FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (25th Feb. - 3rd March 1969)
We begin on the 25th at the Fleece Hotel in Church Street when an auction of land for house building was held, conducted by J. B. & B. Leach. These involved 26 building plots on 3 acres of land in Scholes Lane and plots for a further 26 properties (including 20 bungalows) in Burrows Lane totalling 4½ acres.
On the same day a squabble erupted between Oldham and St Helens ahead of their second round Challenge Cup tie. Saints chairman Harry Cook upset his opposite number by turning up at the Oldham stadium and asking the groundsman for the keys.
The match had been postponed four times because of the big freeze and Cook wanted to check the pitch out. Oldham chairman Percy Carter said: "He got the keys to the ground without our permission. The least he could have done was to ask first. I am very annoyed."
On the 26th two directors of Greenall Whitley issued a statement clarifying press reports that the brewery had donated £1,450 to the Conservative party. Recently a number of Labour clubs had begun banning Watney-Mann ale after they'd announced a £25,000 donation to the Tories.
Once the news broke about Greenall's payments, five St Helens Labour clubs said they were planning to hold meetings to decide whether they should stop selling their products. These clubs were Moss Bank, Portico & Grange Park, Derbyshire Hill, Thatto Heath and Parr.
However the Greenall's directors insisted that no donation had been made to Conservative Central Office, only to local associations upon request. They said they had also given cash to Labour clubs in the past and weren't being one-sided.
It was revealed this week that Charlie Moss from Walkers Lane in Sutton Manor had nominated four council workmen to the Guinness Book of Records as the slowest garden wall builders on record.
He also presented them with a silver cup inscribed: "World Garden Wall Building Record Holders". For four months the six feet high, forty-yard long wall had been built opposite his home with no sign of completion. Charlie told the Daily Mirror on the 27th: "The way it's going they'll still be there next August".
The Capitol screened 'Cat Balou' – starring Jane Fonda and Lee Marvin – for three days from the 27th.
"Homes Are Invaded by Giant Sewer Rats" was the alarming headline on the front page of the Reporter on the 28th. They were referring to a row of terraced houses in Waterdale Crescent in Sutton where a blockage had flooded a sewer.
This had led to rats being driven out into residents' backyards, which were also flooded by foul-smelling water. In places the water was more than a foot deep and the residents had to wade through it to get to their outside toilets.
Worst affected was George Brown at number 12 where flooding was so bad that the coal man had to walk through his front room to get to the coal shed. The problems began last October and Mr Brown was not very complimentary about the Corporation's efforts to resolve them:
"I have spoken to the sanitary department and they said they would send someone to have a look at the flooding. I said it was no use coming to have a look at it and told them to send someone to do something about it. If we did our own jobs at work like they are doing here we would quickly lose our jobs."
Some weeks ago Corporation officials had pumped the area dry and killed many rats but a few days later both rats and water had returned. Another resident, Peter Murphy, complained that his family had been beset by colds and flu since the flooding began.
However the Borough Engineer, George James, told the Reporter that the houses were privately rented and it was the landlord's responsibility to clear the blocked drains. He added that the Corporation had only helped the residents out a few weeks earlier because they were in dire trouble.
I quite like Scarborough but I don't think many travel agents these days would take out large adverts in local newspapers promoting the resort. However the Helena House Travel Service was advertising an eight-day holiday in Scarborough in this week's Reporter.
The "Late Summer Special" would cost £12 10 shillings and include coach travel from Liverpool, full board at a hotel or guest house and excursions to Bridlington, Whitby and Forge Valley. "Book now there will be a terrific demand", said the ad.
A separate advert from Helena House had the headline "New Wigs and Pieces For Old" in which a £2 minimum allowance was being offered for old wigs and £1 for hairpieces. These were available when buying a new wig from the Marcus Wig Boutique on their ground floor: "100% human hair, 12” hair pieces from £4. 10. 0, Fashion wigs from £9. 19. 11".
In fact the Reporter was running a hairdressing adverting feature, which also featured Chadwick's, North Road ("crown your beauty with a new hair style"), The Hairport, Eccleston Street ("for exclusive hair fashions") and Lockhart's, Duke Street ("established for 50 years").
There was also Pamela Ladies Hairdressing, Peter Street ("shampoo and set 7/-"), R. Du-Fay of Oxley's Department Store, Barrow Street ("special perming offer 21/-") and Desmond Gent's Hairdressers, Cooper Street ("men's hairpieces, modern styling").
Also included were Louise Holland, Boundary Road ("wigs our speciality"), Barbara, Peter Street ("cut from 3/-, shampoo & set 6/6"), Ann's Waverley, Derbyshire Hill Road ("latest styling, cutting, colouring techniques") and P. Ellison, George Street ("wigs, hairpieces, colouring, tinting"). Fozards of Bickerstaffe Street ("hair fashion & wig boutique") also had an advert. Are Fozards the only ones of these hairdressers that are still in business?
The Reporter also stated that Helenwood Engineering of Gaskell Street was expanding. The firm re-built automotive and diesel engines and now had 74 staff and would soon be looking for more.
The newspaper's 'Notes From All Quarters About The Town's Organisations' described how the “Y” Club in Parr had recently shown a film call 'Sex - Is It A Four Letter Word?', that featured prostitution, VD and childbirth. Two policemen had also visited their Nunn Street premises, although it was nothing to do with the film! It was to promote a greater understanding between the police and young people.
It was also reported that Rainford Urban District Council were to look into the possibility of operating concessionary bus fares for the over 70s as a result of suggestions from "old people's clubs".
Northern Development Homes were still advertising homes for sale on the new Sherdley Park estate five months after the ads first appeared. This was in the Echo on the 28th: "At last a dream home of your very own! Have you got or can you save £175 in the next 3 - 12 months? If so, you can buy a delightful new home at to-day's guaranteed fixed price on Sherdley Park Estate, St. Helens."
Despite mortgages of up to 95%, they appeared to be struggling to sell the houses. A similar ad was placed in January but applicants had then been expected to find the deposit within six months not twelve.
There was a 'Disco A-Go-Go' in the Starlight Room at Prescot Town's ground in Hope Street on March 1st. The DJ was Al Curtis and admission was 3/6.
The Rhos Male Voice Choir was no doubt in good voice at the Theatre Royal during the evening of the 2nd. A talk on rugby league took place in the Corporation Street theatre on the following day. Keith Macklin and Bernard Ganley delivered the lecture and also showed films of the 1968 rugby league World Cup.
Former Liverpool star Billy Liddell was in Rainford on the 2nd. The man who scored 228 goals for the club between 1938 and 1961 was at All Saints' Church for the christening of Mark Wells from Bushey Lane. Billy was a friend of Mark's Dad, James, and had agreed to be his three-month-old son's Godfather.
To end this week here are some other stories that caught my eye in the national newspapers. The Daily Mirror reported that a ten second cut had been made in 'The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie' for its Royal premiere. The scene showed a group of schoolgirls giggling at a picture of a naked man's torso. The director had decided to make the cut in case the scene embarrassed the Queen Mother.
The Mirror also said that society photographer Linda Eastman was the latest to be linked romantically with Paul McCartney.
David Dimbleby undertook his first major outside TV broadcast when Richard Nixon went to Downing Street. However it led to complaints by the Government over some of the 29-year-old's comments.
These included a remark that Harold Wilson and the President had hired press secretaries "whose job it is to disguise the truth". The officials at 10 Downing Street demanded a copy of the script from the Beeb.
"It's Goodnight Vienna as Best Goes Gay" was a Mirror headline that might confuse readers today. It simply referred to George Best scoring two goals as Manchester United beat Rapid Vienna 3- 0 in the quarter-final of the European Cup.
A new series called 'On the Buses' began on ITV. Reg Varney said he'd prepared for his role by spending a day riding on buses and chatting with crews at a depot in order to absorb the atmosphere.
And finally the Daily Express wrote: "Carrying the hopes of two nations, Concorde 001 took to the air in triumph yesterday to usher in the supersonic era with a “perfect” maiden flight over France." Test pilot Andre Turcat said: "My big bird flies. It flies pretty well."
In next week's stories a runaway spud van crashes into a Thatto Heath home, Carr Mill juniors get in on the space race, there's vandalism on a new Haydock estate, St Helens booms on the jobs front and a big investment is made in RC schools. And in other news, a 12-year-old Bootle boy called Keith Chegwin gets his big break.
On the same day a squabble erupted between Oldham and St Helens ahead of their second round Challenge Cup tie. Saints chairman Harry Cook upset his opposite number by turning up at the Oldham stadium and asking the groundsman for the keys.
The match had been postponed four times because of the big freeze and Cook wanted to check the pitch out. Oldham chairman Percy Carter said: "He got the keys to the ground without our permission. The least he could have done was to ask first. I am very annoyed."
On the 26th two directors of Greenall Whitley issued a statement clarifying press reports that the brewery had donated £1,450 to the Conservative party. Recently a number of Labour clubs had begun banning Watney-Mann ale after they'd announced a £25,000 donation to the Tories.
Once the news broke about Greenall's payments, five St Helens Labour clubs said they were planning to hold meetings to decide whether they should stop selling their products. These clubs were Moss Bank, Portico & Grange Park, Derbyshire Hill, Thatto Heath and Parr.
However the Greenall's directors insisted that no donation had been made to Conservative Central Office, only to local associations upon request. They said they had also given cash to Labour clubs in the past and weren't being one-sided.
It was revealed this week that Charlie Moss from Walkers Lane in Sutton Manor had nominated four council workmen to the Guinness Book of Records as the slowest garden wall builders on record.
He also presented them with a silver cup inscribed: "World Garden Wall Building Record Holders". For four months the six feet high, forty-yard long wall had been built opposite his home with no sign of completion. Charlie told the Daily Mirror on the 27th: "The way it's going they'll still be there next August".
The Capitol screened 'Cat Balou' – starring Jane Fonda and Lee Marvin – for three days from the 27th.
"Homes Are Invaded by Giant Sewer Rats" was the alarming headline on the front page of the Reporter on the 28th. They were referring to a row of terraced houses in Waterdale Crescent in Sutton where a blockage had flooded a sewer.
This had led to rats being driven out into residents' backyards, which were also flooded by foul-smelling water. In places the water was more than a foot deep and the residents had to wade through it to get to their outside toilets.
Worst affected was George Brown at number 12 where flooding was so bad that the coal man had to walk through his front room to get to the coal shed. The problems began last October and Mr Brown was not very complimentary about the Corporation's efforts to resolve them:
"I have spoken to the sanitary department and they said they would send someone to have a look at the flooding. I said it was no use coming to have a look at it and told them to send someone to do something about it. If we did our own jobs at work like they are doing here we would quickly lose our jobs."
Some weeks ago Corporation officials had pumped the area dry and killed many rats but a few days later both rats and water had returned. Another resident, Peter Murphy, complained that his family had been beset by colds and flu since the flooding began.
However the Borough Engineer, George James, told the Reporter that the houses were privately rented and it was the landlord's responsibility to clear the blocked drains. He added that the Corporation had only helped the residents out a few weeks earlier because they were in dire trouble.
I quite like Scarborough but I don't think many travel agents these days would take out large adverts in local newspapers promoting the resort. However the Helena House Travel Service was advertising an eight-day holiday in Scarborough in this week's Reporter.
The "Late Summer Special" would cost £12 10 shillings and include coach travel from Liverpool, full board at a hotel or guest house and excursions to Bridlington, Whitby and Forge Valley. "Book now there will be a terrific demand", said the ad.
A separate advert from Helena House had the headline "New Wigs and Pieces For Old" in which a £2 minimum allowance was being offered for old wigs and £1 for hairpieces. These were available when buying a new wig from the Marcus Wig Boutique on their ground floor: "100% human hair, 12” hair pieces from £4. 10. 0, Fashion wigs from £9. 19. 11".
In fact the Reporter was running a hairdressing adverting feature, which also featured Chadwick's, North Road ("crown your beauty with a new hair style"), The Hairport, Eccleston Street ("for exclusive hair fashions") and Lockhart's, Duke Street ("established for 50 years").
There was also Pamela Ladies Hairdressing, Peter Street ("shampoo and set 7/-"), R. Du-Fay of Oxley's Department Store, Barrow Street ("special perming offer 21/-") and Desmond Gent's Hairdressers, Cooper Street ("men's hairpieces, modern styling").
Also included were Louise Holland, Boundary Road ("wigs our speciality"), Barbara, Peter Street ("cut from 3/-, shampoo & set 6/6"), Ann's Waverley, Derbyshire Hill Road ("latest styling, cutting, colouring techniques") and P. Ellison, George Street ("wigs, hairpieces, colouring, tinting"). Fozards of Bickerstaffe Street ("hair fashion & wig boutique") also had an advert. Are Fozards the only ones of these hairdressers that are still in business?
The Reporter also stated that Helenwood Engineering of Gaskell Street was expanding. The firm re-built automotive and diesel engines and now had 74 staff and would soon be looking for more.
The newspaper's 'Notes From All Quarters About The Town's Organisations' described how the “Y” Club in Parr had recently shown a film call 'Sex - Is It A Four Letter Word?', that featured prostitution, VD and childbirth. Two policemen had also visited their Nunn Street premises, although it was nothing to do with the film! It was to promote a greater understanding between the police and young people.
It was also reported that Rainford Urban District Council were to look into the possibility of operating concessionary bus fares for the over 70s as a result of suggestions from "old people's clubs".
Despite mortgages of up to 95%, they appeared to be struggling to sell the houses. A similar ad was placed in January but applicants had then been expected to find the deposit within six months not twelve.
There was a 'Disco A-Go-Go' in the Starlight Room at Prescot Town's ground in Hope Street on March 1st. The DJ was Al Curtis and admission was 3/6.
The Rhos Male Voice Choir was no doubt in good voice at the Theatre Royal during the evening of the 2nd. A talk on rugby league took place in the Corporation Street theatre on the following day. Keith Macklin and Bernard Ganley delivered the lecture and also showed films of the 1968 rugby league World Cup.
Former Liverpool star Billy Liddell was in Rainford on the 2nd. The man who scored 228 goals for the club between 1938 and 1961 was at All Saints' Church for the christening of Mark Wells from Bushey Lane. Billy was a friend of Mark's Dad, James, and had agreed to be his three-month-old son's Godfather.
To end this week here are some other stories that caught my eye in the national newspapers. The Daily Mirror reported that a ten second cut had been made in 'The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie' for its Royal premiere. The scene showed a group of schoolgirls giggling at a picture of a naked man's torso. The director had decided to make the cut in case the scene embarrassed the Queen Mother.
The Mirror also said that society photographer Linda Eastman was the latest to be linked romantically with Paul McCartney.
David Dimbleby undertook his first major outside TV broadcast when Richard Nixon went to Downing Street. However it led to complaints by the Government over some of the 29-year-old's comments.
These included a remark that Harold Wilson and the President had hired press secretaries "whose job it is to disguise the truth". The officials at 10 Downing Street demanded a copy of the script from the Beeb.
A new series called 'On the Buses' began on ITV. Reg Varney said he'd prepared for his role by spending a day riding on buses and chatting with crews at a depot in order to absorb the atmosphere.
And finally the Daily Express wrote: "Carrying the hopes of two nations, Concorde 001 took to the air in triumph yesterday to usher in the supersonic era with a “perfect” maiden flight over France." Test pilot Andre Turcat said: "My big bird flies. It flies pretty well."
In next week's stories a runaway spud van crashes into a Thatto Heath home, Carr Mill juniors get in on the space race, there's vandalism on a new Haydock estate, St Helens booms on the jobs front and a big investment is made in RC schools. And in other news, a 12-year-old Bootle boy called Keith Chegwin gets his big break.