An Illustrated History of Old Sutton in St.Helens

Part 24 (of 58) - Leisure & Entertainment in Sutton

a) Early Closing and 'Moral & Social Improvement'      |     b) Rise of the Excursionist
c) Enjoying the Parks of Sutton      |     d) Sutton's 'Show Field' or 'Show Back'
e) Sutton 'Bug' - Sutton's Picture Palace     |     f) Wireless, Television & Rediffusion
g) Blinkhorn Rooms     |     h) Sutton Social Clubs     |     i) St.Helens / Sherdley Show

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Header image: Youngsters waiting outside 'Sutton Bug' for the Saturday matinee show

a) Early Closing And 'Moral And Social Improvement'

Historically, leisure and entertainment in Sutton, like most of the rest of the country, was centred around feast days and holy days, the latter, of course, being the derivation of 'holiday'. There were between twenty and thirty such days per year and they were enthusiastically embraced by all. Long working hours meant that there was not much time for fun and many spent what little leisure time they had down the pub. Many workers were even paid in their local, as opposed to their place of work, and by 1871, the year Bank Holidays were introduced, Sutton had 20 public houses and 19 beerhouses.

liverpool mercury report on early closing in sthelens in 1855

Most St.Helens workers in the middle of the nineteenth century, laboured from around 6am to 6pm and so did have some leisure time each evening. Most miners ended their shift by mid-afternoon, although shop staff were a different kettle of fish. Their employment wasn't as demanding and dangerous as many others, but they earned their low pay through very long hours. They were expected to attend to the needs of customers whenever their employer wanted their shop open and on weekdays worked from 7am until 9 or 10pm. On Saturdays, shop assistants regularly laboured until midnight or even later, as that was the day when workers were paid and so had money to burn. If the hours of the many shop assistants could be reduced by curtailing opening hours, then they would be able to indulge themselves in more leisure activities. So an early closing campaign began in 1855, led by Rev. Carr, the vicar of St.Helens and supported by Sutton's Rev. Henry Vallancey.

A public meeting was held in the Town Hall on November 21st, in which reference was made to other movements to improve the "social, moral, intellectual, and religious well-being" of St.Helens people. Rev. Carr chaired the meeting and proposed the closing of shops at 7 or 8pm on weekdays, with 10pm the limit on Saturday night, saying that incessant labour made men "bilious and ill-tempered". Countering criticism that closing early would give young men more time to drink and gamble, Rev. Carr argued that they would instead indulge in healthy pursuits:

The shopman, released from the toils of business, would not seek artificial stimulants, but those of a wholesome kind, such as taking a walk in the country, and similar healthful recreation.

Rev. Carr also called for the creation of places where young men could meet for "mental improvement and moral cultivation" and for the end of the practice of paying wages in public houses, so that more cash could go into the "pockets of the wife". At the same meeting Rev. Vallancey predicted that the current campaign would be the "commencement of a great improvement in St.Helens". Sutton's first cleric was proven right, although it took until 1884 before significant improvement in shop working hours were made with the adoption of early closing on Thursdays.

However, the 1855 Town Hall meeting which didn't itself end until 11:30pm, set the tone for the rest of the century and beyond. There was now a consensus that more had to be done by the church and the St.Helens community to reduce working hours, combat excessive drinking and create meeting places for young men. Presumably gentile women were expected to take care of themselves! The powers-that-be in the town wanted to stimulate leisure activities and more edifying pursuits like listening to music and lectures; or as one speaker put it at the meeting, create "moral and social improvement".

Sutton Church Lads Brigade, St.Helens,1911
Sutton Church Lads Brigade 1911 - behind the drum is Rev. Colegrove (contributed by Sutton Historic Society)

Most community activities in the latter part of the nineteenth century, within the newly created St.Helens borough, centred around the church or the pub. The growth in alcohol sales had mirrored the remarkable expansion of the town's population and gave rise to increased drunkenness as well as a temperance movement. The aforementioned Rev. Carr was a prime mover in the latter and in 1855 he called for St.Helens to become "remarkable for its hatred of all intoxicating liquors" (see Old Sutton Pubs).

Church youth activities were strongly encouraged with groups such as the Church Life Brigade, Catholic Lads Brigade, Jewish Lads Brigade and the Band of Hope. Their ethos was to instil "obedience, reverence, discipline, self-respect and all that lends towards a true Christian manliness". The photograph above shows the Sutton Church Lads Brigade founded in 1891 as the Anglican version of the Boys Brigade.

Sutton National School Girl Guides at camp in 1932 (contributed by Sutton Historic Society)

However, the community organisations largely ignored females during the Victorian years. It took the founding of the Scouting movement, in the early years of the 20th century, before girls' needs were met. Sutton National School had its own Girl Guides troop with what became the 33rd St Helens Guides beginning at St Nicholas Church in 1955.

b) Rise Of The Sutton Excursionist

As well as promoting wholesome leisure activities within Sutton and St.Helens, the church, community organisations and the works' bosses, also organised day-trips with travellers referred to as 'excursionists'. The advent and expansion of the railway during the nineteenth century led to a big increase in day-tripping with the annual visit to Newton Race Week the highlight for many. Race Friday was particularly popular with a special train put on from St.Helens that stopped to collect Sutton passengers at Peasley Cross, Sutton Oak and St.Helens Junction stations. Rev. Thomas Pigot, the vicar of St.Helens Church (then St.Mary's), warned against the "sad excesses" of Newton Races in a letter to the Liverpool Mercury (13/2/1835):

Very many poor sinners have confessed to me on their death beds
that they commenced their wicked career at Newton Races.

From the 1850s, works trips became annual events with 'excursionists' conveyed by trains or horse-driven charabancs. New Brighton, Southport and Rhyl were popular destinations and the North Wales Chronicle of August 19th, 1876 reported that 1500 excursionists from St.Helens had arrived at Rhyl on the previous Saturday. However, the Bangor-based newspaper also reported how Peter Phillips of Sutton did not have an enjoyable day as his right leg had to be amputated after attempting to jump into a moving carriage at Rhyl station. Ironically, the train that crushed his leg was only backing into a siding in preparation for departure and wasn't yet leaving the station as Phillips had thought.

Towards the end of the 19th century cycling became increasingly popular, although the early 'bone shakers' were expensive to own. The members of St. Helens Cycling Club, formed in 1876 by (Sir) Joseph Beecham and W. J Ashton, must have been quite well off with early machines costing £20, about £1000 in today's money. However, excursionists could hire a machine for a few hours recreation, although this could lead to inexperienced riders on poor quality bikes being a menace to pedestrians.

On Whit Monday, 1896, engine driver John Smith from St.Helens Junction was knocked down by Robert Cutler from Blackburn whilst crossing Southport promenade and later died from his injuries. Cutler was riding a hired tricycle for the first time and said that it had a defective bell. At Smith's inquest held on June 1st at Sutton's Wheatsheaf Hotel, which was then in Lionel Street, the coroner Sam Brighouse declared that:

All the old 'crocks', with the worst bells are hired out in the place.

The Chief Constable of Southport was said to be taking "energetic steps to put down furious riding", however, the Sutton inquest jury felt that much more needed to be done and they called for Southport Corporation to licence and control bicycle hirers.

Rev. colegrove vicar of sutton, sthelens on a church outing c.1930
Rev. Colegrove with parishioners in the 1930s on a church excursion (contributed by James Lamb)

Organised outings were initiated by church groups, social clubs and political parties as well as employers. Whit was a popular time for an excursion and the Liverpool Mercury of June 4th, 1895 reported that on the Saturday of the Whitsuntide holiday weekend, "large numbers of persons" had left St.Helens for Liverpool, Manchester, Southport and "other places of interest".

Then on the Monday, two thousand five hundred "pleasure-seekers" had risen early to depart by train on the "guaranteed excursions" that were separately organised by St.Helens Liberal Association and the Primitive Methodist Sunday Schools. These trains journeyed to Blackpool and Southport, although Conway was also a popular destination for those excursionists who preferred to make their own way, with special cheap day returns available.

For those who remained at home, a number of festivals and field days took place, including one in a field at Mill Brow, Sutton. This was held by St.Joseph's school of Peasley Cross where "prizes were awarded for old English sports". A Flower Queen was also crowned and Maypole dancing took place.

During the twentieth century, more organised excursions took place in motor-driven charabancs and coaches. In St.Helens these were nicknamed 'Highfields', because passengers were high up on the seats and could see fields as they journeyed through the countryside.

Over the years, Sutton's fields and parks were venues for all kinds of leisure activities as clerics and educators continued their mission to create healthy minds and bodies and moral and social improvement.

c) Enjoying The Parks Of Sutton

Sherdley Park has for many years been the venue for all types of gatherings, especially organised sporting and entertainment events. These activities were often combined, such as the well-attended annual summer gala or field day organised by Sutton Parish Church.

St.Helens Reporter account of gala in Sherdley Park, 1895

The St.Helens Reporter of August 13th, 1895 reported that over 1400 people had assembled at Sutton National School in Ellamsbridge Road on the previous Saturday, before forming a procession to Sherdley Park:

The procession, which was rendered gay with banners and bannerettes, and presented a most pleasing spectacle, was headed by the fine double poled banner of the school and the Roughdales Brass Band...The procession wended its way to the handsome and wall-wooded grounds at Sherdley Hall, by way of Ellamsbridge-road, Pecker's-hill, Robin's lane and Marshall's Cross-road. En route were large numbers of spectators, all of whom expressed their delight at the pleasing appearance of the processionists.

The children who were mainly dressed in white, enjoyed tea in the park along with the adults and then indulged in a programme of games, dancing and sports. Of the latter, seventeen athletic events took place but only three were open for the many girls present to participate in. As well as the 100 and 120 yards' sprints, the boys ran a three-legged race, potato and spoon race, high and long jumps, obstacle race plus wheelbarrow and sack races.

Fete in Sherdley Park, Sutton St.Helens 1930

The girls had to content themselves with a skipping competition for the under 12s, 100 yards flat race for under 14s and a potato and spoon race for the over 14s. Running and jumping was presumably not considered very ladylike for the young females! Prizes for the winners were donated by Captain Michael Hughes of Sherdley Hall and his Sherdley estate manager Henry Campbell. On July 18th 1930, the St.Helens Reporter claimed that the 1,300 participants who processed to Sherdley Park for that year's Sutton Parish gala or fête was a record. However it was actually one hundred less than the number who took part in 1895. The newspaper's correspondent described Ellamsbridge Road as having been turned into "a fairyland" by the colourful spectacle and in the park itself, country dances and the usual sports were performed by Sutton National schoolchildren.

As well as annual parish and school events, Sherdley Park also hosted special events, such as the Sutton Coronation Bazaar Fête on July 8th 1911 and a Red Cross Fête and Gala on 5th, 6th, 7th & 9th September 1918. The former was to commemorate King George V's coronation at Westminster Abbey a fortnight earlier. A field in the park known as 'The Annexe' was often used for events.

Long Wall in 1950 in Marshalls Cross Road, St.Helens
"Long Wall" in 1950 in Marshalls Cross Road - Sutton Academy now occupies the field - Contributed by Jim Lamb

Before it came into municipal ownership after the Second World War, the public were only allowed to walk around Sherdley Park using the 'Score' footpath and, on occasion, visit it during the day. It was privately owned by the Hughes family with an extensive perimeter wall. Frank Bamber, who was born at 64 Edgeworth Street in 1910, described the leisure walks on Sundays around 'long wall' in his 1987 memoirs (also see Joan Heyes & Brenda MacDonald's recollections in the Memories of Sutton Part 1 page):

When the Sunday evenings darkened the "Long Wall" was the habitual meeting place for the teenagers from the surrounding districts to "Parade" groups of boys and groups of girls walking continually up and down the path alongside the wall and usually there was a friendly policeman slowly walking up and down to prevent these groups from joining up and causing an obstruction on the path, it was all done in a cheerful way and the police were given the respect to which was their due, so different from the present day. The older boys and girls who wanted to dally made their way around the 'Score' where all was quiet, and there, no one interfered, it was a favourite place for courting couples.

friends of sutton park sthelens organised veterans' outings
The Friends of Sutton Park organised veterans' outings such as this party in 1950 - Click here for a larger view

From 1903 the public were also able to enjoy themselves in Sutton Park after Michael Hughes sold some of his land to St.Helens Corporation. A campaign for a public park in Sutton had begun six years earlier when a ratepayers' meeting was held. This was called to protest against the lack of municipal 'privileges', that were available elsewhere in St.Helens. Rev. Binney chaired the meeting and said that parks, baths and music had been provided for the opposite ends of the town but Sutton and Parr only had two branch libraries, an infectious diseases hospital and a "graceful sewage destructor".

Various activities were held in Sutton Park including regular Sunday band concerts and a 'friends' group organised annual veterans' outings. Concerts were even held on weekday nights as in this news article in the St.Helens Reporter of 22nd July 1930:

If weather permits, a band performance and short marching display will be given by the band and a detachment of St.Peter's Church Girls Brigade in the Sutton Park on Thursday evening, when a collection will be taken by members of the Sutton Park Bowling Club in aid of the treat to be organised by the club for the old folks of Sutton. As St.Peter's girls have not as yet, been seen in Sutton, there is every likelihood of their [sic] being a great attraction. It is understood that they will march to the Park, arriving there at about 7.30pm.

Sutton Park gates, St.Helens
Illustration of Sutton Park gates (courtesy Sutton Historic Society / St.Helens Local History & Archives Library)

Youngsters, of course, didn't require an actual park to play in. Anywhere would do, especially if there was open space. The Ellen Street field was a popular venue for kids who enjoyed playing cricket, football, rugby, piggy, 'chucky', 'duck off' and hop, skip & jump. These days the site is occupied by East Sutton Labour Club and Ellen Gardens. Another popular playing field was on the corner of Monastery Lane and Robins Lane and was given the nickname of "Joe Doff's". It was an extension of land adjoining the monastery and St.Anne's Convent gardens, although the origins of the name has not been established.

Joan Heyes lived in Ellen Street from 1919 and recalls her childhood fun in Joe Doff's. Writing to this website through daughter Brenda, 94-years-old Joan says:

There was a mound in the field and the kids used to climb up it and then run down it again. Mum vividly remembers the solar eclipse of June 29th, 1927 when she was 11. Everyone had been advised not to look directly at the sun, so they found some glass and held it in the fire to smoke it, then went to Joe Doffs to watch the event.

d) Sutton's Show Field & 'Injun Village

'The 'Show Field' or 'Show Back' was a rectangular piece of grassless ground, 100 yards long by 50 yards wide, sandwiched between the rears of Edgeworth Street, Peckershill Road and Robins Lane and, at its opposite end, by Fisher Street and Taylor Street. At various times of the year, the Show Field was inhabited by travelling show folk of all kinds, who put on circuses, animal shows, fairgrounds and boxing bouts. However, the animal or 'wild beast' shows led to complaints from Robins Lane residents who didn't like the noisy lions and tigers disturbing their sleep! So from around 1920 these were stopped.

In Frank Bamber's 'Clog Clatters in Old Sutton' and in his contribution to a 'Whalley's World' article in the St.Helens Star (5/11/1998), he describes the children's wide-eyed excitement when the merry-go-rounds, swinging boats, Wild West shows and coconut shies were crammed onto the Show Field.

Texas Bill Shufflebottom and wife Rosina

Frank also relates how on one morning about 1916, his two older brothers hurried him through the front door of their home at 64 Edgeworth Street to witness an elephant, led by its trainer, walking through the streets of Sutton. From time to time it stopped to accept crusts of bread and cabbage leaves from the crowd of onlookers that thronged the pavement:

It made its way down the street followed by a good number of people, turn[ed] left at the bottom into Ellamsbridge Road and then up the 'brow' which led to the Infants School and then down to the 'School Brook' to sink its trunk in to quench its thirst to the great enjoyment of all those who watched.

The 1901 census lists the remarkable Yorkshire showman William Shufflebottom (c. 1862 - 1916) as temporary occupier of the 'FairGround Fisher Street' along with wife Rosina, three young daughters and three assistants. The 39-year-old's stage name was 'Texas' Bill Shufflebottom and from the 1880s until the 1960s, his family's Wild West shows were popular fairground attractions. Inspired by the exploits of his hero Buffalo Bill Cody, Shufflebottom's shows included sharp shooting and trick riding and Rosina contributed knife throwing and snake charming! In the early days of moving pictures Shufflebottom combined short films with a Wild West show and his occupation in the census is recorded as 'Exhibitor of Cinematograph'. This appears to be the earliest known record of film exhibition in Sutton.

St.Helens Star newspaper report on Sutton's indian village

In those days a powerful team of horses was required to haul the fairground rides, side-shows and circus marquees to their destinations and the show people had a dilemma as to where to keep them until it was time to move on. Once Sutton's shows were set up, the horses were led down Junction Lane and under the railway bridge into Helena Road and Bold Road and finally into an open farm field at the end of Hills Moss Road.

There tents were erected for the minders to watch over the grazing horses, which led to Sutton folk giving it the nickname of "th' Injun Village".

The Show Field was a magnet for Sutton village folk and even those living farther afield in Parr, Burtonwood, Clock Face and Sutton Manor. However its entertainment was irregular and noisy, unlike the silent films in Sutton's picture palace, the Sutton Empire or 'Bug'.

e) Sutton Bug - Sutton's Picture Palace

Fireman Tommy Waring surrounded by the Sutton Bug Saturday matinee gang

In 1913 a new form of entertainment came to Sutton, the picture palace or cinema. However, most of Sutton's citizens would already have been familiar with moving pictures, having seen them at fairs on Sutton's 'Showfield'. Alternatively, many will have ventured into St.Helens and visited the Hippodrome in Corporation Street, which began exhibiting from 1903. Films were also shown on the top floor of the Co-op building in Baldwin Street from 1907 and there was also the Town Hall and YMCA which both regularly screened the 'flicks' from around 1910. The first purpose-built cinema in St.Helens was the Electric Theatre (or Scala as it became) in Ormskirk Street which began its life in September 1911.

Shop at 8 Junction Lane, Sutton, St.Helens 1928 with a poster for the Scala cinema
Behind the two members of staff of this shop at 8 Junction Lane in Sutton is a poster for the Scala cinema in St.Helens.
On the right is a Sutton Empire poster for a film called 'Thunder God' which was released in 1928

sutton empire cinema advert in sthelens reporter 1930

But to have their own cinema in Junction Lane was something that Sutton locals were particularly proud of. It was named the Sutton Empire but was known locally as Sutton Bug. Mr. Bates was the manager, the formidable Miss Bates ran the box-office in her all-black outfit and Tommy Waring was one of the cinema's firemen, who was renowned as quite a character. The pianist Audrey Barton played mood music for the feature films and sat inside a protective cage, safe from any missiles that might be thrown when a film broke down. Sutton Bug closed in 1957.

The owner of this website interviewed a number of former Sutton Bug cinema-goers and film operators (a.k.a. projectionists) in 1993 for a documentary video and here are some choice extracts from the interviewees' reminiscences:

Vera Bryant lived in Sutton during her childhood and regularly visited the Sutton 'Bug' picture house:

It was so easy going and such a happy place in Sutton Empire. Mr Bates {the manager} was a very pleasant man but he liked going in the Prince of Wales for a drink. We didn't see much of him only when we were coming in and going out. But we had a fireman and his name was Mr. Waring and he used to have the uniform of a fireman and a big belt and in it he used to have an axe hanging down, presumably to chip a door down if we had to get out in a hurry. Now and again he'd come round with disinfectant and spray it over everywhere which smelt very pleasant. It was a nice, very nice place. All the seats were red but there was about three rows at the back which were blue. They were twopence, you see, at the back and a penny at the front. If you felt you could spare twopence instead of a penny you went in the front door and the seats had arms on and you thought that you were somebody because you went in first. I had a sister, older than me and she wanted to go in the Sutton Empire pictures at night and there was a lady who lived in the next street. And in those days everybody was friendly with one another and you could trust everybody. And so she said "Mrs. Malkin can I come in with you because Mr. Bates won't let me in" as it was an A Certificate. And so she lifted up her very full black skirt of her frock, put it over my sister's head and they both walked in and our Edna was underneath the skirt walking in front of her!

Children queuing outside the Sutton 'Bug' Empire in Junction Lane, Sutton

Eric Coffey worked at St.Helens Junction station during WW11 and often was often given the responsibility of delivering films to Sutton Empire on his push bike:

I'd meet the train at quarter past two and rush it down to the Empire cinema in Junction Lane, that lovingly we called the 'Bug'. They would queue up outside the Empire and as soon as they caught sight of me peddling like fury up Junction Lane, I'd wave to them and they'd let out a cheer that they were going to see a film that afternoon.

Relating their Sutton Bug Empire cinema anecdotes in interview in 1993, Jim Brunskill, Eric Coffey and Vera Bryant
Relating their Sutton Bug anecdotes in interview in 1993-4, Jim Brunskill, Eric Coffey and Vera Bryant

Jim Brunskill joined Sutton Empire in 1940 only to discover that all the other operators (or projectionists) had left and he was on his own with a packed house:

Just imagine a lad of 15 and a cinema full of people. I was a bit terrified. They had a fellow with the name of Jim Bates. He was only a doorman and he'd wandered up during the programmes in the past and he said "I've seen them do this... bring it around here". So I had to fathom it out. To cut a long story short, that was my baptism. I got the show over with two programmes that night. I'd hate to think what they was like because I didn't have a clue on cues, the four little dots that appear in the top right hand corner. Well I didn't know and I thought as soon as that film gets far enough down, I'll change over to the next projector. There must have been some jumping that night! ...Tommy Waring he was a character. 'Old Tom' - as he's fondly remembered - he liked his ale. There's lads who'll tell you that he'd let them in free on condition that they slipped up to the pub for a quart of ale and while the programme was on, he'd be in the cellar supping it up....Roy Rogers, he'd beat John Wayne hands down any day of the week. And dare I say it, Gracie Fields. I've seen near pandemonium in Junction Lane when we showed Gracie Fields' Shipyard Sally {1940}. And then the biggest one of all without a doubt, there were crowds and crowds in Junction Lane trying to get in for the last night of The Jolson Story {1947} with Larry Parks.

Also See Memories of Sutton articles: The Sutton Bug Crush by Bill Bate;
Trekking from the Manor for the Sutton Bug Tuppenny Rush by George Houghton
St.Anne's, Neil's & Blood Curdling Monsters at Sutton Bug! by Alan McDermott

f) The Wireless, Television and Rediffusion

Red Rose and Davies cycle and radio shops, Sutton, St.Helens

From the 1920s, a few Suttoners were able to purchase early radio receivers, although an outdoor long-wire antenna was required for good reception. An annual wireless licence was also needed to operate the radios, which during the '20s and '30s was ten shillings {50p}. These days there are sophisticated means to detect television licence evasion but during the wireless days of the 1930s, St.Helens post office investigators could simply drive round the town's streets looking for long aerials in back gardens and yards and compare these addresses with their licence records.

Offenders could be taken to court, such as James Ward of 10 Baxters Lane, Sutton. In an article entitled 'Wireless Pirates Beware', the St.Helens Reporter of February 27th, 1934 described how James had been charged with "unlawfully working a wireless without a licence", which led to a £1 fine by the magistrates.

Due to the high price of mains receivers, and in some places lack of electricity, many wireless enthusiasts used heavy accumulators to power their wireless sets. These needed regular charging and so many local cycle shops diversified. Initially they acted as battery-charging depots and later they began selling radio receivers and accessories. Sutton shops that sold both wireless sets and cycles include The Red Rose at 72 Peckershill Road, which was owned by Tom Williams, and E. & R. A. Davies of 47 Junction Lane. Within the town of St.Helens there was Rothery Radio and Frank Waring but the heavy and dangerous lead-acid accumulators gave an early advantage to the local Sutton stores in developing their business.

From December 1949 when the BBC Midlands transmitter at Sutton Coldfield, near Birmingham was switched on for the first time, the possibility of television became available as an additional form of entertainment to rival the Empire cinema. Although some people purchased televisions and aerials from dealers, many Suttoners subscribed to Rediffusion to receive radio and television transmissions. In later twentieth century years, Rediffusion became associated with commercial television franchises and TV rental. However, it began its days as a pioneering cable company with a shop in Robins Lane, in between Peckershill Road and Edgeworth Street.

If you walk down Robins Lane, near to its junction with Ellen Street, and look down, you'll see a remnant of Sutton's past in a redundant Rediffusion man-hole cover (above). Rediffusion set up their wired networks in many towns during the 1940s and '50s, carrying interference-free services to subscribers. In 1995, Cable North West (now Virgin Media) dug up the streets of St.Helens to install cable television and radio channels in many homes, but Rediffusion had pioneered it years before.

g) The Blinkhorn / Parish Rooms in Waterdale Crescent

Blinkhorn stained glass window in St.Nicholas Church, Sutton, St.Helens

You have to be quite observant these days to spot any traces of the Blinkhorn family, who as glass makers and benefactors were important Sutton citizens during the second half of the nineteenth century. There is an inscription to William I in Gerards Lane, although it's hidden away on the reverse side of Victoria Bridge. Plus dedications to three of the family (William II & first wife Emily Blanche & their daughter Emily Binney) are only visible to churchgoers who crane their heads as they enter the St.Nicholas lychgate entrance.

Inside the church there is a beautiful 'Faith Hope & Charity' stained glass window that was designed by glass artist Henry Holliday. However, few are likely to notice the dedication to William Blinkhorn, by Sara his second wife, at the base of the window.

A century ago there was a road called Blinkhorn Street in Sutton Oak that was named after the industrialist family, as well as the Blinkhorn Rooms at 74 Waterdale Crescent. These rooms were a part of a row of terraced houses that included the Crystal Palace pub which were donated to the parish in the late nineteenth century by Wm. Blinkhorn.

The rooms - which officially were known as the Parish Rooms - had many uses and were a venue for a variety of leisure and entertainment activities over the decades. Initially they were utilised as additional school rooms, then during the early years of the twentieth century the Blinkhorm Rooms were where the Women’s Fellowship met. Later they served as a gymnasium for local boys, then reading rooms and as a café and youth club.

One correspondent to 'Whalley's World' in the St.Helens Star said that in his day, there was a squad of dinner ladies who served up "plenty of porridge, toast, hot cocoa and lob-scouse". Frank Ashton also described in his letter to the Star how:

Anyone could go to the children's canteen there, for breakfast or for dinner. It looked just like a scene from Oliver Twist. But everyone was well fed. I remember all that porridge, toast and hot cocoa.

Allan Moore described how the Blinkhorn Rooms hosted country and folk dancing, occasional plays, ballroom dances and other church-related functions. Managed by the Sutton Parish Guild, it comprised one large room with a small stage at its far end with a separate kitchen and toilets.

Quite a number a couples first met at the Blinkhorn Rooms, including Bill and Olwen Hawley who described in Whalley's World how the Blinkhorn Rooms were home to the so-called '8.15pm Club'.

We attended after the evening service at All Saints Church, and it was run by George Myers. George organised football and rounders games. Table tennis and board games were played in the main room, which also housed a piano and drum set, played by Johnny Walker and Norman Andrews. Drinks and snacks were available in a small kitchen.

The rooms in Waterdale Crescent were demolished several decades ago and a vicarage was built on the land. If you have any photographs of the Blinkhorn Rooms, I would be delighted to receive them.

h) Sutton Social Clubs

It's quite astonishing that in the very early years of the 20th century when Sutton Harriers were achieving international success, they were having to use the most rudimentary of facilities in the Red Lion. However by this time club houses were appearing within the Sutton district, often affiliated to political parties. These would soon be greatly expanded as industries such as mining - as well as leisure and sports societies - constructed club rooms for their workers and members. They served as alternatives to the traditional use of snugs and back rooms in pubs as meeting places. Some of these social and sporting clubs and club houses are described on other pages of this website and the Blinkhorn Rooms is featured above. This article will concentrate on others of particular interest.

Although a working class district, the Conservative Party was quite popular in Sutton and a Conservative Club was first created in Edgeworth Street during the 1880s. By 1891 Thomas Woods was its secretary and an annual tea party and concert was held. However through limits on the numbers that the club could accommodate, the event had to take place at Sutton National Schools. So a larger club was built in 1900 at the end of Edgeworth Street, near the Victoria Vaults pub, which was officially opened on May 2nd by Henry Seton-Karr, M.P. for St.Helens. He was presented with a special gold-mounted key by Colonel McTear in which to open its doors.

A share certificate for Sutton Conservative Club owned by Henry Baker Bates. Note the signatures of Col. J.W. McTear
and Samuel Royle who had a grocer's shop at 9 Taylor Street in Sutton - Contributed by Merrick Baker-Bates

A limited company was created to pay for its funding and shares in the Sutton Conservative Club Company Limited were purchased by its supporters. In the Liverpool Mercury's report of the opening ceremony, they described how the ground floor of the building served as an assembly room and the upper floor included a "large billiard saloon". There was also a lounge and bar and a room for playing cards and dominoes. A well-kept bowling green was at the rear of the premises and the caretaker of the new club was "Sandy" McKinnon, whose house was next door (pictured right). As well as Colonel McTear, Conservative councillor Dr. Baker Bates was also heavily involved in getting the new club built.

Many weddings and birthday parties were held on the ground floor of the Conservative Club, which was licensed both for dancing and music. A Junior Conservative meeting was held on Friday nights, known as Sutton Junior Imps, which included music and dancing. This was very popular and it's said that many courtships began on these nights. As well as billiard and games rooms, the upper floor provided access to a steel constructed balcony that overlooked the bowling green. A steel staircase led down to the green and to a bowls house. The club was finally demolished in 1987.

The small enclave of Sutton between Edgeworth Street, Fisher Street and Ellen Street used to host a number of clubs. A Discharged Soldiers and Sailors Club was in Fisher Street until April 1923 when the club caught fire. The roof fell in and the building was gutted with damage estimated at £250, the equivalent of about £7,000 in today's money. The club had no insurance and so was unable to rise phoenix-like from its ashes. However, in 1936 the Sutton British Legion Club opened its doors for the first time on the old Showfield between Edgeworth Street and Peckers Hill Road.

The East Sutton Labour Club in Ellen Street is the only club that still remains within this part of Sutton. A relatively recent construction, although it did exist as a smaller, wooden building as far back as the 1920s, if not earlier. Of the industrial sports and social clubs in the Sutton district, SIDAC's off Applecorn Close by Leach Lane is noteworthy. Built in 1961 by British Sidac, the Sutton Leach club was taken over by its former employees after the cellophane maker left Sutton. Their football section dates back to 1936 and is the oldest member of the St.Helens Football Combination League. The club, which was recently refurbished, is thriving and boasts two function rooms with many activities regularly held.

i) The St.Helens / Sherdley Show (1968-2006)

The Times diary reported the StHelens Centenary Show 25/7/1968

Sherdley Park came under municipal ownership in the late 1940s and at over 300 acres, it was the obvious venue for hosting large-scale events. The biggest was the annual St.Helens Show which took place between 1968 and 2006. The origins of the 'Sherdley Show', as it was locally known, can be traced back to 1780 with the biennial St.Helens Fair in New Market Place, which had the original aim of selling livestock before becoming centred around entertainment.

The St.Helens Show was initially a one-off Centenary Show to celebrate 100 years of the St.Helens borough. Its success led to it being held on an annual basis and at its peak attracted half a million visitors over three days.

Billed as the largest free show in Europe, the event consisted of air and field displays, demonstrations and shows, arena entertainment, mother & baby and Miss St.Helens competitions, music performances and Silcock's Fair. It was always brought to a close by an impressive fireworks display on the final day.

In 1993 it was estimated that 550,000 people attended the 'Sherdley Show', as locals often called it. However, with increasing competition from other forms of entertainment plus, as some people claimed, a tired, repetitive format, the numbers of attendees considerably decreased and the St.Helens Show ended in 2006. The following year it was replaced by the two day St.Helens Festival which is held earlier in July and attracts about twenty thousand visitors in total.

St.Helens Show Programme 1977
The cover of the St.Helens Show programme of 1977 including the Mother and Baby competition
Top right: St.Helens Reporter front page article from 1993 reporting attendance of 550,000 over 3 days

Next: Part 25) Sutton Celebrations; | Research Sources

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