An Illustrated History of Old Sutton in St.Helens
Part 23 (of 41) - Leisure & Entertainment in Sutton
a) Early Closing and 'Moral & Social Improvement' | b) Rise of the Excursionistc) 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) The Blinkhorn Rooms | h) The St.Helens Show (1968 - 2006)
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 Sutton had 20 public houses and 19 beerhouses.
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 said:
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. 
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 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, did centre around the church or the pub. The growth in alcohol sales mirrored the remarkable expansion of the town's population and gave rise to increased drunkenness and a temperance movement.
Church youth activities were strongly encouraged with groups such as the Church Life Brigade, Catholic Lads Brigade, Jewish Lads Brigade, Boy Scouts 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. However, as well as promoting wholesome leisure activities within Sutton and St.Helens, the church and the works' bosses also organised day-trips, with the travellers referred to as 'excursionists'.
b) Rise Of The Sutton Excursionist
As well as spending increased leisure time locally, the advent and expansion of the railway during the nineteenth century led to an 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 bedsthat they commenced their wicked career at Newton Races.
All the old 'crocks', with the worstbells are hired out in the place.
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".
Over the years, Sutton's fields and parks played important roles as venues for leisure activities for the young, as the clerics and educators continued in 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.
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. 
In 1930 the St.Helens Reporter claimed that the 1,300 who processed to Sherdley Park for that year's Sutton Parish gala or fête was a record, it was actually one hundred less than in 1895. The newspaper's correspondent described Ellamsbridge Road as being turned "into a fairyland" by the colourful spectacle and in the park itself, country dances were performed by the children of Sutton National Schools, as well as the usual sports. (St.Helens Reporter 18/7/1930)
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's recollections in the Memories of Sutton 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. 
The Friends of Sutton Park organised veterans' outings - see Photoalbum for complete1936 picture
From 1903 the public were also able to enjoy themselves in Sutton Park after Michael Hughes sold land to St.Helens Corporation. Various activities were held there 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. 
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 this site is occupied by East Sutton Labour Club and Ellen Gardens, although the former did exist as a smaller, wooden building as far back as the 1920s, if not earlier. 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 both the monastery and St.Anne's Convent gardens, although the derivation of the name has never been fully 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 Back' or 'Show Field' was a rectangular piece of grassless ground, 100 yards long by 50 yards wide, which was 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, boxing bouts, fairs etc. However, the animal or 'wild beast' shows led to complaints from Robins Lane residents about noisy lions and tigers disturbing their sleep and so from around 1920 these were stopped!In the late 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 Sutton children's wide-eyed excitement when the merry-go-rounds, swinging boats, Wild West shows and coconut shies were crammed onto the Show Field.
Frank also relates when one one morning c.1916, his two older brothers hurried him through the front door of their house at 64 Edgeworth Street to witness an elephant, led by its trainer, walking through the streets of Sutton village. It would stop from time to time to accept crusts of bread and cabbage leaves from the crowd 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. 
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 often noisy, unlike the silent films in the local picture palace, the Sutton '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. Although a number of Sutton's citizens would already have been familiar with moving pictures, having perhaps ventured into St.Helens town centre and watched films at the Hippodrome in Corporation Street which began exhibiting them from 1903; or visited the top floor of the Co-op building in Baldwin Street which started a cinema in 1907; or even popped into the Town Hall or YMCA which both regularly screened films from around 1910; or sat in the Electric Theatre (or Scala as it became) in Ormskirk Street, the first purpose-built cinema in St.Helens, which began its life in September 1911.
Behind the two members of staff of this shop at 8 Junction Lane is a poster for the Scala cinema - on the
right is a Sutton Empire poster for a film called 'Thunder God' which was released in 1928
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 their 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 anecdotes in interview in 1993-4, Jim Brunskill, Eric Coffey & 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. 
f) The Wireless, Television and Rediffusion
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 records. Offenders could be taken to court, such as James Ward of 10 Baxters Lane in Sutton. In an article entitled 'Wireless Pirates Beware', the St.Helens Reporter of February 27th, 1934 described how he had been charged with "unlawfully working a wireless without a licence", which led to a £1 fine by the magistrates.
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 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 Rooms in Waterdale Crescent
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 in Waterdale Crescent. These rooms were a part of a row of terraced houses that included the Crystal Palace pub and had been presented to the parish in the late nineteenth century by Wm. Blinkhorn.
The 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 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. 
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. 
h) The St.Helens Show (1968-2006)
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 20,000 visitors in total.
Pictures from 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
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Sutton Beauty & Heritage's History Pages:
01) Township of Sutton & St.Helens | 02) Lords & Masters03) Michael Hughes of Sherdley | 04) The Sherdley Estate
05) Sutton's Halls & Houses | 06) Dr. Henry Baker Bates
07) Religion in Sutton | 08) Rev. Henry Vallancey
09) Education in Sutton | 10) Mineworking in Sutton
11) Sutton Manor Colliery #1 | 12) Sutton Manor Colliery #2
13) Clock Face Colliery | 14) Bold Colliery
15) Industry in Sutton Township | 16) Sutton Transport
17) Sutton Transport Timeline | 18) Health & Sanitary Conditions
19) Old Sutton Pubs | 20) Sport in Sutton
21) Sutton Boxers & Wrestlers | 22) Rapid Rise of Sutton Harriers
23) Leisure & Entertainment | 24) Sutton Celebrations
25) Sutton Streetnames | 26) Pudding Bag
27) Notorious & Curious Crime | 28) Sutton Tragedy #1
29) Sutton Tragedy #2 | 30) What's Wrong With Sutton?
31) How Sutton Has Changed | 32) Memories of Sutton Part 1
33) Memories of Sutton Part 2 | 34) Memories of Sutton Part 3
35) Memories of Sutton Part 4 | 36) Memories of Sutton Part 5
37) Memories of Sutton Part 6 | 38) Memories of Sutton Part 7
39) Sutton Trivia & True Facts | 40) Clog Clatters in Old Sutton
41) Research Sources, References & Bibliography
Plus 13 Heritage Photo-Albums:
Sutton's Lords & Masters; Sherdley Estate; Religion & Education;Transport; Sport, Leisure & Entertainment; Sutton Streets;
Sutton Manor Colliery #1; #2; #3; #4; Clock Face Colliery;
Bold Colliery; Sutton Industry;
Copyright Notice / Factual Accuracy Statement
Sutton Beauty & Heritage strives for factual accuracy at all times. Please do also get in touch if you believe that there are any errors, with details of any corrections contained within the site's update history page, which also details the regular updates. Many individuals from all over the world have kindly contributed Sutton information or photographs. If you would like to participate in this project, I would be delighted to hear from you and this website always credits any assistance given. Do also consider contributing any recollections of old Sutton that you might have for the Sutton Memories pages, which are proving very popular. I respond quickly to all emails and if you haven't received a response within 12 hours, please check your junk mail folder or send your message again. Thank you! SRW
