FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK 28 JULY - 3 AUGUST 1975
This week's many stories include the Rugby Union row at Moss Lane over Ray French, Greenall's announce the closure date of their St Helens brewery, the Eccleston woman who lost nearly 30 stone in weight, concern over the dangers of Sutton Mill Dam, Leathers gesture of faith in the future of their controversial sulphuric acid plant and three derelict land reclamation projects are announced.
We begin at the Rainhill Parish Council meeting on the 28th when Cllr Ron Berry claimed that he had seen gangs of youths brandishing knives on the footpath between Stapleton Road and the Two Butt Lane playing field. The council had set up a group to investigate the matter after a resident claimed that youths were congregating on the path and causing a disturbance.
An extraordinary story was told in St Helens Magistrates Court on the 28th when two men were charged with burglary with intent. After breaking into Gavin Murray's garage in Boundary Road they found another man was already inside stealing a mini! And one of the two burglars kindly held the garage doors open to help the thief drive the stolen mini away. One man from Lingholme Road was fined £20 and the case against the other was adjourned, with the mini thief seemingly being unknown.
Barbara Gordon-Jones of Barrowfield Road in Eccleston was the Liverpool Echo's guest TV critic on the 30th giving her views on a programme that the Radio Times called: "The Times Of Their Lives: A side-long glance at Barbara Castle". The former Minister for Transport was now in charge of Social Services and 16-year-old Barbara in her eloquent appraisal did not think much of the show, writing:
"Far from delving, as the Radio Times promised, into the life and actions of a northern M.P., the conversation between the Right Honourable Barbara Castle, M.P. and the right-patronising Gerald Harrison, B.B.C., only delicately or maybe, discreetly, peeled the rind off the obviously toothsome cheese."
An advert in the Echo stated that Ratners Jewellers were to open a branch in St Helens soon and were looking for a sales assistant and a trainee manager. In the Ormskirk Advertiser on the 31st there was an advert for the Hugh Lewis Nursery Outdoor Centre which was based at Siding Lane in Rainford. They were open 7 days a week and had over 30 tents erected for outdoor types to choose from.
The St Helens Reporter on August 1st described how three derelict land reclamation projects were planned for the town at a total cost of £44,000. However, the council was hoping that they would ultimately cost next to nothing, as each one would likely qualify for a 100% government grant.
One scheme concerned the old mineral railway in Sutton Manor that would involve an extension from the King George V field and a landscaped link between Jubits Lane and Walkers Lane. The second proposed reclamation project would take in a canal-side strip from Corporation Street to Pocket Nook and turn it into parkland. To make a canal walk possible, the council intended to buy a strip of disused railway nearby to relocate businesses. And the third scheme was a clean up of a spoil tip at the Leyland Green Colliery in Garswood.
The Reporter also stated that as many as 16 players had left St Helens RUFC at Moss Lane to join other clubs after a row over the sacking of Ray French. Initially it was believed that Ray had been dismissed as coach of the rugby union team because of his rugby league connections. But it was now revealed that the committee felt the former Saints and Widnes player was eroding their power of selection. Lancashire player Ian Ball told the Reporter: "The committee never had the courtesy to thank him for what he has done for the club. Ray more or less brought us all up. We hoped to build St. Helens RU into a big club, but I cannot see that happening now."
The St Helens Brewery had been founded in Hall Street in 1762 and as Greenall's or Greenall Whitley the firm continued their beer-making operations in St Helens for 210 years. Suddenly, on January 20th 1972 the shock announcement was made that the site (shown above) was to shut in three years time. The exact closure date had not been revealed but this week the firm announced that they would be closing their brewery in St Helens in September and then gave a fuller explanation for the shut down.
Company director David Griffith said: "We wanted to invest in new brewing, bottling and fermenting plants. But there is no room at St. Helens. The brewery is completely surrounded. The alternative was to expand at Warrington instead." Over the last three years the Hall Street plant had been run down and only 15 workers remained, although 60 would continue in their St Helens distribution centre until that closed in 1976. Although all would be made redundant, Greenall's said some might be able to be found jobs in Warrington.
Last March St Helens Council had taken what the Reporter called the "revolutionary" decision to close down Leathers Chemicals in Sutton due to years of complaints from local residents. The sulphuric acid factory's fate now lay with Anthony Crosland, the Secretary of State for the Environment, who had to give his blessing to the decision.
However, Leathers seemed confident that the Secretary would rule in their favour as this week the surprise announcement was made that next Monday a £300,000 refit would begin in Lancots Lane. The company said the investment was a "gesture of faith in the future" of the firm in St Helens and would involve a 12-week shut down of its operations while the work took place.
In another story parents living in Woolacombe Avenue in Sutton Leach told the Reporter that they were concerned for their children's safety. They said vandals had damaged a fence adjoining their youngsters' play area and the children were in danger of a 40 feet drop into the waters of Sutton Mill Dam. British Sidac was the owner of the waterway and said they were in discussion with the council over whose responsibility it was to carry out repairs.
Elsie Rogers of Millwood Avenue in Eccleston was featured in the Reporter after losing nearly 30 stones in weight. The 38-year-old had tipped the scales at 40 stones and had been warned that she only had a month to live unless drastic action was taken. "I couldn’t put on my tights or bend over to lace my shoes," admitted Elsie.
"When guests came to the house I would stay in my chair – the truth was I was wedged in and could get out only if someone pulled hard." Elsie said the most humiliating thing was trying to be weighed at Whiston Hospital, as their scales didn't go up to 40 stones. But now as a slim 11 stones 8 ozs, she said she felt like a new woman and was able to resist cream cakes and sweets without any trouble.
And finally, on the 3rd the ABC Savoy replaced 'The Four Musketeers', starring Oliver Reed and Raquel Welch with 'What's Up Doc!' starring Barbra Streisand and Ryan O’Neil. And the Capitol Cinema replaced 'Papillon' with an X-rated horror double-feature of 'Blood on Satan's Claw' and 'The Beast in the Cellar'. That was for one day only, with Disney's 'The Sword in the Stone' shown for the rest of the week.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the plans to create the Chain Lane Community Centre, British Sidac announce 200 job cuts, a violent storm hits St Helens and Hepworths and Modelle bring more style to St Helens as they open new shops.
We begin at the Rainhill Parish Council meeting on the 28th when Cllr Ron Berry claimed that he had seen gangs of youths brandishing knives on the footpath between Stapleton Road and the Two Butt Lane playing field. The council had set up a group to investigate the matter after a resident claimed that youths were congregating on the path and causing a disturbance.
An extraordinary story was told in St Helens Magistrates Court on the 28th when two men were charged with burglary with intent. After breaking into Gavin Murray's garage in Boundary Road they found another man was already inside stealing a mini! And one of the two burglars kindly held the garage doors open to help the thief drive the stolen mini away. One man from Lingholme Road was fined £20 and the case against the other was adjourned, with the mini thief seemingly being unknown.
Barbara Gordon-Jones of Barrowfield Road in Eccleston was the Liverpool Echo's guest TV critic on the 30th giving her views on a programme that the Radio Times called: "The Times Of Their Lives: A side-long glance at Barbara Castle". The former Minister for Transport was now in charge of Social Services and 16-year-old Barbara in her eloquent appraisal did not think much of the show, writing:
"Far from delving, as the Radio Times promised, into the life and actions of a northern M.P., the conversation between the Right Honourable Barbara Castle, M.P. and the right-patronising Gerald Harrison, B.B.C., only delicately or maybe, discreetly, peeled the rind off the obviously toothsome cheese."
An advert in the Echo stated that Ratners Jewellers were to open a branch in St Helens soon and were looking for a sales assistant and a trainee manager. In the Ormskirk Advertiser on the 31st there was an advert for the Hugh Lewis Nursery Outdoor Centre which was based at Siding Lane in Rainford. They were open 7 days a week and had over 30 tents erected for outdoor types to choose from.
The St Helens Reporter on August 1st described how three derelict land reclamation projects were planned for the town at a total cost of £44,000. However, the council was hoping that they would ultimately cost next to nothing, as each one would likely qualify for a 100% government grant.
One scheme concerned the old mineral railway in Sutton Manor that would involve an extension from the King George V field and a landscaped link between Jubits Lane and Walkers Lane. The second proposed reclamation project would take in a canal-side strip from Corporation Street to Pocket Nook and turn it into parkland. To make a canal walk possible, the council intended to buy a strip of disused railway nearby to relocate businesses. And the third scheme was a clean up of a spoil tip at the Leyland Green Colliery in Garswood.
The Reporter also stated that as many as 16 players had left St Helens RUFC at Moss Lane to join other clubs after a row over the sacking of Ray French. Initially it was believed that Ray had been dismissed as coach of the rugby union team because of his rugby league connections. But it was now revealed that the committee felt the former Saints and Widnes player was eroding their power of selection. Lancashire player Ian Ball told the Reporter: "The committee never had the courtesy to thank him for what he has done for the club. Ray more or less brought us all up. We hoped to build St. Helens RU into a big club, but I cannot see that happening now."
Company director David Griffith said: "We wanted to invest in new brewing, bottling and fermenting plants. But there is no room at St. Helens. The brewery is completely surrounded. The alternative was to expand at Warrington instead." Over the last three years the Hall Street plant had been run down and only 15 workers remained, although 60 would continue in their St Helens distribution centre until that closed in 1976. Although all would be made redundant, Greenall's said some might be able to be found jobs in Warrington.
Last March St Helens Council had taken what the Reporter called the "revolutionary" decision to close down Leathers Chemicals in Sutton due to years of complaints from local residents. The sulphuric acid factory's fate now lay with Anthony Crosland, the Secretary of State for the Environment, who had to give his blessing to the decision.
However, Leathers seemed confident that the Secretary would rule in their favour as this week the surprise announcement was made that next Monday a £300,000 refit would begin in Lancots Lane. The company said the investment was a "gesture of faith in the future" of the firm in St Helens and would involve a 12-week shut down of its operations while the work took place.
In another story parents living in Woolacombe Avenue in Sutton Leach told the Reporter that they were concerned for their children's safety. They said vandals had damaged a fence adjoining their youngsters' play area and the children were in danger of a 40 feet drop into the waters of Sutton Mill Dam. British Sidac was the owner of the waterway and said they were in discussion with the council over whose responsibility it was to carry out repairs.
Elsie Rogers of Millwood Avenue in Eccleston was featured in the Reporter after losing nearly 30 stones in weight. The 38-year-old had tipped the scales at 40 stones and had been warned that she only had a month to live unless drastic action was taken. "I couldn’t put on my tights or bend over to lace my shoes," admitted Elsie.
"When guests came to the house I would stay in my chair – the truth was I was wedged in and could get out only if someone pulled hard." Elsie said the most humiliating thing was trying to be weighed at Whiston Hospital, as their scales didn't go up to 40 stones. But now as a slim 11 stones 8 ozs, she said she felt like a new woman and was able to resist cream cakes and sweets without any trouble.
And finally, on the 3rd the ABC Savoy replaced 'The Four Musketeers', starring Oliver Reed and Raquel Welch with 'What's Up Doc!' starring Barbra Streisand and Ryan O’Neil. And the Capitol Cinema replaced 'Papillon' with an X-rated horror double-feature of 'Blood on Satan's Claw' and 'The Beast in the Cellar'. That was for one day only, with Disney's 'The Sword in the Stone' shown for the rest of the week.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the plans to create the Chain Lane Community Centre, British Sidac announce 200 job cuts, a violent storm hits St Helens and Hepworths and Modelle bring more style to St Helens as they open new shops.
This week's many stories include the Rugby Union row at Moss Lane over Ray French, Greenall's announce the closure date of their St Helens brewery, the Eccleston woman who lost nearly 30 stone in weight, concern over the dangers of Sutton Mill Dam, Leathers gesture of faith in the future of their controversial sulphuric acid plant and three derelict land reclamation projects are announced.
We begin at the Rainhill Parish Council meeting on the 28th when Cllr Ron Berry claimed that he had seen gangs of youths brandishing knives on the footpath between Stapleton Road and the Two Butt Lane playing field.
The council had set up a group to investigate the matter after a resident claimed that youths were congregating on the path and causing a disturbance.
An extraordinary story was told in St Helens Magistrates Court on the 28th when two men were charged with burglary with intent.
After breaking into Gavin Murray's garage in Boundary Road they found another man was already inside stealing a mini!
And one of the two burglars kindly held the garage doors open to help the thief drive the stolen mini away.
One man from Lingholme Road was fined £20 and the case against the other was adjourned, with the mini thief seemingly being unknown.
Barbara Gordon-Jones of Barrowfield Road in Eccleston was the Liverpool Echo's guest TV critic on the 30th giving her views on a programme that the Radio Times called: "The Times Of Their Lives: A side-long glance at Barbara Castle".
The former Minister for Transport was now in charge of Social Services and 16-year-old Barbara in her eloquent appraisal did not think much of the show, writing:
"Far from delving, as the Radio Times promised, into the life and actions of a northern M.P., the conversation between the Right Honourable Barbara Castle, M.P. and the right-patronising Gerald Harrison, B.B.C., only delicately or maybe, discreetly, peeled the rind off the obviously toothsome cheese."
An advert in the Echo stated that Ratners Jewellers were to open a branch in St Helens soon and were looking for a sales assistant and a trainee manager.
In the Ormskirk Advertiser on the 31st there was an advert for the Hugh Lewis Nursery Outdoor Centre which was based at Siding Lane in Rainford.
They were open 7 days a week and had over 30 tents erected for outdoor types to choose from.
The St Helens Reporter on August 1st described how three derelict land reclamation projects were planned for the town at a total cost of £44,000.
However, the council was hoping that they would ultimately cost next to nothing, as each one would likely qualify for a 100% government grant.
One scheme concerned the old mineral railway in Sutton Manor that would involve an extension from the King George V field and a landscaped link between Jubits Lane and Walkers Lane.
The second proposed reclamation project would take in a canal-side strip from Corporation Street to Pocket Nook and turn it into parkland.
To make a canal walk possible, the council intended to buy a strip of disused railway nearby to relocate businesses.
And the third scheme was a clean up of a spoil tip at the Leyland Green Colliery in Garswood.
The Reporter also stated that as many as 16 players had left St Helens RUFC at Moss Lane to join other clubs after a row over the sacking of Ray French.
Initially it was believed that Ray had been dismissed as coach of the rugby union team because of his rugby league connections.
But it was now revealed that the committee felt the former Saints and Widnes player was eroding their power of selection.
Lancashire player Ian Ball told the Reporter: "The committee never had the courtesy to thank him for what he has done for the club. Ray more or less brought us all up. We hoped to build St. Helens RU into a big club, but I cannot see that happening now."
The St Helens Brewery had been founded in Hall Street in 1762 and as Greenall's or Greenall Whitley the firm continued their beer-making operations in St Helens for 210 years.
Suddenly, on January 20th 1972 the shock announcement was made that the site (shown above) was to shut in three years time.
The exact closure date had not been revealed but this week the firm announced that they would be closing their brewery in St Helens in September and then gave a fuller explanation for the shut down.
Company director David Griffith said: "We wanted to invest in new brewing, bottling and fermenting plants. But there is no room at St. Helens. The brewery is completely surrounded. The alternative was to expand at Warrington instead."
Over the last three years the Hall Street plant had been run down and only 15 workers remained, although 60 would continue in their St Helens distribution centre until that closed in 1976.
Although all would be made redundant, Greenall's said some might be able to be found jobs in Warrington.
Last March St Helens Council had taken what the Reporter called the "revolutionary" decision to close down Leathers Chemicals in Sutton due to years of complaints from local residents.
The sulphuric acid factory's fate now lay with Anthony Crosland, the Secretary of State for the Environment, who had to give his blessing to the decision.
However, Leathers seemed confident that the Secretary would rule in their favour as this week the surprise announcement was made that next Monday a £300,000 refit would begin in Lancots Lane.
The company said the investment was a "gesture of faith in the future" of the firm in St Helens and would involve a 12-week shut down of its operations while the work took place.
In another story parents living in Woolacombe Avenue in Sutton Leach told the Reporter that they were concerned for their children's safety.
They said vandals had damaged a fence adjoining their youngsters' play area and the children were in danger of a 40 feet drop into the waters of Sutton Mill Dam.
British Sidac was the owner of the waterway and said they were in discussion with the council over whose responsibility it was to carry out repairs.
Elsie Rogers of Millwood Avenue in Eccleston was featured in the Reporter after losing nearly 30 stones in weight.
The 38-year-old had tipped the scales at 40 stones and had been warned that she only had a month to live unless drastic action was taken.
"I couldn’t put on my tights or bend over to lace my shoes," admitted Elsie. "When guests came to the house I would stay in my chair – the truth was I was wedged in and could get out only if someone pulled hard."
Elsie said the most humiliating thing was trying to be weighed at Whiston Hospital, as their scales didn't go up to 40 stones.
But now as a slim 11 stones 8 ozs, she said she felt like a new woman and was able to resist cream cakes and sweets without any trouble.
And finally, on the 3rd the ABC Savoy replaced 'The Four Musketeers', starring Oliver Reed and Raquel Welch with 'What's Up Doc!' starring Barbra Streisand and Ryan O’Neil.
And the Capitol Cinema replaced 'Papillon' with an X-rated horror double-feature of 'Blood on Satan's Claw' and 'The Beast in the Cellar'.
That was for one day only, with Disney's 'The Sword in the Stone' shown for the rest of the week.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the plans to create the Chain Lane Community Centre, British Sidac announce 200 job cuts, a violent storm hits St Helens and Hepworths and Modelle bring more style to St Helens as they open new shops.
We begin at the Rainhill Parish Council meeting on the 28th when Cllr Ron Berry claimed that he had seen gangs of youths brandishing knives on the footpath between Stapleton Road and the Two Butt Lane playing field.
The council had set up a group to investigate the matter after a resident claimed that youths were congregating on the path and causing a disturbance.
An extraordinary story was told in St Helens Magistrates Court on the 28th when two men were charged with burglary with intent.
After breaking into Gavin Murray's garage in Boundary Road they found another man was already inside stealing a mini!
And one of the two burglars kindly held the garage doors open to help the thief drive the stolen mini away.
One man from Lingholme Road was fined £20 and the case against the other was adjourned, with the mini thief seemingly being unknown.
Barbara Gordon-Jones of Barrowfield Road in Eccleston was the Liverpool Echo's guest TV critic on the 30th giving her views on a programme that the Radio Times called: "The Times Of Their Lives: A side-long glance at Barbara Castle".
The former Minister for Transport was now in charge of Social Services and 16-year-old Barbara in her eloquent appraisal did not think much of the show, writing:
"Far from delving, as the Radio Times promised, into the life and actions of a northern M.P., the conversation between the Right Honourable Barbara Castle, M.P. and the right-patronising Gerald Harrison, B.B.C., only delicately or maybe, discreetly, peeled the rind off the obviously toothsome cheese."
An advert in the Echo stated that Ratners Jewellers were to open a branch in St Helens soon and were looking for a sales assistant and a trainee manager.
In the Ormskirk Advertiser on the 31st there was an advert for the Hugh Lewis Nursery Outdoor Centre which was based at Siding Lane in Rainford.
They were open 7 days a week and had over 30 tents erected for outdoor types to choose from.
The St Helens Reporter on August 1st described how three derelict land reclamation projects were planned for the town at a total cost of £44,000.
However, the council was hoping that they would ultimately cost next to nothing, as each one would likely qualify for a 100% government grant.
One scheme concerned the old mineral railway in Sutton Manor that would involve an extension from the King George V field and a landscaped link between Jubits Lane and Walkers Lane.
The second proposed reclamation project would take in a canal-side strip from Corporation Street to Pocket Nook and turn it into parkland.
To make a canal walk possible, the council intended to buy a strip of disused railway nearby to relocate businesses.
And the third scheme was a clean up of a spoil tip at the Leyland Green Colliery in Garswood.
The Reporter also stated that as many as 16 players had left St Helens RUFC at Moss Lane to join other clubs after a row over the sacking of Ray French.
Initially it was believed that Ray had been dismissed as coach of the rugby union team because of his rugby league connections.
But it was now revealed that the committee felt the former Saints and Widnes player was eroding their power of selection.
Lancashire player Ian Ball told the Reporter: "The committee never had the courtesy to thank him for what he has done for the club. Ray more or less brought us all up. We hoped to build St. Helens RU into a big club, but I cannot see that happening now."
The St Helens Brewery had been founded in Hall Street in 1762 and as Greenall's or Greenall Whitley the firm continued their beer-making operations in St Helens for 210 years.
The exact closure date had not been revealed but this week the firm announced that they would be closing their brewery in St Helens in September and then gave a fuller explanation for the shut down.
Company director David Griffith said: "We wanted to invest in new brewing, bottling and fermenting plants. But there is no room at St. Helens. The brewery is completely surrounded. The alternative was to expand at Warrington instead."
Over the last three years the Hall Street plant had been run down and only 15 workers remained, although 60 would continue in their St Helens distribution centre until that closed in 1976.
Although all would be made redundant, Greenall's said some might be able to be found jobs in Warrington.
Last March St Helens Council had taken what the Reporter called the "revolutionary" decision to close down Leathers Chemicals in Sutton due to years of complaints from local residents.
The sulphuric acid factory's fate now lay with Anthony Crosland, the Secretary of State for the Environment, who had to give his blessing to the decision.
However, Leathers seemed confident that the Secretary would rule in their favour as this week the surprise announcement was made that next Monday a £300,000 refit would begin in Lancots Lane.
The company said the investment was a "gesture of faith in the future" of the firm in St Helens and would involve a 12-week shut down of its operations while the work took place.
In another story parents living in Woolacombe Avenue in Sutton Leach told the Reporter that they were concerned for their children's safety.
They said vandals had damaged a fence adjoining their youngsters' play area and the children were in danger of a 40 feet drop into the waters of Sutton Mill Dam.
British Sidac was the owner of the waterway and said they were in discussion with the council over whose responsibility it was to carry out repairs.
Elsie Rogers of Millwood Avenue in Eccleston was featured in the Reporter after losing nearly 30 stones in weight.
The 38-year-old had tipped the scales at 40 stones and had been warned that she only had a month to live unless drastic action was taken.
"I couldn’t put on my tights or bend over to lace my shoes," admitted Elsie. "When guests came to the house I would stay in my chair – the truth was I was wedged in and could get out only if someone pulled hard."
Elsie said the most humiliating thing was trying to be weighed at Whiston Hospital, as their scales didn't go up to 40 stones.
But now as a slim 11 stones 8 ozs, she said she felt like a new woman and was able to resist cream cakes and sweets without any trouble.
And finally, on the 3rd the ABC Savoy replaced 'The Four Musketeers', starring Oliver Reed and Raquel Welch with 'What's Up Doc!' starring Barbra Streisand and Ryan O’Neil.
And the Capitol Cinema replaced 'Papillon' with an X-rated horror double-feature of 'Blood on Satan's Claw' and 'The Beast in the Cellar'.
That was for one day only, with Disney's 'The Sword in the Stone' shown for the rest of the week.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the plans to create the Chain Lane Community Centre, British Sidac announce 200 job cuts, a violent storm hits St Helens and Hepworths and Modelle bring more style to St Helens as they open new shops.