This week's stories from the St Helens Star from thirty years ago this week include the man severely burned after breaking into an electricity substation, the St Helens council leader responds to criticism, the many YMCA activity classes, advice for St Helens claimants of the new Incapacity Benefit, and the ‘90s new technologies that are now obsolete.
It doesn't seem to matter how far back in the 20th century that you delve, St Helens Council always seems to have been struggling for cash and having to make cutbacks.
Between 1992 and 1994, as many as 2,000 council staff had lost their jobs and in its edition of April 27, 1995, the Star reported that teachers would be next in the firing line: "A total of eight teachers and 10 nursery staff could lose their jobs as schools struggle to balance their budget following recent government cutbacks."
The term anti-social behaviour does not appear to have been embraced widely by the mid-1990s.
They were referring to disorder on tenanted estates, as council leader Dave Watts explained: "This is not just a problem on our council estates, many private and rented tenants face similar problems.
"People quite naturally want the right to live a quiet life, free from harassment and nuisance from neighbours."
It was hoped that a plan of action to address the issue would be formulated in June.
"Leader Blasts Back In Parkside Row", was the Star's lead story on its front page.
It concerned Mr Watts' riposte to claims that as council leader he was prejudicing the decision-making process of the council's own Planning Committee.
Morrisons wanted to build a huge supermarket distribution centre on the site of Parkside Colliery, near Newton-le-Willows, which had closed in 1993.
But there was much local opposition led by the Save Newton and Winwick Campaign.
Their members had complained to the local authority ombudsman that Mr Watts' interventions would not allow the planning committee to make an objective decision.
However, the council leader told the Star that his role was to bring jobs to the town but he insisted he had completely divorced himself from the planning process concerning Morrisons.
The police said women should be particularly careful when putting their bags down in cafés.
St Helens Police had also issued what the Star described as a powerful warning on the dangers of electricity substations.
That was after an incident when three men had entered a Manweb substation at BLM's works, off Chalon Way.
One of the men had come into contact with a high-voltage electricity cable; an explosion and fire subsequently occurred and the individual was severely burned.
The two other men called an ambulance and then left the scene but they had now been traced.
The condition of the injured man was described as serious but stable in Whiston Hospital.
There's nothing new in the present government wanting to reduce its benefits bill and get sickness and disability-related claimants back to work.
In April 1995 the changeover from Invalidity Benefit to Incapacity Benefit was well underway and the Star wrote that Disability Network was offering guidance to claimants.
A 21-page self-assessment form needed to be completed with answers to questions such as "Can you put a hat on your head?"
or "Can you lift a pint of milk?"
The national charity had an office in Church Street in St Helens and explained that they were able to provide advice to claimants in answering the questions and if denied the new Incapacity Benefit, Disability Network could help organise an appeal.
A full-page advert from the Norweb superstore in King Street promoting their Spring Sale is a reminder of some of the technologies and prices of the nineties.
At the start of the decade NICAM stereo began enhancing some viewers' television experience.
These were the individuals possessing NICAM TVs and videos – but they did not come cheap.
Norweb had a Hitachi NICAM 26 inch colour TV on sale at £549.99, which they said was £100 off their normal price.
In today's money £550 equates to around £1,500.
The ‘90s was also the decade of the 8mm / VHS-C camcorders and a Samsung model was advertised for £449.99, with its pre-sale price listed as £530.
However, if Star readers cut out a voucher from Norweb's ad they would receive a further £50 discount.
The 8mm videocassette format that the Samsung camcorder recorded on is now obsolete.
And so is the innovative VideoPlus+ programme scheduling system that was included in the Amstrad video recorders that were on sale from Norweb for £199.99.
Finally, the St Helens YMCA had a very long list of what they described as their activity classes published in the Star.
These included step aerobics; kung fu; circuit training; total workout; legs, bums, tums; karate; yoga; basic step; step & slide; taekwondo, as well as an After School club for 5 to 11 year olds and Soccer Club for 10 to 14 year olds.
The YMCA described their mission as putting Christian principles into action through "enriching the spiritual, mental, physical and social life of men and women of all ages and differing ethnic backgrounds and beliefs in our local community."
St Helens Star archives courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library.
Stephen Wainwright's books The Hidden History Of St Helens Volumes 1 to 4 are available from the St Helens Book Stop and The World of Glass and online from eBay and Amazon with free delivery.
Price £12 each.
