FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (28th MARCH - 3rd APRIL 1972)
This week's many stories include the vandalising of a new Haydock safety bridge, Saints' fury with the Rugby League over a loan application, St Helens is claimed to have the worst lung cancer rate in the world, the creation of the Siding Lane Nature Reserve, why Hammy the hamster had to vacate Bleak Hill Road and the blind Rainhill woman who could see again after 21 years.
We begin on the 27th when the Liverpool Echo reported that thieves had broken into the Wardens Club in Boundary Road in St Helens and stolen bottles of spirits, cigarettes and the contents of fruit machines. Cash from behind the bar was also taken and the total amounted to £341. Robbers had also taken a cassette recorder worth £44 from Hughes's TV / electrical shop in Westfield Street.
It was the Easter holidays and so the mainly horror and sex films at the Capitol gave way to more family entertainment. Throughout this week the Disney comedy 'The Love Bug' was screened, with afternoon matinees on Thursday and Good Friday. Meanwhile, at the ABC Savoy down Bridge Street, it was the film version of TV's 'Please Sir' that was being shown. And at the Theatre Royal, the Orbit Theatre Company presented 'The Taming of the Shrew' for three days from the 27th.
At Rainford Council's meeting on the 27th, Cllr. Stan Abbott had a bright idea. The chairman of Rainford Planning Committee suggested that a park should be created out of a tip in Siding Lane. At present sand and shale were being excavated from the 27-acre site and the cavities created were in-filled with rubbish.
Cllr. Stan Abbott said: "We should take this opportunity now to create a park for the whole village." The council members agreed with the suggestion and it was decided that their Clerk, Ken Isherwood, should contact Lancashire County Council about the proposal. This appears to have been the genesis of what became the Siding Lane Nature Reserve.
On the 28th the Rugby League’s Finance and General Purposes Committee turned down an application from Saints to borrow £30,000 to build a 300-seater restaurant and social centre in Dunriding Lane. However, the club said they would obtain the funding from private sources but were livid about the rejection. Secretary Basil Lowe said:
"We are disgusted. St. Helens have put probably more money into the League and the banks of other clubs than anyone, but as soon as we ask for a loan, we are turned down. All we were doing, in fact, was to ask to borrow some of our own money. This is a shattering decision. It is no wonder clubs are talking of breaking away and forming a League of their own."
There was good news for motorists within the Parr district this week. It was announced that a stretch of Park Road from Merton Bank Road to Boardmans Lane was going to be reconstructed to what was known as "dual-carriageway standard".
On the 29th the Transport and General Workers Union was fined £5,000 for contempt of court. That was as a result of an application by Heaton's Transport to the National Industrial Relations Court. The union had failed to observe a court order banning the "blacking" of the St Helens' firms vehicles. The order had been the first to be made against a trade union since the court had been established under the Industrial Relations Act.
The dispute was initially over the loading of containers at the docks, with union officials insisting that they be "stuffed and stripped" exclusively by dockworkers. Heaton's of Merton Bank Road complained that their lorries were as a result being denied access to the docks. The court ruled the blacking practice to be unfair – but the union refused to recognise it and did not attend the hearings. However, the £5,000 fine was suspended for a fortnight to allow the union the chance to attend court. But if they failed to show up and ultimately pay the fine – as they said they would – the union's assets would be seized.
Silcock's Pleasure Fair began at Carr Mill on the 30th and lasted for a week. Their advert promised a waltzer, Noah's ark, children's corner and "all the fun of the fair".
The story of Hammy the hamster made the front page of the Reporter on the 30th. That was after the furry pet caused Frank Molyneux to collapse at work. The 44-year-old from Bleak Hill Road was rushed to hospital and doctors initially treated Frank for a heart attack and gave him oxygen. But then they diagnosed a severe asthma attack and after some detective work, it was realised that Hammy was responsible. Frank told the paper:
"We used to have Hammy out in the house and he would run up the curtains and even your trouser leg if you'd let him. Then I started to get short of breath and even a short walk left me tired. I collapsed at work and in hospital they treated me for a heart attack at first. They found out it was asthma but the doctor couldn't find out the cause until he asked if we had any pets and I told him about Hammy. I was in hospital for 12 days and before I could come home Hammy had to go and my wife had to give the house a good clean to get rid of any trace of him." Hammy was now starting a new life as the pet of 13-year-old Michael Balshaw and his brother Nicholas in Lester Drive in Eccleston.
The main story in the Reporter was that new figures disclosed that St Helens had the worst lung cancer rate in the world – although the claim was slightly contrived. The town had the highest incidence of lung cancer in men in the whole Liverpool region during 1971. And as the Merseyside district had since 1959 been considered the world's "blackspot" for cancer, the paper felt able to say St Helens was the worst in the world. However, doctors did not know why the rate should be so high.
"Where To Go and What To Do At Easter" was the name of an advertising feature in the Reporter". The advertisers included: Webster Bros., Bridge Street ("Daily coach service to North Wales to 31st October"); Pilkington Glass Museum, Prescot Road ("Open over Easter weekend from 2-00 p.m. to 4-30 p.m.;"); Helena House Travel Service, Baldwin Street ("When you go with Helena Coaches you experience road travel supreme") and Bill Lewis Sports, Baldwin Street ("Big summer offer at B.L.S. – 38oz. gold label quality terylene filled sleeping bag – our price £4.50").
There was a separate feature on John Marsh & Sons who for many years had sold agricultural products, pet food and gardening goods from their store in New Market Place. But because of the town centre re-development, they had been forced to relocate to North Road.
The Reporter also described how vandals had wrecked a bridge that had been built to protect children from a dangerous canal – only a day after the work had been finished. Wire-netting panels at the sides of the footbridge had been torn open and planks ripped off their nails. As a result, electricity board workers had to return to the canal to strengthen the sides of the bridge and make it safe again.
The bridge was part of the safety measures that had been introduced since the drowning of Helen Sutcliffe last September. The death of the 5-year-old from West End Road in Haydock while walking her family’s dog had led to an investigation by St Helens Corporation officials and the Central Electricity Generating Board into ways of making the canal safer. Changes were made to the weir near where Helen drowned, so that anyone falling in could easily climb out. They also decided to build the footbridge over the weir, as Edward Thorpe, superintendent at Bold Power Station described:
"We put the footbridge up at our own initiative when we saw that whatever we did to the weir, children would still try to get across. We wanted to make it safe for them to do it. The bridge is now perfectly safe again and we shall endeavour to do our best to keep it so. But we want the people of the district to realise we are having to cope with vandalism. It is parents' responsibility to look after their children and they can help us in this problem."
Stephen Highcock was pictured on the front page of the Reporter after donating a huge Easter egg to an orphanage. The six-year-old from Bold Street in St Helens had received the 16lb. egg from Vic Birchall of Cresswell Street who had won it in an Easter raffle organised by Rainford Boys Brigade. But Mr Birchall had decided that his only son, aged 20, was too old for the chocolate egg and so passed it on to young Stephen. Grandma, Selina Highcock, told the Reporter: "He said he wanted to give it to the babies, so we have decided to let an orphanage have it."
And finally, the Liverpool Echo wrote on April 1st how an elderly woman from Warrington Road in Rainhill could see again after 21 years of blindness. Mable Spann had undergone a successful operation at Whiston Hospital but was described as horrified when she saw the length of the nurses' short skirts! However, there were more pleasant sights for the 81-year-old to enjoy, telling the Echo: "Life is so good now. I love to see all the colours and watch the traffic go by, although there are far more cars than I can remember."
Next week's stories will include the topsy-turvy town of St Helens that didn't give a damn about dogs, Sidac warns that the Stinky Brook would get stinkier and the winner of Pilkingtons most glamorous Mrs Mopp contest is announced.
We begin on the 27th when the Liverpool Echo reported that thieves had broken into the Wardens Club in Boundary Road in St Helens and stolen bottles of spirits, cigarettes and the contents of fruit machines. Cash from behind the bar was also taken and the total amounted to £341. Robbers had also taken a cassette recorder worth £44 from Hughes's TV / electrical shop in Westfield Street.
At Rainford Council's meeting on the 27th, Cllr. Stan Abbott had a bright idea. The chairman of Rainford Planning Committee suggested that a park should be created out of a tip in Siding Lane. At present sand and shale were being excavated from the 27-acre site and the cavities created were in-filled with rubbish.
Cllr. Stan Abbott said: "We should take this opportunity now to create a park for the whole village." The council members agreed with the suggestion and it was decided that their Clerk, Ken Isherwood, should contact Lancashire County Council about the proposal. This appears to have been the genesis of what became the Siding Lane Nature Reserve.
On the 28th the Rugby League’s Finance and General Purposes Committee turned down an application from Saints to borrow £30,000 to build a 300-seater restaurant and social centre in Dunriding Lane. However, the club said they would obtain the funding from private sources but were livid about the rejection. Secretary Basil Lowe said:
"We are disgusted. St. Helens have put probably more money into the League and the banks of other clubs than anyone, but as soon as we ask for a loan, we are turned down. All we were doing, in fact, was to ask to borrow some of our own money. This is a shattering decision. It is no wonder clubs are talking of breaking away and forming a League of their own."
There was good news for motorists within the Parr district this week. It was announced that a stretch of Park Road from Merton Bank Road to Boardmans Lane was going to be reconstructed to what was known as "dual-carriageway standard".
On the 29th the Transport and General Workers Union was fined £5,000 for contempt of court. That was as a result of an application by Heaton's Transport to the National Industrial Relations Court. The union had failed to observe a court order banning the "blacking" of the St Helens' firms vehicles. The order had been the first to be made against a trade union since the court had been established under the Industrial Relations Act.
The dispute was initially over the loading of containers at the docks, with union officials insisting that they be "stuffed and stripped" exclusively by dockworkers. Heaton's of Merton Bank Road complained that their lorries were as a result being denied access to the docks. The court ruled the blacking practice to be unfair – but the union refused to recognise it and did not attend the hearings. However, the £5,000 fine was suspended for a fortnight to allow the union the chance to attend court. But if they failed to show up and ultimately pay the fine – as they said they would – the union's assets would be seized.
Silcock's Pleasure Fair began at Carr Mill on the 30th and lasted for a week. Their advert promised a waltzer, Noah's ark, children's corner and "all the fun of the fair".
The story of Hammy the hamster made the front page of the Reporter on the 30th. That was after the furry pet caused Frank Molyneux to collapse at work. The 44-year-old from Bleak Hill Road was rushed to hospital and doctors initially treated Frank for a heart attack and gave him oxygen. But then they diagnosed a severe asthma attack and after some detective work, it was realised that Hammy was responsible. Frank told the paper:
"We used to have Hammy out in the house and he would run up the curtains and even your trouser leg if you'd let him. Then I started to get short of breath and even a short walk left me tired. I collapsed at work and in hospital they treated me for a heart attack at first. They found out it was asthma but the doctor couldn't find out the cause until he asked if we had any pets and I told him about Hammy. I was in hospital for 12 days and before I could come home Hammy had to go and my wife had to give the house a good clean to get rid of any trace of him." Hammy was now starting a new life as the pet of 13-year-old Michael Balshaw and his brother Nicholas in Lester Drive in Eccleston.
The main story in the Reporter was that new figures disclosed that St Helens had the worst lung cancer rate in the world – although the claim was slightly contrived. The town had the highest incidence of lung cancer in men in the whole Liverpool region during 1971. And as the Merseyside district had since 1959 been considered the world's "blackspot" for cancer, the paper felt able to say St Helens was the worst in the world. However, doctors did not know why the rate should be so high.
"Where To Go and What To Do At Easter" was the name of an advertising feature in the Reporter". The advertisers included: Webster Bros., Bridge Street ("Daily coach service to North Wales to 31st October"); Pilkington Glass Museum, Prescot Road ("Open over Easter weekend from 2-00 p.m. to 4-30 p.m.;"); Helena House Travel Service, Baldwin Street ("When you go with Helena Coaches you experience road travel supreme") and Bill Lewis Sports, Baldwin Street ("Big summer offer at B.L.S. – 38oz. gold label quality terylene filled sleeping bag – our price £4.50").
There was a separate feature on John Marsh & Sons who for many years had sold agricultural products, pet food and gardening goods from their store in New Market Place. But because of the town centre re-development, they had been forced to relocate to North Road.
The Reporter also described how vandals had wrecked a bridge that had been built to protect children from a dangerous canal – only a day after the work had been finished. Wire-netting panels at the sides of the footbridge had been torn open and planks ripped off their nails. As a result, electricity board workers had to return to the canal to strengthen the sides of the bridge and make it safe again.
The bridge was part of the safety measures that had been introduced since the drowning of Helen Sutcliffe last September. The death of the 5-year-old from West End Road in Haydock while walking her family’s dog had led to an investigation by St Helens Corporation officials and the Central Electricity Generating Board into ways of making the canal safer. Changes were made to the weir near where Helen drowned, so that anyone falling in could easily climb out. They also decided to build the footbridge over the weir, as Edward Thorpe, superintendent at Bold Power Station described:
"We put the footbridge up at our own initiative when we saw that whatever we did to the weir, children would still try to get across. We wanted to make it safe for them to do it. The bridge is now perfectly safe again and we shall endeavour to do our best to keep it so. But we want the people of the district to realise we are having to cope with vandalism. It is parents' responsibility to look after their children and they can help us in this problem."
Stephen Highcock was pictured on the front page of the Reporter after donating a huge Easter egg to an orphanage. The six-year-old from Bold Street in St Helens had received the 16lb. egg from Vic Birchall of Cresswell Street who had won it in an Easter raffle organised by Rainford Boys Brigade. But Mr Birchall had decided that his only son, aged 20, was too old for the chocolate egg and so passed it on to young Stephen. Grandma, Selina Highcock, told the Reporter: "He said he wanted to give it to the babies, so we have decided to let an orphanage have it."
Next week's stories will include the topsy-turvy town of St Helens that didn't give a damn about dogs, Sidac warns that the Stinky Brook would get stinkier and the winner of Pilkingtons most glamorous Mrs Mopp contest is announced.
This week's many stories include the vandalising of a new Haydock safety bridge, Saints' fury with the Rugby League over a loan application, St Helens is claimed to have the worst lung cancer rate in the world, the creation of the Siding Lane Nature Reserve, why Hammy the hamster had to vacate Bleak Hill Road and the blind Rainhill woman who could see again after 21 years.
We begin on the 27th when the Liverpool Echo reported that thieves had broken into the Wardens Club in Boundary Road in St Helens and stolen bottles of spirits, cigarettes and the contents of fruit machines.
Cash from behind the bar was also taken and the total amounted to £341.
Robbers had also taken a cassette recorder worth £44 from Hughes's TV / electrical shop in Westfield Street.
It was the Easter holidays and so the mainly horror and sex films at the Capitol gave way to more family entertainment.
Throughout this week the Disney comedy 'The Love Bug' was screened, with afternoon matinees on Thursday and Good Friday.
Meanwhile, at the ABC Savoy down Bridge Street, it was the film version of TV's 'Please Sir' that was being shown.
And at the Theatre Royal, the Orbit Theatre Company presented 'The Taming of the Shrew' for three days from the 27th.
At Rainford Council's meeting on the 27th, Cllr. Stan Abbott had a bright idea. The chairman of Rainford Planning Committee suggested that a park should be created out of a tip in Siding Lane.
At present sand and shale were being excavated from the 27-acre site and the cavities created were in-filled with rubbish.
Cllr. Stan Abbott said: "We should take this opportunity now to create a park for the whole village."
The council members agreed with the suggestion and it was decided that their Clerk, Ken Isherwood, should contact Lancashire County Council about the proposal.
This appears to have been the genesis of what became the Siding Lane Nature Reserve.
On the 28th the Rugby League’s Finance and General Purposes Committee turned down an application from Saints to borrow £30,000 to build a 300-seater restaurant and social centre in Dunriding Lane.
However, the club said they would obtain the funding from private sources but were livid about the rejection. Secretary Basil Lowe said:
"We are disgusted. St. Helens have put probably more money into the League and the banks of other clubs than anyone, but as soon as we ask for a loan, we are turned down.
"All we were doing, in fact, was to ask to borrow some of our own money. This is a shattering decision. It is no wonder clubs are talking of breaking away and forming a League of their own."
There was good news for motorists within the Parr district this week.
It was announced that a stretch of Park Road from Merton Bank Road to Boardmans Lane was going to be reconstructed to what was known as "dual-carriageway standard".
On the 29th the Transport and General Workers Union was fined £5,000 for contempt of court.
That was as a result of an application by Heaton's Transport to the National Industrial Relations Court.
The union had failed to observe a court order banning the "blacking" of the St Helens' firms vehicles.
The order had been the first to be made against a trade union since the court had been established under the Industrial Relations Act.
The dispute was initially over the loading of containers at the docks, with union officials insisting that they be "stuffed and stripped" exclusively by dockworkers.
Heaton's of Merton Bank Road complained that their lorries were as a result being denied access to the docks.
The court ruled the blacking practice to be unfair – but the union refused to recognise it and did not attend the hearings.
However, the £5,000 fine was suspended for a fortnight to allow the union the chance to attend court.
But if they failed to show up and ultimately pay the fine – as they said they would – the union's assets would be seized.
Silcock's Pleasure Fair began at Carr Mill on the 30th and lasted for a week. Their advert promised a waltzer, Noah's ark, children's corner and "all the fun of the fair".
The story of Hammy the hamster made the front page of the Reporter on the 30th. That was after the furry pet caused Frank Molyneux to collapse at work.
The 44-year-old from Bleak Hill Road was rushed to hospital and doctors initially treated Frank for a heart attack and gave him oxygen.
But then they diagnosed a severe asthma attack and after some detective work, it was realised that Hammy was responsible. Frank told the paper:
"We used to have Hammy out in the house and he would run up the curtains and even your trouser leg if you'd let him. Then I started to get short of breath and even a short walk left me tired.
"I collapsed at work and in hospital they treated me for a heart attack at first. They found out it was asthma but the doctor couldn’t find out the cause until he asked if we had any pets and I told him about Hammy.
"I was in hospital for 12 days and before I could come home Hammy had to go and my wife had to give the house a good clean to get rid of any trace of him."
Hammy was now starting a new life as the pet of 13-year-old Michael Balshaw and his brother Nicholas in Lester Drive in Eccleston.
The main story in the Reporter was that new figures disclosed that St Helens had the worst lung cancer rate in the world – although the claim was slightly contrived.
The town had the highest incidence of lung cancer in men in the whole Liverpool region during 1971.
And as the Merseyside district had since 1959 been considered the world's "blackspot" for cancer, the paper felt able to say St Helens was the worst in the world. However, doctors did not know why the rate should be so high.
"Where To Go and What To Do At Easter" was the name of an advertising feature in the Reporter". The advertisers included:
Webster Bros., Bridge Street ("Daily coach service to North Wales to 31st October"); Pilkington Glass Museum, Prescot Road ("Open over Easter weekend from 2-00 p.m. to 4-30 p.m.;"); Helena House Travel Service, Baldwin Street ("When you go with Helena Coaches you experience road travel supreme") and Bill Lewis Sports, Baldwin Street ("Big summer offer at B.L.S. – 38oz. gold label quality terylene filled sleeping bag – our price £4.50").
There was a separate feature on John Marsh & Sons who for many years had sold agricultural products, pet food and gardening goods from their store in New Market Place.
But because of the town centre re-development, they had been forced to relocate to North Road.
The Reporter also described how vandals had wrecked a bridge that had been built to protect children from a dangerous canal – only a day after the work had been finished.
Wire-netting panels at the sides of the footbridge had been torn open and planks ripped off their nails.
As a result, electricity board workers had to return to the canal to strengthen the sides of the bridge and make it safe again.
The bridge was part of the safety measures that had been introduced since the drowning of Helen Sutcliffe last September.
The death of the 5-year-old from West End Road in Haydock while walking her family’s dog had led to an investigation by St Helens Corporation officials and the Central Electricity Generating Board into ways of making the canal safer.
Changes were made to the weir near where Helen drowned, so that anyone falling in could easily climb out.
They also decided to build the footbridge over the weir, as Edward Thorpe, superintendent at Bold Power Station described:
"We put the footbridge up at our own initiative when we saw that whatever we did to the weir, children would still try to get across. We wanted to make it safe for them to do it. The bridge is now perfectly safe again and we shall endeavour to do our best to keep it so.
"But we want the people of the district to realise we are having to cope with vandalism. It is parents' responsibility to look after their children and they can help us in this problem."
Stephen Highcock was pictured on the front page of the Reporter after donating a huge Easter egg to an orphanage.
The six-year-old from Bold Street in St Helens had received the 16lb. egg from Vic Birchall of Cresswell Street who had won it in an Easter raffle organised by Rainford Boys Brigade.
But Mr Birchall had decided that his only son, aged 20, was too old for the chocolate egg and so passed it on to young Stephen.
Grandma, Selina Highcock, told the Reporter: "He said he wanted to give it to the babies, so we have decided to let an orphanage have it."
And finally, the Liverpool Echo wrote on April 1st how an elderly woman from Warrington Road in Rainhill could see again after 21 years of blindness.
Mable Spann had undergone a successful operation at Whiston Hospital but was described as horrified when she saw the length of the nurses' short skirts!
However, there were more pleasant sights for the 81-year-old to enjoy, telling the Echo:
"Life is so good now. I love to see all the colours and watch the traffic go by, although there are far more cars than I can remember."
Next week's stories will include the topsy-turvy town of St Helens that didn't give a damn about dogs, Sidac warns that the Stinky Brook would get stinkier and the winner of Pilkingtons most glamorous Mrs Mopp contest is announced.
We begin on the 27th when the Liverpool Echo reported that thieves had broken into the Wardens Club in Boundary Road in St Helens and stolen bottles of spirits, cigarettes and the contents of fruit machines.
Cash from behind the bar was also taken and the total amounted to £341.
Robbers had also taken a cassette recorder worth £44 from Hughes's TV / electrical shop in Westfield Street.
Throughout this week the Disney comedy 'The Love Bug' was screened, with afternoon matinees on Thursday and Good Friday.
Meanwhile, at the ABC Savoy down Bridge Street, it was the film version of TV's 'Please Sir' that was being shown.
And at the Theatre Royal, the Orbit Theatre Company presented 'The Taming of the Shrew' for three days from the 27th.
At Rainford Council's meeting on the 27th, Cllr. Stan Abbott had a bright idea. The chairman of Rainford Planning Committee suggested that a park should be created out of a tip in Siding Lane.
At present sand and shale were being excavated from the 27-acre site and the cavities created were in-filled with rubbish.
Cllr. Stan Abbott said: "We should take this opportunity now to create a park for the whole village."
The council members agreed with the suggestion and it was decided that their Clerk, Ken Isherwood, should contact Lancashire County Council about the proposal.
This appears to have been the genesis of what became the Siding Lane Nature Reserve.
On the 28th the Rugby League’s Finance and General Purposes Committee turned down an application from Saints to borrow £30,000 to build a 300-seater restaurant and social centre in Dunriding Lane.
However, the club said they would obtain the funding from private sources but were livid about the rejection. Secretary Basil Lowe said:
"We are disgusted. St. Helens have put probably more money into the League and the banks of other clubs than anyone, but as soon as we ask for a loan, we are turned down.
"All we were doing, in fact, was to ask to borrow some of our own money. This is a shattering decision. It is no wonder clubs are talking of breaking away and forming a League of their own."
There was good news for motorists within the Parr district this week.
It was announced that a stretch of Park Road from Merton Bank Road to Boardmans Lane was going to be reconstructed to what was known as "dual-carriageway standard".
On the 29th the Transport and General Workers Union was fined £5,000 for contempt of court.
That was as a result of an application by Heaton's Transport to the National Industrial Relations Court.
The union had failed to observe a court order banning the "blacking" of the St Helens' firms vehicles.
The order had been the first to be made against a trade union since the court had been established under the Industrial Relations Act.
The dispute was initially over the loading of containers at the docks, with union officials insisting that they be "stuffed and stripped" exclusively by dockworkers.
Heaton's of Merton Bank Road complained that their lorries were as a result being denied access to the docks.
The court ruled the blacking practice to be unfair – but the union refused to recognise it and did not attend the hearings.
However, the £5,000 fine was suspended for a fortnight to allow the union the chance to attend court.
But if they failed to show up and ultimately pay the fine – as they said they would – the union's assets would be seized.
Silcock's Pleasure Fair began at Carr Mill on the 30th and lasted for a week. Their advert promised a waltzer, Noah's ark, children's corner and "all the fun of the fair".
The story of Hammy the hamster made the front page of the Reporter on the 30th. That was after the furry pet caused Frank Molyneux to collapse at work.
The 44-year-old from Bleak Hill Road was rushed to hospital and doctors initially treated Frank for a heart attack and gave him oxygen.
But then they diagnosed a severe asthma attack and after some detective work, it was realised that Hammy was responsible. Frank told the paper:
"We used to have Hammy out in the house and he would run up the curtains and even your trouser leg if you'd let him. Then I started to get short of breath and even a short walk left me tired.
"I collapsed at work and in hospital they treated me for a heart attack at first. They found out it was asthma but the doctor couldn’t find out the cause until he asked if we had any pets and I told him about Hammy.
"I was in hospital for 12 days and before I could come home Hammy had to go and my wife had to give the house a good clean to get rid of any trace of him."
Hammy was now starting a new life as the pet of 13-year-old Michael Balshaw and his brother Nicholas in Lester Drive in Eccleston.
The main story in the Reporter was that new figures disclosed that St Helens had the worst lung cancer rate in the world – although the claim was slightly contrived.
The town had the highest incidence of lung cancer in men in the whole Liverpool region during 1971.
And as the Merseyside district had since 1959 been considered the world's "blackspot" for cancer, the paper felt able to say St Helens was the worst in the world. However, doctors did not know why the rate should be so high.
"Where To Go and What To Do At Easter" was the name of an advertising feature in the Reporter". The advertisers included:
Webster Bros., Bridge Street ("Daily coach service to North Wales to 31st October"); Pilkington Glass Museum, Prescot Road ("Open over Easter weekend from 2-00 p.m. to 4-30 p.m.;"); Helena House Travel Service, Baldwin Street ("When you go with Helena Coaches you experience road travel supreme") and Bill Lewis Sports, Baldwin Street ("Big summer offer at B.L.S. – 38oz. gold label quality terylene filled sleeping bag – our price £4.50").
There was a separate feature on John Marsh & Sons who for many years had sold agricultural products, pet food and gardening goods from their store in New Market Place.
But because of the town centre re-development, they had been forced to relocate to North Road.
The Reporter also described how vandals had wrecked a bridge that had been built to protect children from a dangerous canal – only a day after the work had been finished.
Wire-netting panels at the sides of the footbridge had been torn open and planks ripped off their nails.
As a result, electricity board workers had to return to the canal to strengthen the sides of the bridge and make it safe again.
The bridge was part of the safety measures that had been introduced since the drowning of Helen Sutcliffe last September.
The death of the 5-year-old from West End Road in Haydock while walking her family’s dog had led to an investigation by St Helens Corporation officials and the Central Electricity Generating Board into ways of making the canal safer.
Changes were made to the weir near where Helen drowned, so that anyone falling in could easily climb out.
They also decided to build the footbridge over the weir, as Edward Thorpe, superintendent at Bold Power Station described:
"We put the footbridge up at our own initiative when we saw that whatever we did to the weir, children would still try to get across. We wanted to make it safe for them to do it. The bridge is now perfectly safe again and we shall endeavour to do our best to keep it so.
"But we want the people of the district to realise we are having to cope with vandalism. It is parents' responsibility to look after their children and they can help us in this problem."
Stephen Highcock was pictured on the front page of the Reporter after donating a huge Easter egg to an orphanage.
The six-year-old from Bold Street in St Helens had received the 16lb. egg from Vic Birchall of Cresswell Street who had won it in an Easter raffle organised by Rainford Boys Brigade.
But Mr Birchall had decided that his only son, aged 20, was too old for the chocolate egg and so passed it on to young Stephen.
Grandma, Selina Highcock, told the Reporter: "He said he wanted to give it to the babies, so we have decided to let an orphanage have it."
Mable Spann had undergone a successful operation at Whiston Hospital but was described as horrified when she saw the length of the nurses' short skirts!
However, there were more pleasant sights for the 81-year-old to enjoy, telling the Echo:
"Life is so good now. I love to see all the colours and watch the traffic go by, although there are far more cars than I can remember."
Next week's stories will include the topsy-turvy town of St Helens that didn't give a damn about dogs, Sidac warns that the Stinky Brook would get stinkier and the winner of Pilkingtons most glamorous Mrs Mopp contest is announced.