Old Southport news articles detailing tragedies, murders and suffering plus some lighter news in days gone by. Taken from a number of different newspapers, source quoted after each article.
Southport Sands
Southport Sands are likely to be the scene, this summer, of a daring world record speed attempt.
The corporation has been approached in connection with an attempt which the famous Southern racing motorcyclist, Joe. S. Wright, proposes to make on the present mile motor cycle record of 156 miles per hour.
Reticence has been kept over discussions between the parks and foreshore committee, and the Southport motor club over the proposals, but a “Lancashire Daily Post” reporter learned today that a special meeting will be held tomorrow, after which a decision will probably be announced.
It is hoped the attempt will be made in the near future on a three miles course from Nile Bank to Ainsdale beach. The track will be only 10 yards wide, and visiting motorists will be asked for several week in advance to run their cars along the track to make it a firm surface.
Mr. M. D. Ball, secretary of the Southport Motor Club, stated: “ It will be a spectacular effort and will attract great attention The club are anxious that it should be staged at Southport, and if the corporation grant permission for the use of the foreshore the club will be responsible for the organization of the attempt.”
“The record breaking effort will enhance the prominence Southport enjoys in the motoring world through the sand races which the club runs.”
Mr Wright is trying to recapture the motorcycle record, which he set up with a speed on 150.74 mph, which was exceeded by just over five miles per hour by a German rider. He has had a special motor cycle built, and on bench tests its speed has been well above the present record.
Southport’s long stretch of sand has been the scene of many famous motoring feats and a world record was once set up there by the late Sir Henry Segrave.
Source: Lancashire Evening Post
Two Corporation tramcars collided head-on in Cemetery road, Southport, in thick fog. The drivers, Thomas Foster, of Heysham road, and Charles Johnson, of Birch street, were taken to hospital, Foster with an injured foot and Johnson suffering from shock. The cars were badly damaged, but the passengers were unhurt.
Source: Derby Daily Telegraph
Cycling in Lord Street
The death of Samuel Studdard, aged sixty-one, as a result of a collision with a young cyclist named Braddock, while cycling in Lord Street, was inquired into yesterday by a Coroners jury at Southport.
Mr Brighouse, the Coroner, referring to a juryman’s complaint of the great amount of careless cycling in Lord Street said it was a great nuisance and needed the attention of the Council and the police. It was unfair that such a fine street should be made a danger and a death trap by the way in which cyclists used it. It was not permitted in similar throughfares on the continent.
The jury exonerated Bradock from blame passed a vote of sympathy with Mr Studdards relatives and commended to the attention of the authorities the dangerous character of the Union street corner where the accident happened.
Source: Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser
While walking along Lord Street, Southport, Miss Gaskell, a teacher at Holy Trinity School, and residing in Arnside-road, Southport, collapsed and fell to the pavement. She was carried into a chemist shop, and died almost immediately.
Source: Liverpool Echo
The death occurred yesterday afternoon at the Southport Infirmary of Mr Arthur W. Speed, the conductor of the Southport Triennial Musical Festival. Mr. Speed had a seizure when conducting a choir practice at Chapel street congregational church, Southport on Friday evening. A few years ago he formed one of the party of singers which made an Empire tour under Dr Coward.
Source: Lancashire Evening Post
The death took place this morning of Jack Sinclair, one of the most promising forwards on the books of the Southport Football Club.
Sinclair was one of the three members of the same family playing with Southport and competent judges were agreed that young Sinclair had a great future. He was only 19 years of age, and last season was a consistent goalkeeper for the reserve. The cause of his death was pneumonia, which he contracted about a fortnight ago.
Source: Lancashire Evening Post
Southport people are to be congratulated on the establishment and continued progress of their flower show. The 8th annual event opened yesterday and of there was a falling off in entries in some of the smaller classes, and the weather has had its toll on some of the exhibits, it was not apparent to the ordinary observer.
As a matter of fact of the show (which continues today and tomorrow), is bigger than last year, and it possibly the biggest of the series. Most shows seem to specialize on one or two features, but Southport specializes on them all. Its list of judges is a veritable Debrett of the gardening world, and the list of big growers is equally representative.
In all there are eight marquees, the biggest occupying a space of nearly two acres, and there are nearly 200 horticultural sundry exhibits. In the large marquee are housed all the big trade exhibits, as well as the special classes for sweet peas and the provincial exhibition of the National Chrysanthemum Society. The avenue, along both sides of which the foliage plants are housed, is indeed a picture, and it is doubtful if anything more effective has been seen at any show anywhere. Cyphers, of Cheltenham were the winners of both challenge trophies last year, and they again carried off both prizes.
Source: Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer
While the Southport Fire Brigade were proceeding to a fire today, a cyclist was killed and three fireman injured. The cyclist, who was in front, suddenly turned into a side street and was caught by the fire engine, which endeavor to avoid him, ran on the footpath knocking down two trees, while three fireman were thrown off and injured. The cyclist is not yet identified.
Source: Derby Daily Telegraph
A lighted match thrown on a heap of rubbish near a gas boiler is believed to have caused a fire, which broke out at the Gladstone Liberal Club, Southport this afternoon.
The flames from the rubbish ignited gas escaping from a leak in the piping, and set a large store cupboard alight.
Prompt action by the club officials and two police officers who were summoned prevented the outbreak from spreading and the services of the fire brigade, which also had been called, were hardly required.
Source: Lancashire Evening Post
Early this morning a disastrous fire broke out on the Southport pier, and damage to the extent of about £4000 was done. The fire originated in the pavilion, which was almost completely destroyed, and the flames spread with great rapidity to the refreshment bars adjoining. The boats of the West Lancashire Yacht Club were saved. The loss is partially covered by insurance.
Source: Sheffield Evening Telegraph
Anne Carraher (25), of Tulketh Street, Southport, was sentenced to six months imprisonment at Southport, today, for stealing a fur, valued at £5.
It was stated that for the past month Carraher had been employed as a daily help at a public house and left Saturday. Yesterday her former employer met her in the street wearing the fur, and the police were informed. When a police officer visited her home the accused brought the fur from an outhouse.
The chief Constable said prisoner had been dealt with leniently in the past. She had been before the court on three charges of theft and one of being found on enclosed premises, and she had always been bound over. She had been in a home, and also went to Canada, from which country she was sent back by the Government yesterday. She refused to be bailed out by her father.
Carrahers mother said that her daughter seemed as if she could not help doing this kind of thing. She did not do it to make any money out of it. She (witness) did not know anything about the fur until the police came.
Carraher collapsed on hearing the sentence, and was carried screaming out of court.
The Chairman (Mr J. E. Willett) said it seemed desirable that before girls were engaged inquiries with regard to character should be made both by the employer and the registry office.
Source: Lancashire Evening Post
The first Southport vocal and instrumental competitive festival opens at Southport today. The Chief contests will take place at the Albert Hall, but the entry is so great that today contests are taking place in no less than five halls, namely, the Albert Hall, the Conservatory at the Winter Gardens, the Opera House, the Queens Hall, and the Temperance Institute. The entry is a record one, namely, 2200 competitors, and the prize money amounts to £250, in addition to which silver challenge shields and cups are offered. The Countess of Lathom, who is the guest of Sir George Pilkington, will present the prizes each day. The judges of the contests include Dr. Varley Roberts and Dr. McNaught.
Source: Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser
A Southport veteran of the Boer War and the Great War, Mr Arthur Emmott, of Wesley Street, who had led every Armistice Day and Mayoral Sunday parade in the town for 20 years as drum major of the British Legion Band, has died in the local infirmary.
Mr. Emmott, a native of Burnley went to Southport about 35 years ago.
He joined the Royal Field Artillery when 19 and served throughout the Boer War with the rank of sergeant. An expert horseman, for a time before the Great War he was riding master at a Southport riding school. He joined up again in 1924 with the National Reserve, and served throughout the Great War as a quartermaster-sergeant.
Source: Lancashire Evening Post
Southport playing fields memorial to King George V, the Botanic Gardens will be opened on Saturday august 28th.
These gardens, which were an attraction at Southport several years ago, were to be used for building purposes when the Town Council took part of the land over.
The playing fields area was purchased by public subscriptions.
Mt Roger Fleetwood-Hesketh, of Churchtown, who will open the gardens, which have been greatly improved, contributed £3000 to the fund.
Source: Lancashire Evening Post
The memorial stone of a new elementary school in St Cuthbert’s Parish, Southport, was laid yesterday in the presence of the Bishop of Liverpool, the Mayor of Southport (Dr. Isherwood) and others. The inception of this scheme was due to a gift by Mr W. N. Heald of the freehold on which the schools are built. The schools will cost £3200, and will give accommodation for 360 children. The memorial stone was laid by Mrs W. N. Heald.
Source: Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser
The many Southport and Birkdale contractors by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway will for a time be deprived of their newly equipped coaches, latterly used to work the 9am Southport to Liverpool express, and the return express at 5.20pm, or on Saturdays at 5pm. After making the usual journey to Liverpool on Saturday morning, the coaches were shunted out of the terminus and soon after 11 stood the “slow” through line at Bank Hll. Here, about 11.20pm a mishap, seriously destructive to rolling stock, occurred, a signalman forgetting the proximity of the empty carriages, and turning a ballcast train on to the same line of rails. The ballast train struck the passenger carriages with considerable force, and since the train was at rest on a curve the impact necessarily proved the more severe as it was received on the single buffer, the whole dozen coaches being more or less wrecked. Happily, no personal injury resulted, though the driver of the ballast engine suffered for a while from the shock. The wreckage was, by the use of a crane, rapidly removed, and thanks to the double road at this part of the system, and to the numerous sidings, the delay to traffic hardly became appreciable. The wrecked train was, as already indicated, the pride of the Southport line. On one of its trial journeys, a few months ago, It carried a conference of railway managers, assembled at Southport to witness experiments with a new passenger signaling apparatus, and to test one of the locomotives of increased power and size lately produced at the Horwich works.
Source: Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser
Youth Saved By Attendant
Two attendants who dived to the aid of a drowning youth at Southport Open-air Bathing Pool today, brought him safely to the side after exciting efforts.
A vain plea for help had been made to another bather by the youth, Joseph Cartwright, a holiday visitor, staying in Portland Street, who suddenly found himself out of his depth.
“Hold me up,” he cried as he was struggling in the water to a swimmer who was passing only a yard or two away, but the latter thought he was joking, and swam away without realizing his peril.
Fortunately an attendant, Albert Ryder, who had been patrolling the side of the pool noticed the youth was in difficulties, and dived in fully clothed.
Source: Lancashire Evening Post
