailers who had to pay rates and other overheads did not appreciate the incomers pinching their trade – but the public loved them.
St Helens Council's Works Committee was considering restrictions on where the vans could park and as a result the fish dealers were organising petitions.
At a fish stall in Forest Road in Sutton Manor over 100 signatures had been obtained in just a few hours.
Margaret Glover from Milton Street told the Reporter: "I buy from here every Tuesday and Friday. The fish is cheaper here and it's a lot more convenient. It's right on our doorsteps."
One St Helens fishmonger had criticised the mobile traders for selling poorer quality fish but Mrs Glover denied this, saying:
"The fish is every bit as good as you buy in shops. I have never been disappointed."
Emeline Pye from Bell Lane added: "I think the shop traders are just jealous because the vans are getting so much custom."
Eric Bromilow was promoting his spin dryers in the St Helens Reporter, saying "all makes supplied 6/- weekly".
The electrical retailer with shops in Baldwin Street and Church Street stated no prices for his machines, assuming all purchases would be made on HP.
The St Helens out of hours chemists' rota in the Reporter listed some long-gone names of pharmacies.
These included Glovers of Ormskirk Street, F. Flynn of Duke Street, A. I. Bender of Lugsmore Lane, Jacksons Ltd of Westfield Street, W. A. Jackson of Higher Parr Street and Joaillet Ltd from Thatto Heath Road.
The only chemist's shops listed that still exist (as far as I know) are P. A. White of North Road and Jacksons pharmacy in Cambridge Road.
Other chemists that were regularly listed in the rota were Warr and Co of Duke Street, H. Frodsham of Concourse Way and T. A. Ashcroft of Westfield Street.
Of all the things that you might expect thieves to steal, prayer books must be at the bottom of the list.
The prayer books had been left on a stand at the rear of the church with visitors invited to take a copy and put their money in a collecting box.
Fr. Thomas Connor felt children would likely have been responsible for the theft with the books having been sold onto parishioners for coppers.
The church had experienced much trouble from kids tampering with fittings when Lowe House had been left open in the afternoons, although they had now reluctantly decided to lock their doors.
"I know that many people like to call in and say a short prayer", said Fr. Connor.
"But one has to judge their desire against the amount of damage that could be done. We just daren't leave the church open."
There was an advertising feature in the Reporter on the shops in Westfield Street with a particular focus on R. S. Slinn at nos. 96 /98 and M. J. Hayward at no. 33.
Henry Slinn, the father of Reginald Slinn, had founded the former in 1894. I think it is his Henry's grandson Eric who is still fulfilling decorating needs from Hill Street.
Michael Hayward's children's outfitter's was even older, having been founded by his grandfather in the 1860s.
Other advertisers in the feature included Thomas Foster & Sons, who went back even further than Haywards!
They claimed to have been established in 1842 and had just opened their new shop at 37 Westfield Street offering "all your aquarium requirements".
Foster's also had florists – or "floral departments", as they preferred to call them – in Hardshaw Street and Ormskirk Street.
Couldwell Hearing Services did not claim any vintage in their ad but offered the usual hearing aids and batteries for the hard of hearing from their premises at 26 Westfield Street.
"You can relax when you book with St. Helens leading travel agent", claimed Ellison's Travel Service who was at no. 28.
On the 28th St Helens YMCA's Youth Club held a dance with the music provided by the curiously named Barny Googles Booze Band with Radio Doom.
And finally a cinema guide. For seven days from March 1st the ABC Savoy started screening 'Women in Love' starring Alan Bates and Glenda Jackson – "love in its widest, freest sense", said their advert.
Meanwhile the Capitol was showing Alfred Hitchcock's spy thriller 'Topaz'.
Next week's stories will include the 6-year-old Thatto Heath housing estate that was becoming a slum, the "devilish" noise from British Sidac, the new Rivington School, the Fleet Lane factory strike and a councillor's claim that the town was still living in the days of the horse and carriage.