FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (31 MAY - 6 JUNE 1971)
This week's 19 stories include the woman who dialled 999 to report a plane crash, the leafy break-ins in Rainhill, the end of RAF Haydock, the attractions planned for the third St Helens Show and the Newton boy who wanted six policemen and three dogs to launch a search party for his missing hen!
We begin with the break-ins at Rainhill. There can be few streets within the St Helens district as leafy as View Road. The residential care home known as Tree Tops in View Road does not bear that name for nothing! The trees provide shelter and privacy for residents, some of whom live in detached properties. However privacy is not always a good thing and during the afternoon of the 31st, thieves broke into the View Road home of Sir Alastair Pilkington.
The man credited as the inventor of float glass that had revolutionised Pilkington's business model, had a carriage clock stolen that had been in his family for a hundred years and his wife lost jewellery worth £200. The thieves broke into the house through the front door and it had been the third raid in the street during the past two months. On each occasion the haul had been jewellery, with all the chosen houses being detached and standing in large gardens that were screened from view by trees.
The 31st was the Spring Bank Holiday and the Haydock Donkey Derby was held on the King George V playing fields. Comedy actress Irene Handl was performing at the Theatre Royal and so the opportunity was taken to invite her to open the annual event that raised vital funds for the Old Folks Treat in Haydock. For the second year running parachute jumps were made – but the skydiving by the Black Knights freefall team caused a panic in St Helens town centre. A woman witnessed a man in black falling to earth and dashed into a telephone box to dial 999 and report a plane crash but the police were able to quickly solve the mystery.
It was revealed on June 1st that a sixteen-year-old Newton-le-Willows boy had lost his fourth "parent" in 40 months. This was after William Stonier, foster father of Peter Stonier of Pine Avenue, had died, only months after taking over the boy's guardianship from his grandmother. Peter's father had died at Christmas 1968 and then his mother passed away a year later. A relative said: "Peter is terribly upset about it all. After having four parents, Peter seems to be resigned that more tragedy is around the corner for him."
The death of ex-mayor Percy Lowe of Grange Park Road was announced on the 1st. Mr Lowe had first been elected to the council in 1944 and had served as Mayor of St Helens in 1956.
RAF Haydock had been established during WW2 as a top-secret code tracking station and on the 1st after thirty years of operations, the camp finally closed down with a simple flag-lowering ceremony. About half the base was situated in Ashton-in-Makerfield and the rest in Haydock and over the last two years the station had been gradually run down. The camp padre, the Rev. George Jennings, conducted a short closure service and a bricking-up ceremony took place at the main entrance.
Then a march-past was taken by the Commanding Officer, Squadron Leader Alak Hawrylowicz. A small party of airmen, commanded by Flight-Lieutenant Douglas Smith, would remain at Haydock on tidying-up operations. As a result of the closure about 45 civilians would lose their jobs and the 60 RAF men that had recently been based there were being transferred to other stations all over the country.
Ashton-in-Makerfield Council met on the 1st and considered tighter security measures – including guard dogs and barbed wire fences – to keep child vandals out of a sewage works. Brian Moore, the manager of the plant at Pewfall, near Haydock, told a committee: "The old cabin which was burned down last year has been rebuilt. But, despite a stronger door and window shutter, it has been repeatedly broken into and tools and protective clothing stolen. Children have played on the filters and sandbeds, and the attendant responsible for the upkeep of the plant is about at the end of his patience. The sooner this works is replaced by a pumping station the fewer the problems for everyone."
The Liverpool Echo reported on the 3rd that the plans for the third St Helens Show (shown above) at the end of July were well advanced. New attractions planned for Sherdley Park this year would include a mini motor show featuring a wide range of cars and a clay pigeon shooting competition. The latter was being organised by the Lathom Wild Life Society, which was hoping to attract entrants from all over the country. The organisers were hoping to have the competition opened by Jim Braithwaite, of Preston, who had won a gold medal for clay pigeon shooting at the last Olympics.
Show jumping would again be a feature, along with horticultural displays, a dog show, fashion shows, a Fleet Air Arm exhibition, arts and crafts exhibitions and entertainment by Morris Dancing troupes. Special attractions would include displays by the Royal Marines' motor-cycle team, RAF police dog team, the Red Devils' freefall parachute team and a mock battle by an army combat team. Because of an outbreak of fowl pest earlier in the year, poultry would not be exhibited.
Bruce Clair and his wife of Southworth Road in Newton-le-Willows received some bad news on the 3rd. The couple were away on holiday in the Barmouth area of Wales and police informed them that a serious fire had destroyed the interior of their home. The blaze occurred about midnight and a passer-by who saw smoke gushing through a window had raised the alarm. Forensic science experts were investigating the fire with uniformed police on duty outside the house stopping all callers because of the danger of potential evidence been destroyed. Police were working on the theory that the house had been entered and that the fire had either accidentally been started or was the result of arson.
A far more cheerful occurrence took place in Neston on the 3rd when large crowds packed the Wirral town's narrow streets to watch Redgate Boys Band lead the traditional Ladies Day procession. The popular St Helens musicians were regulars at the event organised by the Neston Female Friendly Society that had been founded as far back as 1814 and still exists today.
The Royal Oak Hotel on the East Lancs Road near Rainford suffered an extensive loss of stock on the 3rd that amounted to almost £400 (around £6,000 in today's money). The thieves' haul from the pub that is now known as The Game Bird included 12 bottles of gin, 12 bottles of brandy, 10 bottles of whisky, eight bottles of vodka and 5,000 cigarettes.
The St Helens Reporter was published on the 4th and its lead story began: "A Home Office warning went out to gift-hunting tourists yesterday after a fluffy foreign toy broke into sixteen deadly pieces in the hands of a baby." Nine-month-old Jacqueline Fildes of Dunmail Avenue in Carr Mill was the child concerned and it was the present of a toy dog from Spain that had disintegrated in her hands revealing dangerous tacks and nails.
The Liverpool Echo later that day was full of praise for the newly announced winter programme at the Theatre Royal in St Helens, writing: "This enterprising little theatre launches its most ambitious artistic venture yet in October – the First International Concert series." The series consisted of five varied musical evenings, which could be booked singly or on a subscription ticket.
The Theatre Royal had recently taken over some of the pre-London stage shows that would normally go to Liverpool's Royal Court Theatre. The artists of international stature performing would include the great lieder singer Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, the Halle Orchestra, Victoria de los Angeles and a piano recital would be given by John Ogdon.
A boy dialled 999 on the 5th and asked for six policemen and three dogs to form a search party for his missing pet hen called Penny. An officer subsequently called at the home of Tony Hide in Vista Road in Newton-le-Willows and found that Penny's two chicks were dead. The constable explained to the nine-year-old that although they would have a look around for the hen, he could not have police dogs combing the streets for it. Tony told the Echo: "I only did what I thought was right, because it appears that somebody pulled down the wire netting and allowed Penny to get out. I have always wanted a hen since I was five, but now after two days I have lost Penny and the two chicks have died."
The Echo also revealed on the 5th that school canteen staff at Prescot faced possible redundancy because of a 20% drop in the number of children staying for school meals. The dramatic drop occurred after the price of school dinners rose from 9p to 12p a day after Easter. As a result Prescot Education Authority were said to be carrying out a review of their canteen staffing position.
Also on the 5th there was a double wedding celebration at St Ann's Church in Rainhill when the Booth sisters of Trent Road both got hitched. 18-year-old Valerie married 21-year-old Raymond Povey, aged 21, of Amanda Road in Rainhill, while her 20-year-old sister, Linda, married George Ryan of Prescot Road in St Helens. The vicar, the Rev. Frank Ebbitt, said it was the first double wedding he had conducted. The two brides walked down the aisle on either side of their father, Roy Booth, in identical wedding gowns but wearing different headdresses.
Also on that day members of Lancashire Police Mounted Division took part in a horse-jumping show at Rainford. The Rainford Police Show was staged in the grounds of Mossborough Hall and was organised by the St Helens Police Division Sports and Social Club and the Laffak Riding Club.
There was a large photograph of the interior of D. Matthews & Son in the business section of the Guardian on the 5th. Their office equipment warehouse in Reginald Road in Sutton had only opened earlier in the week and claimed to be the largest of its type in the world.
Charles Martin was the new Mayor of St Helens and he attended Lowe House Church, on the morning of the 6th for the traditional mayoral civic service. Then with aldermen, councillors and town hall officials, Cllr. Martin attended St Helens Parish Church for the evening service.
And finally Britain was not far away from joining the Common Market – which began controversially and, as we all know, never stopped being so! It's interesting that the language being used for joining the European Economic Community somewhat mirrors the language recently used for leaving the bloc. This short piece was in the Echo this week:
"As the war of words over entry to the Common Market hotted up, other Ministers and M.P.s had their say. Sir Alec Douglas-Home, the Foreign Secretary, speaking at Cark-in-Cartmel, said this was a time for “vision and clarity of purpose.” It was to enhance Britain's ability “to command our own future and fortune that we seek entry into Europe.”" Replace "entry into" with "exit out of" and doesn't it sound just like the words of Boris Johnson from a year or two ago!
Next week's stories will include the Pilkington wage claim, the Knowsley Safari Park auction, the illegal immigrant of Raglan Street, a potential railway disaster is averted and a threat to wreck Windle Hall by the so-called St Helens Underground Action Committee.
We begin with the break-ins at Rainhill. There can be few streets within the St Helens district as leafy as View Road. The residential care home known as Tree Tops in View Road does not bear that name for nothing! The trees provide shelter and privacy for residents, some of whom live in detached properties. However privacy is not always a good thing and during the afternoon of the 31st, thieves broke into the View Road home of Sir Alastair Pilkington.
The man credited as the inventor of float glass that had revolutionised Pilkington's business model, had a carriage clock stolen that had been in his family for a hundred years and his wife lost jewellery worth £200. The thieves broke into the house through the front door and it had been the third raid in the street during the past two months. On each occasion the haul had been jewellery, with all the chosen houses being detached and standing in large gardens that were screened from view by trees.
The 31st was the Spring Bank Holiday and the Haydock Donkey Derby was held on the King George V playing fields. Comedy actress Irene Handl was performing at the Theatre Royal and so the opportunity was taken to invite her to open the annual event that raised vital funds for the Old Folks Treat in Haydock. For the second year running parachute jumps were made – but the skydiving by the Black Knights freefall team caused a panic in St Helens town centre. A woman witnessed a man in black falling to earth and dashed into a telephone box to dial 999 and report a plane crash but the police were able to quickly solve the mystery.
It was revealed on June 1st that a sixteen-year-old Newton-le-Willows boy had lost his fourth "parent" in 40 months. This was after William Stonier, foster father of Peter Stonier of Pine Avenue, had died, only months after taking over the boy's guardianship from his grandmother. Peter's father had died at Christmas 1968 and then his mother passed away a year later. A relative said: "Peter is terribly upset about it all. After having four parents, Peter seems to be resigned that more tragedy is around the corner for him."
The death of ex-mayor Percy Lowe of Grange Park Road was announced on the 1st. Mr Lowe had first been elected to the council in 1944 and had served as Mayor of St Helens in 1956.
RAF Haydock had been established during WW2 as a top-secret code tracking station and on the 1st after thirty years of operations, the camp finally closed down with a simple flag-lowering ceremony. About half the base was situated in Ashton-in-Makerfield and the rest in Haydock and over the last two years the station had been gradually run down. The camp padre, the Rev. George Jennings, conducted a short closure service and a bricking-up ceremony took place at the main entrance.
Then a march-past was taken by the Commanding Officer, Squadron Leader Alak Hawrylowicz. A small party of airmen, commanded by Flight-Lieutenant Douglas Smith, would remain at Haydock on tidying-up operations. As a result of the closure about 45 civilians would lose their jobs and the 60 RAF men that had recently been based there were being transferred to other stations all over the country.
Ashton-in-Makerfield Council met on the 1st and considered tighter security measures – including guard dogs and barbed wire fences – to keep child vandals out of a sewage works. Brian Moore, the manager of the plant at Pewfall, near Haydock, told a committee: "The old cabin which was burned down last year has been rebuilt. But, despite a stronger door and window shutter, it has been repeatedly broken into and tools and protective clothing stolen. Children have played on the filters and sandbeds, and the attendant responsible for the upkeep of the plant is about at the end of his patience. The sooner this works is replaced by a pumping station the fewer the problems for everyone."
Show jumping would again be a feature, along with horticultural displays, a dog show, fashion shows, a Fleet Air Arm exhibition, arts and crafts exhibitions and entertainment by Morris Dancing troupes. Special attractions would include displays by the Royal Marines' motor-cycle team, RAF police dog team, the Red Devils' freefall parachute team and a mock battle by an army combat team. Because of an outbreak of fowl pest earlier in the year, poultry would not be exhibited.
Bruce Clair and his wife of Southworth Road in Newton-le-Willows received some bad news on the 3rd. The couple were away on holiday in the Barmouth area of Wales and police informed them that a serious fire had destroyed the interior of their home. The blaze occurred about midnight and a passer-by who saw smoke gushing through a window had raised the alarm. Forensic science experts were investigating the fire with uniformed police on duty outside the house stopping all callers because of the danger of potential evidence been destroyed. Police were working on the theory that the house had been entered and that the fire had either accidentally been started or was the result of arson.
A far more cheerful occurrence took place in Neston on the 3rd when large crowds packed the Wirral town's narrow streets to watch Redgate Boys Band lead the traditional Ladies Day procession. The popular St Helens musicians were regulars at the event organised by the Neston Female Friendly Society that had been founded as far back as 1814 and still exists today.
The Royal Oak Hotel on the East Lancs Road near Rainford suffered an extensive loss of stock on the 3rd that amounted to almost £400 (around £6,000 in today's money). The thieves' haul from the pub that is now known as The Game Bird included 12 bottles of gin, 12 bottles of brandy, 10 bottles of whisky, eight bottles of vodka and 5,000 cigarettes.
The St Helens Reporter was published on the 4th and its lead story began: "A Home Office warning went out to gift-hunting tourists yesterday after a fluffy foreign toy broke into sixteen deadly pieces in the hands of a baby." Nine-month-old Jacqueline Fildes of Dunmail Avenue in Carr Mill was the child concerned and it was the present of a toy dog from Spain that had disintegrated in her hands revealing dangerous tacks and nails.
The Theatre Royal had recently taken over some of the pre-London stage shows that would normally go to Liverpool's Royal Court Theatre. The artists of international stature performing would include the great lieder singer Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, the Halle Orchestra, Victoria de los Angeles and a piano recital would be given by John Ogdon.
A boy dialled 999 on the 5th and asked for six policemen and three dogs to form a search party for his missing pet hen called Penny. An officer subsequently called at the home of Tony Hide in Vista Road in Newton-le-Willows and found that Penny's two chicks were dead. The constable explained to the nine-year-old that although they would have a look around for the hen, he could not have police dogs combing the streets for it. Tony told the Echo: "I only did what I thought was right, because it appears that somebody pulled down the wire netting and allowed Penny to get out. I have always wanted a hen since I was five, but now after two days I have lost Penny and the two chicks have died."
The Echo also revealed on the 5th that school canteen staff at Prescot faced possible redundancy because of a 20% drop in the number of children staying for school meals. The dramatic drop occurred after the price of school dinners rose from 9p to 12p a day after Easter. As a result Prescot Education Authority were said to be carrying out a review of their canteen staffing position.
Also on the 5th there was a double wedding celebration at St Ann's Church in Rainhill when the Booth sisters of Trent Road both got hitched. 18-year-old Valerie married 21-year-old Raymond Povey, aged 21, of Amanda Road in Rainhill, while her 20-year-old sister, Linda, married George Ryan of Prescot Road in St Helens. The vicar, the Rev. Frank Ebbitt, said it was the first double wedding he had conducted. The two brides walked down the aisle on either side of their father, Roy Booth, in identical wedding gowns but wearing different headdresses.
Also on that day members of Lancashire Police Mounted Division took part in a horse-jumping show at Rainford. The Rainford Police Show was staged in the grounds of Mossborough Hall and was organised by the St Helens Police Division Sports and Social Club and the Laffak Riding Club.
There was a large photograph of the interior of D. Matthews & Son in the business section of the Guardian on the 5th. Their office equipment warehouse in Reginald Road in Sutton had only opened earlier in the week and claimed to be the largest of its type in the world.
Charles Martin was the new Mayor of St Helens and he attended Lowe House Church, on the morning of the 6th for the traditional mayoral civic service. Then with aldermen, councillors and town hall officials, Cllr. Martin attended St Helens Parish Church for the evening service.
And finally Britain was not far away from joining the Common Market – which began controversially and, as we all know, never stopped being so! It's interesting that the language being used for joining the European Economic Community somewhat mirrors the language recently used for leaving the bloc. This short piece was in the Echo this week:
"As the war of words over entry to the Common Market hotted up, other Ministers and M.P.s had their say. Sir Alec Douglas-Home, the Foreign Secretary, speaking at Cark-in-Cartmel, said this was a time for “vision and clarity of purpose.” It was to enhance Britain's ability “to command our own future and fortune that we seek entry into Europe.”" Replace "entry into" with "exit out of" and doesn't it sound just like the words of Boris Johnson from a year or two ago!
Next week's stories will include the Pilkington wage claim, the Knowsley Safari Park auction, the illegal immigrant of Raglan Street, a potential railway disaster is averted and a threat to wreck Windle Hall by the so-called St Helens Underground Action Committee.
This week's stories include the woman who dialled 999 to report a plane crash, the leafy break-ins in Rainhill, the end of RAF Haydock, the attractions planned for the third St Helens Show and the Newton boy who wanted six policemen and three dogs to launch a search party for his missing hen!
We begin with the break-ins at Rainhill. There can be few streets within the St Helens district as leafy as View Road.
The residential care home known as Tree Tops in View Road does not bear that name for nothing!
The trees provide shelter and privacy for residents, some of whom live in detached properties.
However privacy is not always a good thing and during the afternoon of the 31st, thieves broke into the View Road home of Sir Alastair Pilkington.
The man credited as the inventor of float glass that had revolutionised Pilkington's business model, had a carriage clock stolen that had been in his family for a hundred years and his wife lost jewellery worth £200.
The thieves broke into the house through the front door and it had been the third raid in the street during the past two months.
On each occasion the haul had been jewellery, with all the chosen houses being detached and standing in large gardens that were screened from view by trees.
The 31st was the Spring Bank Holiday and the Haydock Donkey Derby was held on the King George V playing fields.
Comedy actress Irene Handl was performing at the Theatre Royal and so the opportunity was taken to invite her to open the annual event that raised vital funds for the Old Folks Treat in Haydock.
For the second year running parachute jumps were made – but the skydiving by the Black Knights freefall team caused a panic in St Helens town centre.
A woman witnessed a man in black falling to earth and dashed into a telephone box to dial 999 and report a plane crash but the police were able to quickly solve the mystery.
It was revealed on June 1st that a sixteen-year-old Newton-le-Willows boy had lost his fourth "parent" in 40 months.
This was after William Stonier, foster father of Peter Stonier of Pine Avenue, had died, only months after taking over the boy's guardianship from his grandmother.
Peter's father had died at Christmas 1968 and then his mother passed away a year later.
A relative said: "Peter is terribly upset about it all. After having four parents, Peter seems to be resigned that more tragedy is around the corner for him."
The death of ex-mayor Percy Lowe of Grange Park Road was announced on the 1st. Mr Lowe had first been elected to the council in 1944 and had served as Mayor of St Helens in 1956.
RAF Haydock had been established during WW2 as a top-secret code tracking station and on the 1st after thirty years of operations, the camp finally closed down with a simple flag-lowering ceremony.
About half the base was situated in Ashton-in-Makerfield and the rest in Haydock and over the last two years the station had been gradually run down.
The camp padre, the Rev. George Jennings, conducted a short closure service and a bricking-up ceremony took place at the main entrance.
Then a march-past was taken by the Commanding Officer, Squadron Leader Alak Hawrylowicz.
A small party of airmen, commanded by Flight-Lieutenant Douglas Smith, would remain at Haydock on tidying-up operations.
As a result of the closure about 45 civilians would lose their jobs and the 60 RAF men that had recently been based there were being transferred to other stations all over the country.
Ashton-in-Makerfield Council met on the 1st and considered tighter security measures – including guard dogs and barbed wire fences – to keep child vandals out of a sewage works.
Brian Moore, the manager of the plant at Pewfall, near Haydock, told a committee:
"The old cabin which was burned down last year has been rebuilt. But, despite a stronger door and window shutter, it has been repeatedly broken into and tools and protective clothing stolen.
"Children have played on the filters and sandbeds, and the attendant responsible for the upkeep of the plant is about at the end of his patience. The sooner this works is replaced by a pumping station the fewer the problems for everyone."
The Liverpool Echo reported on the 3rd that the plans for the third St Helens Show (shown above) at the end of July were well advanced.
New attractions planned for Sherdley Park this year would include a mini motor show featuring a wide range of cars and a clay pigeon shooting competition.
The latter was being organised by the Lathom Wild Life Society, which was hoping to attract entrants from all over the country.
The organisers were hoping to have the competition opened by Jim Braithwaite, of Preston, who had won a gold medal for clay pigeon shooting at the last Olympics.
Show jumping would again be a feature, along with horticultural displays, a dog show, fashion shows, a Fleet Air Arm exhibition, arts and crafts exhibitions and entertainment by Morris Dancing troupes.
Special attractions would include displays by the Royal Marines' motor-cycle team, RAF police dog team, the Red Devils' freefall parachute team and a mock battle by an army combat team.
Because of an outbreak of fowl pest earlier in the year, poultry would not be exhibited.
Bruce Clair and his wife of Southworth Road in Newton-le-Willows received some bad news on the 3rd.
The couple were away on holiday in the Barmouth area of Wales and police informed them that a serious fire had destroyed the interior of their home.
The blaze occurred about midnight and a passer-by who saw smoke gushing through a window had raised the alarm.
Forensic science experts were investigating the fire with uniformed police on duty outside the house stopping all callers because of the danger of potential evidence been destroyed.
Police were working on the theory that the house had been entered and that the fire had either accidentally been started or was the result of arson.
A far more cheerful occurrence took place in Neston on the 3rd when large crowds packed the Wirral town's narrow streets to watch Redgate Boys Band lead the traditional Ladies Day procession.
The popular St Helens musicians were regulars at the event organised by the Neston Female Friendly Society that had been founded as far back as 1814 and still exists today.
The Royal Oak Hotel on the East Lancs Road near Rainford suffered an extensive loss of stock on the 3rd that amounted to almost £400 (around £6,000 in today's money).
The thieves' haul from the pub that is now known as The Game Bird included 12 bottles of gin, 12 bottles of brandy, 10 bottles of whisky, eight bottles of vodka and 5,000 cigarettes.
The St Helens Reporter was published on the 4th and its lead story began:
"A Home Office warning went out to gift-hunting tourists yesterday after a fluffy foreign toy broke into sixteen deadly pieces in the hands of a baby."
Nine-month-old Jacqueline Fildes of Dunmail Avenue in Carr Mill was the child concerned and it was the present of a toy dog from Spain that had disintegrated in her hands revealing dangerous tacks and nails.
The Liverpool Echo later that day was full of praise for the newly announced winter programme at the Theatre Royal in St Helens, writing:
"This enterprising little theatre launches its most ambitious artistic venture yet in October – the First International Concert series."
The series consisted of five varied musical evenings, which could be booked singly or on a subscription ticket.
The Theatre Royal had recently taken over some of the pre-London stage shows that would normally go to Liverpool's Royal Court Theatre.
The artists of international stature performing would include the great lieder singer Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, the Halle Orchestra, Victoria de los Angeles and a piano recital would be given by John Ogdon.
A boy dialled 999 on the 5th and asked for six policemen and three dogs to form a search party for his missing pet hen called Penny.
An officer subsequently called at the home of Tony Hide in Vista Road in Newton-le-Willows and found that Penny's two chicks were dead.
The constable explained to the nine-year-old that although they would have a look around for the hen, he could not have police dogs combing the streets for it.
Tony told the Echo: "I only did what I thought was right, because it appears that somebody pulled down the wire netting and allowed Penny to get out.
"I have always wanted a hen since I was five, but now after two days I have lost Penny and the two chicks have died."
The Echo also revealed on the 5th that school canteen staff at Prescot faced possible redundancy because of a 20% drop in the number of children staying for school meals.
The dramatic drop occurred after the price of school dinners rose from 9p to 12p a day after Easter.
As a result Prescot Education Authority were said to be carrying out a review of their canteen staffing position.
Also on the 5th there was a double wedding celebration at St Ann's Church in Rainhill when the Booth sisters of Trent Road both got hitched.
18-year-old Valerie married 21-year-old Raymond Povey, aged 21, of Amanda Road in Rainhill, while her 20-year-old sister, Linda, married George Ryan of Prescot Road in St Helens.
The vicar, the Rev. Frank Ebbitt, said it was the first double wedding he had conducted.
The two brides walked down the aisle on either side of their father, Roy Booth, in identical wedding gowns but wearing different headdresses.
Also on that day members of Lancashire Police Mounted Division took part in a horse-jumping show at Rainford.
The Rainford Police Show was staged in the grounds of Mossborough Hall and was organised by the St Helens Police Division Sports and Social Club and the Laffak Riding Club.
There was a large photograph of the interior of D. Matthews & Son in the business section of the Guardian on the 5th.
Their office equipment warehouse in Reginald Road in Sutton had only opened earlier in the week and claimed to be the largest of its type in the world.
Charles Martin was the new Mayor of St Helens and he attended Lowe House Church, on the morning of the 6th for the traditional mayoral civic service.
Then with aldermen, councillors and town hall officials, Cllr. Martin attended St Helens Parish Church for the evening service.
And finally Britain was not far away from joining the Common Market – which began controversially and, as we all know, never stopped being so!
It's interesting that the language being used for joining the European Economic Community somewhat mirrors the language recently used for leaving the bloc. This short piece was in the Echo this week:
"As the war of words over entry to the Common Market hotted up, other Ministers and M.P.s had their say.
"Sir Alec Douglas-Home, the Foreign Secretary, speaking at Cark-in-Cartmel, said this was a time for “vision and clarity of purpose.”
"It was to enhance Britain's ability “to command our own future and fortune that we seek entry into Europe.”"
Replace "entry into" with "exit out of" and doesn't it sound just like the words of Boris Johnson from a year or two ago!
Next week's stories will include the Pilkington wage claim, the Knowsley Safari Park auction, the illegal immigrant of Raglan Street, a potential railway disaster is averted and a threat to wreck Windle Hall by the so-called St Helens Underground Action Committee.
We begin with the break-ins at Rainhill. There can be few streets within the St Helens district as leafy as View Road.
The residential care home known as Tree Tops in View Road does not bear that name for nothing!
The trees provide shelter and privacy for residents, some of whom live in detached properties.
However privacy is not always a good thing and during the afternoon of the 31st, thieves broke into the View Road home of Sir Alastair Pilkington.
The man credited as the inventor of float glass that had revolutionised Pilkington's business model, had a carriage clock stolen that had been in his family for a hundred years and his wife lost jewellery worth £200.
The thieves broke into the house through the front door and it had been the third raid in the street during the past two months.
On each occasion the haul had been jewellery, with all the chosen houses being detached and standing in large gardens that were screened from view by trees.
The 31st was the Spring Bank Holiday and the Haydock Donkey Derby was held on the King George V playing fields.
Comedy actress Irene Handl was performing at the Theatre Royal and so the opportunity was taken to invite her to open the annual event that raised vital funds for the Old Folks Treat in Haydock.
For the second year running parachute jumps were made – but the skydiving by the Black Knights freefall team caused a panic in St Helens town centre.
A woman witnessed a man in black falling to earth and dashed into a telephone box to dial 999 and report a plane crash but the police were able to quickly solve the mystery.
It was revealed on June 1st that a sixteen-year-old Newton-le-Willows boy had lost his fourth "parent" in 40 months.
This was after William Stonier, foster father of Peter Stonier of Pine Avenue, had died, only months after taking over the boy's guardianship from his grandmother.
Peter's father had died at Christmas 1968 and then his mother passed away a year later.
A relative said: "Peter is terribly upset about it all. After having four parents, Peter seems to be resigned that more tragedy is around the corner for him."
The death of ex-mayor Percy Lowe of Grange Park Road was announced on the 1st. Mr Lowe had first been elected to the council in 1944 and had served as Mayor of St Helens in 1956.
RAF Haydock had been established during WW2 as a top-secret code tracking station and on the 1st after thirty years of operations, the camp finally closed down with a simple flag-lowering ceremony.
About half the base was situated in Ashton-in-Makerfield and the rest in Haydock and over the last two years the station had been gradually run down.
The camp padre, the Rev. George Jennings, conducted a short closure service and a bricking-up ceremony took place at the main entrance.
Then a march-past was taken by the Commanding Officer, Squadron Leader Alak Hawrylowicz.
A small party of airmen, commanded by Flight-Lieutenant Douglas Smith, would remain at Haydock on tidying-up operations.
As a result of the closure about 45 civilians would lose their jobs and the 60 RAF men that had recently been based there were being transferred to other stations all over the country.
Ashton-in-Makerfield Council met on the 1st and considered tighter security measures – including guard dogs and barbed wire fences – to keep child vandals out of a sewage works.
Brian Moore, the manager of the plant at Pewfall, near Haydock, told a committee:
"The old cabin which was burned down last year has been rebuilt. But, despite a stronger door and window shutter, it has been repeatedly broken into and tools and protective clothing stolen.
"Children have played on the filters and sandbeds, and the attendant responsible for the upkeep of the plant is about at the end of his patience. The sooner this works is replaced by a pumping station the fewer the problems for everyone."
New attractions planned for Sherdley Park this year would include a mini motor show featuring a wide range of cars and a clay pigeon shooting competition.
The latter was being organised by the Lathom Wild Life Society, which was hoping to attract entrants from all over the country.
The organisers were hoping to have the competition opened by Jim Braithwaite, of Preston, who had won a gold medal for clay pigeon shooting at the last Olympics.
Show jumping would again be a feature, along with horticultural displays, a dog show, fashion shows, a Fleet Air Arm exhibition, arts and crafts exhibitions and entertainment by Morris Dancing troupes.
Special attractions would include displays by the Royal Marines' motor-cycle team, RAF police dog team, the Red Devils' freefall parachute team and a mock battle by an army combat team.
Because of an outbreak of fowl pest earlier in the year, poultry would not be exhibited.
Bruce Clair and his wife of Southworth Road in Newton-le-Willows received some bad news on the 3rd.
The couple were away on holiday in the Barmouth area of Wales and police informed them that a serious fire had destroyed the interior of their home.
The blaze occurred about midnight and a passer-by who saw smoke gushing through a window had raised the alarm.
Forensic science experts were investigating the fire with uniformed police on duty outside the house stopping all callers because of the danger of potential evidence been destroyed.
Police were working on the theory that the house had been entered and that the fire had either accidentally been started or was the result of arson.
A far more cheerful occurrence took place in Neston on the 3rd when large crowds packed the Wirral town's narrow streets to watch Redgate Boys Band lead the traditional Ladies Day procession.
The popular St Helens musicians were regulars at the event organised by the Neston Female Friendly Society that had been founded as far back as 1814 and still exists today.
The Royal Oak Hotel on the East Lancs Road near Rainford suffered an extensive loss of stock on the 3rd that amounted to almost £400 (around £6,000 in today's money).
The thieves' haul from the pub that is now known as The Game Bird included 12 bottles of gin, 12 bottles of brandy, 10 bottles of whisky, eight bottles of vodka and 5,000 cigarettes.
The St Helens Reporter was published on the 4th and its lead story began:
"A Home Office warning went out to gift-hunting tourists yesterday after a fluffy foreign toy broke into sixteen deadly pieces in the hands of a baby."
Nine-month-old Jacqueline Fildes of Dunmail Avenue in Carr Mill was the child concerned and it was the present of a toy dog from Spain that had disintegrated in her hands revealing dangerous tacks and nails.
"This enterprising little theatre launches its most ambitious artistic venture yet in October – the First International Concert series."
The series consisted of five varied musical evenings, which could be booked singly or on a subscription ticket.
The Theatre Royal had recently taken over some of the pre-London stage shows that would normally go to Liverpool's Royal Court Theatre.
The artists of international stature performing would include the great lieder singer Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, the Halle Orchestra, Victoria de los Angeles and a piano recital would be given by John Ogdon.
A boy dialled 999 on the 5th and asked for six policemen and three dogs to form a search party for his missing pet hen called Penny.
An officer subsequently called at the home of Tony Hide in Vista Road in Newton-le-Willows and found that Penny's two chicks were dead.
The constable explained to the nine-year-old that although they would have a look around for the hen, he could not have police dogs combing the streets for it.
Tony told the Echo: "I only did what I thought was right, because it appears that somebody pulled down the wire netting and allowed Penny to get out.
"I have always wanted a hen since I was five, but now after two days I have lost Penny and the two chicks have died."
The Echo also revealed on the 5th that school canteen staff at Prescot faced possible redundancy because of a 20% drop in the number of children staying for school meals.
The dramatic drop occurred after the price of school dinners rose from 9p to 12p a day after Easter.
As a result Prescot Education Authority were said to be carrying out a review of their canteen staffing position.
Also on the 5th there was a double wedding celebration at St Ann's Church in Rainhill when the Booth sisters of Trent Road both got hitched.
18-year-old Valerie married 21-year-old Raymond Povey, aged 21, of Amanda Road in Rainhill, while her 20-year-old sister, Linda, married George Ryan of Prescot Road in St Helens.
The vicar, the Rev. Frank Ebbitt, said it was the first double wedding he had conducted.
The two brides walked down the aisle on either side of their father, Roy Booth, in identical wedding gowns but wearing different headdresses.
Also on that day members of Lancashire Police Mounted Division took part in a horse-jumping show at Rainford.
The Rainford Police Show was staged in the grounds of Mossborough Hall and was organised by the St Helens Police Division Sports and Social Club and the Laffak Riding Club.
There was a large photograph of the interior of D. Matthews & Son in the business section of the Guardian on the 5th.
Their office equipment warehouse in Reginald Road in Sutton had only opened earlier in the week and claimed to be the largest of its type in the world.
Charles Martin was the new Mayor of St Helens and he attended Lowe House Church, on the morning of the 6th for the traditional mayoral civic service.
Then with aldermen, councillors and town hall officials, Cllr. Martin attended St Helens Parish Church for the evening service.
And finally Britain was not far away from joining the Common Market – which began controversially and, as we all know, never stopped being so!
It's interesting that the language being used for joining the European Economic Community somewhat mirrors the language recently used for leaving the bloc. This short piece was in the Echo this week:
"As the war of words over entry to the Common Market hotted up, other Ministers and M.P.s had their say.
"Sir Alec Douglas-Home, the Foreign Secretary, speaking at Cark-in-Cartmel, said this was a time for “vision and clarity of purpose.”
"It was to enhance Britain's ability “to command our own future and fortune that we seek entry into Europe.”"
Replace "entry into" with "exit out of" and doesn't it sound just like the words of Boris Johnson from a year or two ago!
Next week's stories will include the Pilkington wage claim, the Knowsley Safari Park auction, the illegal immigrant of Raglan Street, a potential railway disaster is averted and a threat to wreck Windle Hall by the so-called St Helens Underground Action Committee.