22nd September 2020 – Added Memories of Sutton Part 29 in which Norman Edwards, a longstanding resident of Thailand, relates his boyhood days in St Helens playing on Sutton Moss, his wartime experiences, attending Robins Lane school, the Battery Cob disaster and the VE Day celebrations.

20th September 2020 – Updated Memories of Sutton Part 28 with two new articles. In 'Celebrating Coronation Day in Sutton Leach', Wilf Powell describes three photographs of the procession in Leach Lane in June 1953 that celebrated the Queen's coronation. And in 'Memories of Pudding Bag’, Terry Almond relates happy recollections of in Woodcock Street.

18th September 2020 – Added Memories of Sutton Part 28 featuring an article called 'Being A Child And Teenager In Pre-1960s Junction Lane'. In this Mike describes his early life in Sutton - including how he kept the Sutton Bug's doorman Tommy Waring supplied with ale, the Junction Lane shops, his school days at St Anne’s, roaming with his pals, starting work at Crone and Taylor's and the teenage culture of the 1950s.

4th July 2019 – Updated Sutton Shops page with ten images. Two are of William Leicester's garage in Marshall's Cross Road that have been contributed by Jane Ralph. Other contributed images are of Electron Radio Services of Peckers Hill Road (Tony Naylor), Clough's grocer's of Peckers Hill Road (Ged Clough) and Kenpri of Mill Lane (Ian Rice). Also added are adverts of J. Anders (Peasley Cross Lane), Burndept Radio (Junction Lane), Ibstock (Chester Lane) and an old postal order stamped Sutton Oak post office.

24th June 2019 – The Sherdley Park Beauty page has been updated and seven new photographs added. Four of these have been supplied by Sherdley Park Golf Club, which recently opened its £1m new clubhouse. The text has been revised and much new information added, in particular the Sherdley Park News section.

23rd June 2019 – Updated the Sutton Mill Dam, Sherdley Park, Clock Face Country Park, Sutton Manor Woodland, Sutton Park and Brickfields Location pages with new road and satellite maps added to each page. The previous maps had stopped working due to changes made by Google.

8th October 2018 – Updated Harry Hickson’s article in Memories of Sutton Part 9 called 'Memories of Sutton Leach' with 700 words on bodybuilder Don Fernley from Garnet Street. Also added a photograph of a youthful Don adopting the classic pose of the day, contributed by daughter Angela King and one of the remarkable Nellie Anderton of Mill Lane.

8th August 2018 – Updated Sutton Trivia & True Facts page with 'Mickey the Talking Budgerigar’, an article on Mary Davies's budgerigar of Robins Lane, which the Liverpool Evening Express called one of the finest talkers in Lancashire. Also 'The Flocks on Sutton Moss', a humorous St Helens Reporter article from 1920 on the hundreds of geese and ducks on Sutton Moss. Also added two more in brief articles: a) The annual Baxters Lane "VE day" outing; b) Children in Sutton Manor who’d raised funds to help deprived kids at Christmas.

17th July 2018 – Sutton Manor Colliery Part 2 has been updated with 1,000 words of new information covering the period from 1969 to 1981. The ten events include how a seismic survey in 1973 was using magnetic computer tape in a mobile instruments station to detect geological faults; a Liverpool Echo report on the "tremendous bitterness" in Sutton Manor during the 1974 strike; the colliery's cup-winning 7-a-side rugby league team and the breaking of safety and productivity records.

16th July 2018 – An extensive update of Bold Colliery Part 2 that mainly covers the period from 1969 to 1983, with 25 new events comprising 1,800 words. Included are the strikes of 1972 and 1974, an explosion of an oxyacetylene burner in 1972 that injured five men, the introduction of the self-rescuer safety appliance at Bold, the construction of a mock face as part of a safety campaign, the big slump in production in 1981, the end of the line for the colliery’s canaries and irate residents in Collins Green complain about Bold Colliery lorries thundering past their homes to a tip at Clock Face. Three photographs have also been added.

15th July 2018 – Updated the Sutton Manor Colliery Part 1 page with many new stories – including the two men in 1919 who were prosecuted for taking a long "snap" break; why the colliery company wanted to evict six of their tenants; how a protective ‘plug’ of concrete saved five men in 1955 after a pit cage hurtled down a 600-yard shaft; a strike in 1955 and the death of James Rimmer from Whiston who suffered a dreadful death in the coal scraping section of the colliery in 1919.

14th July 2018 – Updated the Religion in Sutton Part 1 page with details of 14 new events in the history of Sutton Parish. These include the Vicar of Sutton’s 1918 ban on infectious bodies inside St Nicholas church and call for mourners to carry their own coffins; the creation of a Church of England Mission in Sutton Manor in 1920; the Sutton Parish Church Winter Fair of 1968; a combined carol service with St. Anne’s and how in 1969 a team from All Saints planned to visit every house to extend an invitation to attend harvest services.

13th July 2018 – Updated the Clock Face Colliery Part 1 page with seven detailed descriptions of the deaths of six men and one girl at the colliery. The latter’s demise in 1920 in the mine’s screens department had the headline in the St Helens Reporter of "Whirled To Her Death - Girl’s Terrifying Experience". Other deaths occurred c.1919 - 1920 through underground roof falls, coal and dirt train accidents etc.

10th July 2018 – A new Industry Part 4 page has been added devoted to Crone & Taylor, who were a major industrial concern in Sutton Oak for almost 100 years. Initially their factory produced fertilisers along with animal feed. During the 1940s Crone & Taylor re-invented themselves as an engineering business making mechanical handling equipment – such as mobile conveyors for the gas industry – before switching focus to the coal industry. The existing article on Crone & Taylor in Industry Part 1 has been transferred to the new page and considerably expanded to 1,800 words and 24 images.

23rd January 2018 – Updated Memories of Sutton Part 26 with a new article by Rita Woodward (Kenwright) called 'Cycling, Tennis and the 8-15'. Rita recalls her activities in Sutton during the '50s and '60s, including bike riding, the Sutton Parish ‘8-15’ group, helping out at Sutton Scout camps in the Lake District, playing tennis at Sutton Cricket and Tennis Club and dancing to Roy Hordley’s ‘Poachers’. The 1200-word article includes eleven photographs.

21st January 2018 – Updated Education in Sutton Part 1 with much more details on the history of Sutton National School. These include Enoch Coaley’s memories of the school from the late 1890s; the centenary of Sutton ‘Nash’ in 1968; fundraising in aid of the Sutton National School building fund and the Rev. ‘Reg’ Smith returning to his old parish to open a new classroom at Sutton National infants’ school. Also added a photograph of the staff at St Aidan’s, Clock Face c.1977 contributed by Stephen Twist.

20th January 2018 – Updated Industry in Sutton Part 1 with two photographs and a 300-word description of an explosion at Sutton Heath Pottery from ‘The Engineer’ magazine of 1900. In addition the article on the history of Crone & Taylor has been updated with 400 more words and two more images. A photograph of industrialist John Fenwick Allen has also been added to the copper works article on the page.

19th January 2018 – Updated Bold Colliery Part 1 with three photographs that were taken about 1900: a) an engine man; b) two ‘pit brow lasses’; c) the rudimentary outdoor coal screenings at Bold Colliery. A 300-word explanation of the workings of these screenings has been provided by Harry Hickson. The page update also includes details of an assault by six haulage hands on the colliery’s manager and an undermanager which took place in 1944.

9th December 2017 – Memories of Sutton Part 27 is a new page that features Norris Kenwright’s 2,500 word article called ‘Sutton My Early Years in the 1940s’. Norris now lives in New Zealand but was born at 1 Marina Avenue and was a member of the family firm that built the ‘Kenwright estate’ of streets near Sutton Park. In the article he describes the early war years in his beloved park, the family pigsty, the games and activities that they played, Norris’s accidental ‘arson’, parties & celebrations etc. The article is illustrated by fourteen images.

13th November 2017 – Memories of Sutton Part 26 has been added featuring Norris Kenwright’s article ‘An Early November Day’. Norris lived in Marina Avenue in Sutton and describes a typical school day in the mid 1940s at the Robins Lane School annexe in Sutton Road. His recollections include his journeys to school and back, trolleybus japes, Ashton’s shop in Baxters Lane and practising a small operetta. Norris’s article is illustrated with six photographs.

13th November 2017 – The Dr. Baker Bates page has been updated with more details, including information on the four-time mayor’s early life, schooling and family and the committees he chaired during the war – including the St.Helens Allotments Committee and Belgian Refugees Committee.

12th November 2017 – Updated Sutton Manor Colliery Part 2 page with four new photographs and descriptions of the 1986 / 87 H24 coal face development. The pictures were contributed by John Highcock, who curiously found them on a noticeboard at Bold Colliery just before it closed. The photos show the Dosco tunnelling machine, miners taking a pinch of snuff, a roof-bolting machine and H24 team members. Thanks to Ken Bailey Jnr for his assistance. Also added is a drawing by Barry Thomas of one of the Sutton Manor headgears.

10th November 2017 – Clock Face Colliery Part 2 has had several updates: a) Added quote from the Liverpool Echo about Maurice Hill who worked at the Colliery during the 1940s and also played for Stockport County. b) Added details of two deaths. c) Added photo of Fred Martin from the Liverpool Echo of 1939, who worked at the colliery and was also an artist. d) Added two images of newspaper adverts for colliery canteen staff from 1943. e) Also added details of a special celebration at Blackpool when 600 veteran Lancashire mineworkers paraded through the town, including retired Clock Face Colliery men.

12th September 2017 – The Downloads page has been updated with three new documents: a) Mine Gases – a 25-page booklet issued to St.Helens students at local Mining Training Schools; b) St.Helens Technical College Mining School Prospectus 1960-61 – an 8-page document that features details of the mining courses available; c) St Helens 100 Years Ago January to June 1917 – a 28,000-word compilation of articles published every Sunday on the Sutton Beauty & Heritage Facebook page. The existing document St Helens 100 Years Ago January to June 1916 has been extended to December 1916 and now comprises 36,000 words. Thanks to Harry Hickson for contributing both mining documents.

5th September 2017 – The ninetieth heritage page Memories of Sutton Part 25 has been added featuring a 2,700-word article ‘Memories of Clock Face Colliery’ by Keith Longworth. Recollections of the mine that closed in 1966 are rare and in his 2,700-word article Keith describes his typical working day, the New Dip district, roof supports and how a lack of sunlight down the mine caused a skin condition that forced him to quit the colliery. Thanks to Harry Hickson for providing much of the illustration.

30th July 2017 – The Religion in Sutton Part 4 (Chapels) page has been updated with exterior photographs of the Congregational Church in Peasley Cross c.1960 and the Congregational School in School Street off Peasley Cross Lane in 1960. The latter has the ‘Chemics’ tip in Jackson Street shown in the background. Also added two images of Sutton Road Wesleyan Methodist Church when the chapel building was being used by St.Helens Joinery.

20th July 2017 – The Health in Sutton page has been updated with more information on the history of St.Helens Hospital – in particular on Matron Harriet Oates – and eleven photographs have also been added. These include the original cottage that was converted into the first hospital, two photos of benefactor Andrew Kurtz, one of Matron Martha Walker, two photos of Harriet Oates, two of the nurses’ home, carol singing in the 1950s and a picture of the oldest part of the hospital, also taken in the ‘50s. Also added an appendix called ‘Origins of St.Helens Hospital Wardnames’.

16th June 2017 – My St Joseph’s Schooldays by Margaret Longworth as part of Memories of Sutton Part 24 has been updated with 400 additional words and a nativity photo. In Margaret’s article she describes her schooldays at St Joseph’s in Peasley Cross, with her recollections including the playgrounds, animal farm, naughty boys, nit nurse, field days etc.

1st June 2017 – The Colliers Moss page has been updated with much new information, particularly on the history of the site and on the improvement work undertaken so far during 2017. Eight photographs and four YouTube videos have also been added.

29th May 2017 – The Sutton Religion Part 2 page dedicated to St. Anne’s RC church, monastery and convent has been updated with much new information and the addition of eleven more photographs. These include the church’s Whit Monday procession of 1905, a private chapel within Sutton Monastery, two pictures of the Heaney wedding of 1951, Dominic Sunday from 1939 and 1945 and a picture of the altar in the monastery grounds.

28th May 2017 – Updated Sutton’s Lords and Masters page with an 800-word article on John Smith who was known as the ‘poor man’s friend’. Smith was a wealthy railway contractor who built St. Anne’s church and monastery for the Passionists. Within just a few years, Smith’s largesse transformed a small Sutton population of thirty to forty Roman Catholics into a community of many thousands. The update includes two photographs.

22nd May 2017 – The Industry Part 1 article on Hays Chemicals has been considerably expanded with 1400 more words and 12 images added. The article describes the controversial sulphuric acid plant in Lancots Lane in Sutton, which local residents campaigned against on safety grounds. Thanks to the St.Helens Local History & Archives Library for their assistance.

21st May 2017 – The Sutton Shops page has been updated with these photographs: a) Rigby's fish and chip shop on the corner of Edgeworth Street and Ellamsbridge Road; b) Sutton Road shops (391 to 401) taken in 1960; c) Peasley Cross Lane shops from 1959, including Billy Cooper’s newspaper shop. Also added an advert from the Liverpool Echo and five more Crone & Taylor adverts.

8th May 2017 – The Sutton Halls & Houses page has been updated with the following photos: a) Bold Old Hall with moat; b) Possibly the last photograph of Bold Old Hall prior to its demolition in 1936; c) Exterior of the old stable wing at Bold Old Hall taken in 1960; d) Map of sites of former halls from 1979; e) Part of Ellam's House in Ellamsbridge Road in 1931. More information on the history of Bold Hall – including the Bold chapel in Farnworth Church – has also been added.

8th May 2017 – Sutton Manor Colliery Part 2 has been updated with much new information taken from 35 newspaper cuttings held by St.Helens Local History & Archives Library. These include: a) Closure of no. 1 pit in 1968; b) £200,000 investment in 1973; c) The 10-ton triple ‘mechanical octopus’ drilling rig; d) Manpower planning survey; e) Coal output warnings; f) Record breaking production; g) Closure plans; h) Charity donations; i) Miners pre-retirement course. A photograph of the demolition of the Martin Stoker boiler has also been added.

7th May 2017 – The World War 2 section of the Sutton at War Part 2 page has received many updates including: a) How Gunner Arthur Garner from Ellen Street died in a Japanese camp in Malaya - his father was only told 2 years later (includes image); b) Transcript of a letter from Mrs. Griffin from Peckers Hill Road headed ‘Ex-Prisoners and Leave’ published in the Liverpool Echo in 1945; c) Photo and details of Captain Roy Davidson of St. Michael’s House, Sutton Manor who became St.Helens Chief ARP Warden in 1939; d) Details of Civil Defence Volunteer Lily Booth from Sutton Heath Road who was fined for being absent; e) The DSM awarded to Chief Petty Officer Leslie Leadbetter from Peckers Hill Road; f) POW Peter Roughsedge of RAOC from Sherdley Road in Greece; g) Sydney Pritchard from Webb Street, a prisoner in Italian hands; h) Death at sea of Leading Aircraftman Harold Glover from New Street, well known in the dance band world; i) Photo of Samuel Cooper from Peasley Cross in India; j) Clock Face’s donation to the Beaverbrook airplane appeal of 1940.

6th May 2017 – Bold Colliery Part 2 has been updated with much new information taken from 25 newspaper cuttings held by St.Helens Local History & Archives Library. These include: a) St. Helens Reporter article from 1956 on the colliery’s reorganisation; b) A Reporter article entitled ‘A Pitman’s Pittance’ which claimed that Bold mineworkers were badly paid; c) A pre-retirement course; d) Breaking colliery output records; e) Abandonment of coal faces; f) A lengthy Evening Post and Chronicle article from 1979 that profiled the colliery.

25th March 2017 – The Sutton Streets page has been considerably expanded and reformatted and renamed ‘A - Z of Sutton Streets’ parts 1 (A – K) and 2 (L – Z). The derivations of the names of 80 streets within the district of Sutton are now described in a total of 10,000 words, with 16 new photographs added. Thanks to Harry Hickson for his assistance in analysing some of the photos.

14th March 2017 – Added Memories of Sutton Part 24 featuring two articles: a) My Childhood in Sutton by Ellen Hackett. Ellen was born in Fisher Street in 1947 and describes her schooling at Sutton National infants and junior schools, street games, stinky brook, local shops, Fisher Street families, East Sutton Labour Club, walking days etc. b) My St Joseph’s Schooldays by Margaret Longworth. Margaret describes her schooldays at St Joseph’s in Peasley Cross, with her recollections including the playgrounds, naughty boys, nit nurse, field days etc.

11th March 2017 – The Sutton at War Part 2 page has received several updates: 1) Added details of a call in 1918 by the Mayor of St.Helens to raise £250,000 for a Monitor War Vessel. 2) Added six posters that had been exhibited in St.Helens during the ‘Great War’, mainly connected with recruitment. 3) Added WW1 photos of cavalryman George Green of Herbert Street on horseback and Reginald Knapper of Morris Street. 4) Added details of Annie Thompson from Gartons Lane in Sutton presenting an inscribed dummy shell to a Soviet trade union boss in 1942.

10th March 2017 – The Sutton at War Part 1 page has received several updates. The ‘Sutton Bond 1201 Munitions and Barracks’ article has had more information added about the quartering at the former glassworks of the St Helens Pals. This includes details of the renovation of the old casting hall and the soldiers’ initial training. A munitions recruitment poster and a portrait of Nellie Green wearing the overall and cap of a munitions factory worker have also been added. Also the article devoted to John Davies VC has had his Victoria Cross citation added, along with details of a presentation evening at the Town Hall in which the war hero was given £650 of war bonds.

9th March 2017 – The Sutton Pubs Part 1 page has been updated with the following new images and information: 1) Photo of the Bull and Dog from 1970 taken by Jim Lamb; 2) Plans of the Green Dragon, Sutton Manor from 1913; 3) Information on the Ell Bess beerhouse, sourced from a St.Helens Reporter article from 1962; 4) Boars Head info from a St.Helens Star article from 1986. 5) Further information on the Golden Cross, Clock Face and Coppersmiths.

9th March 2017 – The Sutton Pubs Part 2 page has been updated with new images and information: 1) Added photograph and 300-word transcribed article from the St.Helens Reporter on Phoenix Brewery from 1972; 2) Added photos of the White House and Pickled Egg from Sutton Road from 1998; 3) Added 150 words on the £70,000 spent by Tetley Walker in 1983 in refurbishing the Mill House. 4) Also added more details on the Red Rat and the Sutton Arms.

8th March 2017 – The article devoted to William ‘Ginger’ Smith within the Sutton Boxers & Wrestlers page has been updated with much new information about his life and career. Ginger was a professional featherweight boxer who fought many contests for little money during the ‘hungry 30s’. Thanks to boxing historian John Sinnott for contributing much of the information as well as a photograph and to Len Whitfield and Harry Hickson for their contributions.

26th November 2016 – The Downloads page has been updated with three documents: a) Francis Edmond C.B.E. – A Career in Coal by John Webb – a 9 page biography of the man who in 1910 became manager of Clock Face Colliery and rose to reach the highest level of the Wigan Coal & Iron Co.; b) Bold Colliery Centenary Open Day souvenir brochure; c) A – Z of Sutton Streets 1841 - 1891 – Useful for researchers who want to find out when certain streets were first referenced within census documents.

22nd November 2016 – Clock Face Colliery Part 1 has been updated with seven new photographs and much information about manager Frank Edmond and the colliery rescue team, as well as the Clock Face Colliery Sports. Thanks to John Webb, the grandson of Frank, for sharing his research and photographs. This page is co-written and researched with Harry Hickson.

30th September 2016 - A new addition is Memories of Sutton Part 23 which features a 2700 word article written by Sheila Bailey (née Ellaby) entitled ‘Memory Snapshots of No. 9 Lea Green Cottages’. Sheila was born in 1938 in what was one of a terrace of six small cottages in what is now Lea Green Road and her article is divided into sections devoted to gas lighting in the house, their neighbours, plots, childhood games, schools, wartime, Americans, Lea Green farms, Lea Green Railway Station, shopping, Indian salesman and accumulators. The article is illustrated with 12 photographs.

29th September 2016 - The Mineworking in Sutton page has been updating with 2000 additional words and five images, which explain the development of coal mining within the township during the period up to 1850. Particular reference is made to the impact of geology on mining, Pembton’s coal mine, Bell Pit mining, Bartons Bank & Lark Hill collieries and the ‘Fiery’ mine. This page is co-written with Harry Hickson who has contributed this revised section.

29th September 2016 - The ‘Memories of Old Sutton Shops’ section of the Sutton Shops page has been updated with a 650-word article reproduced from Charles Forman’s book ‘Industrial Town - Self Portrait of St Helens in the 1920s’. It contains an oral history from the daughter of a corner-shop owner in Robins Lane, who had been born c.1895. Two photographs of a hairdressers at 20 Peckers Hill Road, contributed by Ann Pigott, have also been added to the page.

28th September 2016 - Sutton Manor Colliery Photo Album 7 has been updated with twenty additional images from the collections of Ken Bailey Snr. and Jeff Bailey. Many are photographs of mining memorabilia taken for this website by Ken Bailey Jnr. and include a rescue helmet, colliery ties, miner’ workwear, laundry bag, first aid and rescue certificates, pethidine warrant, letters etc. etc.

31st August 2016 - Added Sutton Manor Colliery Photo Album 8 which features the John Oates Collection of 56 photographs. John was a Senior Colliery Overman and his photographs taken during the 1980s mainly concentrate on the colliery craftsmen, providing a snapshot of their important maintenance work. Ken Bailey Jnr. has provided the captions for the images, with some identification by Mel Moran.

30th August 2016 - Sutton Manor Colliery Part 2 has been updated with the addition of 7 photographs and descriptions of the distribution of tubs, the Colliery Control Room (which was its nerve centre), the stockyard loco and how management tried to persuade strikers back to work, along with various other minor updates. Thanks to Ken Bailey Jnr, Jeff Bailey, Margaret Oates and Harry Hickson for their contributions.

18th August 2016 - Added Memories of Sutton Part 22, which features the second part of ‘My Apprenticeship - Some Memories’ by Ken Bailey Jnr. In Part 2 Ken discusses working with the shafts men on top of the cage, residential courses, the colliery first aid team, coal face training, colliery deputy training and learning about gas testing and shot-firing. Part 2 includes a total of 22 images.

16th August 2016 - Added Memories of Sutton Part 21, which features the first part of ‘My Apprenticeship - Some Memories’ by Ken Bailey Jnr. Ken worked at Sutton Manor Colliery from 1975 until its closure in 1991 and he describes in detail his apprenticeship and training. In Part 1 Ken writes about his family heritage in coal mining, the mining craft apprenticeship scheme, his instructors, beginning work at Sutton Manor, practical training, academic studies and his rotational placements in different sections of the colliery. Part 1 includes a total of 18 images.

31st July 2016 - The New Street Estates section of the How Sutton Has Changed page has been updated with much new information and a photograph of the stretch of terraced houses in New Street leading up to the bridge taken c.1910. In addition a photograph of the entrance to Sutton Park, taken c.1906, is analysed for what it reveals of the buildings and structures in the background, as it takes an unobstructed southerly view from the park gates two miles towards Turner’s Glass Works off Reginald Road. This and a matching Ordnance Survey map allow the reader to consider how radically this part of Sutton has changed over the past 100 years. (Thanks to Harry Hickson for his assistance)

30th July 2016 - Sutton Manor Colliery Part 2 has been updated with 300 words on the history of locomotives at the colliery, along with images of the steam locomotives Allenby and Monty. Details of the volunteer firefighters and the annual Fire Brigades' competitions - with a photo contributed by John Gill - have also been added, along with John’s picture of the Sutton Manor Colliery boiler room taken during the early 1960s.

24th July 2016 - The Downloads page has been updated with ‘St Helens 100 Years Ago January to June 1916’. This pdf document of almost 12,000 words is a compilation of articles posted every Sunday on the Sutton Beauty & Heritage Facebook Page during the first six months of this year.

20th July 2016 - Added Sutton Manor Colliery Photo Album 7, which mainly comprises photographs contributed by John Gill. These feature the colliery’s fire team during the early 1960s participating in West Lancashire Collieries Fire Fighting Championship, along with some boiler house photos. Ex-NCB engineer Harry Hickson has written the captions for John’s pictures. There are also some photographs of locomotives that worked Sutton Manor, as well as an illustration by Shirley Thomas.

14th July 2016 - The Bold Colliery Part 2 page has been updated with 13 photographs, which have mainly been taken from the mine’s Centenary Open Day brochure from 1976. These demonstrate how mining practices and technologies have changed over the life of the colliery, in particular the means of coal extraction, transportation within the mine and preparation for different markets. There are also pictures of a tunnelling machine, the Colliery Institute and Miss Bold Colliery, Carol Cunningham. The photographs are explained in an accompanying 800-word article. Thanks to former NCB engineer Harry Hickson for his assistance.

11th April 2016 - The Clock Face Colliery page has been split into two parts, as it had become very long. The new Clock Face Colliery Part 2 page has had nine additional photographs and new information added. These include photos of the colliery yard, lamp room, baths, office, canteen and a compressed air drilling machine in use at the colliery in 1934.

9th April 2016 - The Pudding Bag page has been updated with two photographs taken at the rear of 28 Woodcock Street, contributed by George Hill.

7th April 2016 - Sutton Sport has been updated with three photographs of Sutton Cricket Club contributed by Geoff Chisnall, which were taken in 1943 and 1951, including one taken in the Isle of Man. A picture of Peasley Cross Rugby team in 1933 and Thomas Bolton’s rounders team c.1955 have also been added, with the latter contributed by Janet Watson.

6th April 2016 - The Sutton Boxers & Wrestlers page has been updated with a new, short article on Walter ‘Ginger’ Smith of Waterdale Crescent in Sutton, who fought 250 fights during the 1930s. Thanks to Ginger’s cousin Janet Watson for her assistance.

5th April 2016 - The Sutton Shops Adverts section of the Sutton Shops page has been updated with seven Crone & Taylor images, as well as adverts for T. Mellor’s chimney sweep business and the plumbing & decorating firm McGlue. In addition the main section of the page has had two photographs of the Red Rose electrical shop’s motorbike and James 3 wheeler van added. These were used to convey radio accumulators, with the pictures contributed by Tom Williams.

1st April 2016 - The Education in Sutton page has been updated with much new information (about 1000 words) on the early years of Marshalls Cross School and Clock Face Colliery School (later St. Aidan’s). Much of the details on the former have been taken from official inspection reports from 1924,1929, 1936 and 1938. The Clock Face Colliery School information concerns the creation of the school by the Wigan Coal & Iron Company, sourced from official documents lodged with the National Archives.

1st April 2016 - The 100 Years Ago This Month page has been removed and will now exclusively be a weekly feature on the Sutton Beauty & Heritage Facebook page published every Sunday.

15th March 2016 - Memories of Sutton Part 19 has been updated with a new 650-word article by Margaret Braithwaite (née Longworth) called ‘My Dad at Clock Face Colliery’. Margaret tells of her father Horace Longworth who spent 38 years working down the pit and upon his death a pathologist described his lungs as being like black cement. His ankle was also shattered by a dynamite explosion underground. (30/3/2016 - Updated with more details and a photograph of Horace)

14th March 2016 - The Sutton at War Part 2 page has been updated with seven images and fifteen mini-articles, including details of POWs, awards to Sutton servicemen (eg. Distinguished Flying Cross, Military Medal), damage to an air raid shelter, conscientious objectors, plus newspaper reports on the war activities of Corporal George Pumford from Clock Face, anti-aircraft gunner Sergeant E. Bevington of Leach Lane and Private Daisy Jones of the ATS.

13th March 2016 - The New Street Estates section of the ‘How Sutton Has Changed’ page has been updated with information on the building of the ‘Kenwright estate’, near Sutton Park. This included Robina Road, Irwin Road, Kent Road, Marina Avenue and Sandringham Drive, which were built by A. J. Kenwright & Co. of Robins Lane. Norris Kenwright, who worked in the family firm, has contributed the details, as well as two images of the workforce taken in 1935 and 1948.

1st March 2016 - The 100 Years Ago This Month page – which describes events that took place in Sutton and St.Helens a century ago – has been updated for March 1916. The stories covered include mining accidents, sabotage at a smelting works, the banning of local females from teaching at Cowley school, a dodgy car sale, speeding at 10mph, the death of Sutton’s Dr. Bird, black out breaches, peculiar prosecutions for buying someone a drink, fire at a chemical works, war tribunals and a controversial St.Helens school teacher.

18th February 2016 - A new page has been added on the history of Sherdley Colliery, which was situated on the western side of Marshalls Cross Road, off Broadgate Avenue, and which mined coal from the 1870s until 1944. The 5000-word page features ten images and includes details of the colliery’s many accidents, which led to at least 46 deaths.

13th February 2016 - A new page called Children’s Corner has been added featuring contributions by Sutton youngsters to the children’s columns that used to be in local newspapers. The St.Helens Reporter’s version was originally known as the Children’s Circle (conducted by ‘Daddy’) and then became the Children’s Reporter (hosted by ‘Uncle Ben’). The page features poems, drawings, limericks and jokes.

7th February 2016 - A new page has been added on Colliers Moss Common, which features 130 hectares of developing and developed habitats, including wetlands, woodland, grassland and heathland and has been created on the spoil and waste heaps of Bold Colliery and Bold Power Station. The new page includes nine photographs.

1st February 2016 - The 100 Years Ago This Month page – which describes events that took place in Sutton and St.Helens a century ago – has been updated for February 1916. The stories covered include Zeppelin airship precautions, a love-struck American seaman in trouble, drunkenness in St.Helens, tragic child deaths, canal suicides, a dog theft from the Clock Face Hotel, Cruft’s winner, Japanese pedlars and more.

22nd January 2016 - Fourteen derivations of Sutton street names have been added to the ‘Sutton Street Names in Brief’ section of the Sutton Streets & Placenames page. Many concern the ‘Kenwright estate’ of streets near Sutton Park, which were built between the 1930s and ‘50s by builders A. J. Kenwright of Robins Lane. They often chose street names with Royal connections, which were then approved by St.Helens Council. These include Marina Avenue, Kent Road, Philip Grove, Olga Road, Glamis Grove, Balmoral Avenue, Sandringham Drive and Kensington Avenue. Thanks to Norris Kenwright who worked in the family firm for much of the information.

1st January 2016 - The 100 Years Ago This Month page – which describes events that took place in Sutton and St.Helens a century ago – has been updated for January 1916. The stories covered include New Year’s Day breakfasts for poor children, an Edgeworth Street family thieving ring, a furious French music hall performer, suspicions of German contractors, a fraudulent seaman, bigamy and more.

22nd December 2015 - The Clock Face Colliery page has been updated with more information on the history and functions of dust suppression in the mining industry, which has been written by Harry Hickson. Two illustrative images have also been added.

17th December 2015 - The Bold Colliery Part 2 page has been updated with four NCB recruitment posters from the 1960s and a strip of three images showing the induction in 1958 of former Garswood Hall Colliery miners, after their transfer to Bold. These have been used courtesy of Alan Davies and the latter images are taken from the National Coal Board magazine Pit Prop.

15th December 2015 - The Clock Face Colliery page has been updated with four pictures from the November 1959 edition of Pit Prop magazine, taken by NCB photographer Frank Grimshaw. Detailed descriptions of the roles of some of the pictured men – such as dust suppression officer Eddie Lea and greaser Harry Nicholson – have also been made. The pictures are used courtesy of Alan Davies, with descriptions by Harry Hickson. A photograph of the bike shed at the mine, which was probably taken in the late 1930s, has also been added.

12th December 2015 - The Sutton Shops page has been updated with photographs of Mellor’s general store in Robins Lane, contributed by Dave Jones, along with some brief memories of the shop. Also added to the Adverts section are fifteen advertisements from Sutton’s Transport, W. M. Neill’s iron works, grocer’s Samuel Royle, British Sidac, Sutton Oak Brick Co., Roughdales, Ravenhead Brick Co., Old Teapot Brickworks, St.Helens Metallic Brick Company, B. Tickle & Son (Peasley Cross Mills), TSB, UGB, Corless Fabrications, plus Breamhurst and Radweld of Gorsey Lane. These have mainly been taken from St.Helens Town Guides for 1946 and 1973.

4th December 2015 - The Sutton Halls & Houses page has been updated with a new 800 word article on Leach Hall, which dates back to at least 1690 and has sometime been referred to as Toad Leach Hall. The article contains descriptions of the Hall from 1775 and 1887 and details some of its owners and tenants and is illustrated with three photographs.

1st December 2015 - A new page 100 Years Ago This Month has been added, which features Sutton and St. Helens newspaper stories that were making the news in December 1915. These included a dreadful decapitation, an objectionable street name, an imprisoned alien, drunken soldier, dog show and Christmas rugby. This page will be updated on the first of each month with a new article.

13th November 2015 - The Education in Sutton article on Marshalls Cross School in Mill Lane has been updated with new information on its origins, including the types of fundraising involved to pay for the C. of E. infants school. A class photograph c.1953 contributed by Dr. Wilf Powell has also been added.

12th November 2015 - The Robins Lane School Part 1 page has been updated with new information on the building of the school - which opened in 1909 as Robins Lane Council School - including details of 35 Italian craftsmen who journeyed to Sutton to install a mosaic on the school walls. Five photographs have also been added, including three of the junior school during the 1950s, contributed by Dr. Wilf Powell. Plus a picture of a 1948 cricket team, contributed by Janet Watson.

31st October 2015 - The Sutton Churches Part 1 article on C. of E. churches has been updated with much more information on the history of St.Nicholas and All Saints with details of two fundraising bazaars held in 1902 and 1911, the building of All Saints’ church, the creation of the vicarage in New Street, profile of curate Rev. Frederic W. E. Chadwick, death of Rev. Binney’s wife and Rev. Colegrove’s longstanding dispute with All Saints’ parishioners over a choral eucharist service.

27th October 2015 - Updated the Industry in Sutton Part 2 page with a 500 word article on the Magnum Steelworks which was situated between Abbotsfield Road and Reginald Road. The steel company was created to employ a new process that had been developed by inventor Charles H. Kelsall, who had adapted manganese steel production techniques to make extremely hard and tough steel. Unfortunately the new hi-tech plant which began operations in January 1910 did not have a long life.

17th October 2015 - Updated the Sutton Celebrations! page with four walking day / fete photographs, as well as detailed descriptions. Two are of St.Anne’s RC Church from the beginning of the 20th century and the other images show two Peasley Cross walking days from 1939. These are of St.Joseph’s RC church and Peasley Cross Sunday School, with the latter photograph showing the Queen of Hearts with her retinue. Also updated the Peasley Cross Congregational Church article in the Religion in Sutton Part 3 page with a photograph of the handbag and accessories donated to them by Queen Elizabeth in 1939, plus a picture of the Church Ladies group from the 1950s.

10th October 2015 - The Sutton at War Part 2 page has been updated with twelve mini-articles concerning events in 1939 at the outbreak of WW2. These include black-out accidents; war advice clinics in Sutton Manor; rallying canteens; complaints by Bold Parish Council about lack of preparedness for war; details of St.Anne’s Monastery air raid shelter, plus an A.R.P. exercise and social event. Three war-related adverts / notices have also been added.

9th October 2015 - The Industry in Sutton Part 1 page has been updated with a 300-word article on Brook Works at Micklehead Green, which manufactured ‘blue’ for over one hundred years. Also known as Rawlins & Sons, the company’s product was used to give clothes a whiter appearance when washed. The article includes three photographs of the works and its staff.

8th October 2015 - The Sutton Trivia & True Facts! page has been updated with a 300-word article titled ‘The Last of the Lamplighters’. This describes the working life of John Maher, who retired in 1939 after forty-three years pounding the pavements of Sutton and St.Helens, bringing light to the town. Two more Trivia in Brief articles have also been added to the page, concerning a dead cat and a dog that didn’t like postmen!

7th October 2015 - The Clock Face Country Park page has been updated with two aerial photographs of the country park and one of Maypole Wood. These remarkable pictures were taken for Sutton Beauty & Heritage by Jon Morgan in September 2015 using his quadcopter. One image shows the geographical context of Clock Face Country Park in relation to Sutton Manor Woodland and Dream, as well as Fiddlers Ferry Power Station. A second image looks north-east towards Bold and Burtonwood, and the third is a close up of Maypole Wood.

31st August 2015 - The Sutton Manor Woodland page has been updated with an article and five photographs on the recently created Farnworth Sutton Greenway, which was formerly a railway minerals line. This is now a 3 metre wide, 2.7km long footpath, cycleway and bridlepath, which connects Dream and the Sutton Manor Woodland to the outskirts of Widnes at Mill Lane and travels under the M62 and the historic Bold Bridge on Warrington Road in Bold Heath.

31st August 2015 - Updated the Sutton Trivia & True Facts! page with a menu of all articles, plus the addition of 15 new 'in brief' stories. These include details of a Daily Mirror report which began: 'When a black chief dies in Africa, red men go into mourning at Peasley Cross'; how Will Sharrock from Clock Face became the fastest gun in the North West; how 14-years-old David Lamb of Mill Lane was having an operation on his ankle when a power cut plunged the operating theatre into darkness; how Charlie Moss from Walkers Lane nominated council workmen to the Guinness Book of Records as the slowest garden wall builders on record and how a 10-year-old boy from Marshalls Cross tried to buy land from St.Helens Council to protect wildlife despite only receiving 20p a week pocket money!

19th August 2015 - The Industry in Sutton Part 1 page has been updated with illustrated articles totalling 2300 words on the history of British Sidac, Leathers Chemicals and Hays Chemicals. The plants were situated in Lancots Lane in Sutton and for forty-nine years, Sidac manufactured cellulose products (sometimes incorrectly referred to as Cellophane), whereas Leathers and Hays made sulphuric acid. The articles describe the development of the plants and examine the various claims of pollution and acid fallout, which led to two public inquiries.

18th August 2015 - The Transport in Sutton Timeline page has been updated with 30 additional transport-related events within the Sutton and Bold district. The number of event summaries - dating from 1757 to 2002 and including trains, trams, trolley and motor buses - now totals 236. The timeline particularly features the price of progress, with details of many accidents that occurred on the railways and roads.

4th August 2015 - Bold Colliery Part 2 has been updated with much new information including details of how the revamped colliery was shown off to the press in 1956; how proposals to convert Burtonwood airfield into an international airport caused alarm at Bold; the building of hundreds of miners’ homes in Parr; how miner William Donnellan was evicted from his coal board home in Berry’s Lane in 1960 after developing bronchitis; the new training centre at Bold, plus the investigations made into the effects of tobacco chewing at Bold.

29th July 2015 - Much of the Sutton Manor Colliery Part 1 page has been rewritten with the addition of about 1500 words and two photographs. The new text concerns the 1926 lock out / strike and a near-riot a year later, which involved almost a quarter of the village. This demonstrated how relations with the police in Sutton Manor were at rock bottom. There are also more details of accidents, the Bevin Boys dispute of 1946 and the jailing of miners in 1950 for non-payment of fines. An aerial picture of the Sutton Manor Colliery c.1930 and compressors that powered underground machinery, have also been added.

22nd July 2015 - The Glassmaking article on the Industry in Sutton Part 1 page has been updated with a 500 word section describing the automatic production of glassware at UGB's Sherdley works and of stemmed drinking glasses at the Ravenhead plant. These were pioneering processes in the history of British glassmaking. Nine illustrative photographs have also been added.

16th July 2015 - The Lea Green Colliery page has been updated with much new information. This includes details of the colliery’s training centre for boys and Fred Hoyt's narrow escape from death in 1926, which he described as a miracle. Two photographs have also been added, including a 1959 picture of the colliery sidings from Rainhill, with description by Harry Hickson.

11th July 2015 - The Transport in Sutton page has been updated with details of the many railway lines and marshalling areas that served the pits, brickworks, glassworks and other industries, along with three photographs. One features railway platelayers at the 'white gates' railway crossing in Clock Face in 1905, contributed by Terry Callaghan. The others are of loco 'Clockface' leaving Bold Colliery and a Clock Face Colliery signal box.

6th July 2015 - The Religion in Sutton Photo Album has been revamped and replaced by an album of thirty full-size photographs concerning St.Anne's, St.Nicholas, All Saints, Sutton Oak Welsh Chapel and Peasley Cross Congregational Church etc. A number of the pictures are being displayed on the site for the first time.

1st July 2015 - Updated the Poison Gas Works Sutton at War Part 3 'Magnum' page with details and two images of Hannah Roberts' battle for compensation after her labourer husband John had died in 1951 from acute influenza. This was linked to chronic bronchitis that John had endured as a result of mustard gas poisoning at the research establishment in 1927. Thanks to grandson Graham Hill for supplying copies of many documents pertinent to the Roberts case.

29th June 2015 - Updated Religion in Sutton Part 3 with four images concerning Clock Face Methodist Chapel / Church contributed by Terry Callaghan. These include Esther Kenwright's 1923 wedding invitation and group picture at the chapel and photographs inside the new church in 1963 and 1972.

27th June 2015 - Updated the Transport in Sutton page with the logo of the St.Helens Canal & Railway Co., and a photograph of a horse and cart in Clock Face Road, contributed by Terry Callaghan. Also added a photograph of British Sidac canteen staff to the Other Sutton Works section of Industry in Sutton Part 2, contributed by Ken Morgan. Plus a photo of an All Saints Sunday School play c.1952 that has been contributed by John Barton has been added to Religion in Sutton Part 1.

26th June 2015 - Updated the Leisure & Entertainment page with two Sutton 'Bug' Empire adverts, plus a cinema ticket, the latter contributed by Bob Taylor. Also updated Robins Lane School Part 1 with a class photo from 1954 contributed by John Barton, which features two young Malaysian teachers.

25th June 2015 - Updated Sutton Pubs Part 1 with a rare photograph of the Engine and Tender in Leach Lane / Reginald Road (contributed by Dawn Harvey), a picture of a Glassmaker's Arms bowling outing from the 1950s (contributed by David Normington Gerrard), plus an image of the old Marshalls Cross Road bridge featuring the Bull & Dog. Also, a photograph of the Rev. Edward Hughes has been added to the Michael Hughes page and a photo of Sutton Bond women's football team has been added to Sutton Sport.

17th June 2015 - Three photographs have been added to the St.Anne's School page contributed by John Barton. Two are class photograph from 1909 and 1920 and the third is a picture of headteacher John Duffy with a small group of boys, who were probably members of the Catholic Boys' Brigade.

16th June 2015 - A fourth Bold Colliery & Bold Power Station Photo Album has been added, which is devoted entirely to locomotive pictures. These have been photographed and contributed by John Brooks, Keith Halton and Steven Oakden. Bold was the last colliery to use steam locomotives due to the steep gradient from the weighbridge to the British Rail exchange sidings, which often caused diesel engines to overheat when pulling large 48 ton wagons. A correction has also been made on the Poison Gas page (Sutton at War Part 3) concerning the definition of how sarin works on the human body. Thanks to Paul Meara of the Catalyst Science Discovery Centre for the information.

14th June 2015 - Updated the St.Anne's Church, Monastery and Convent article on the Religion in Sutton Part 2 page with three photographs contributed by John Barton. One is a group picture of 22 priests and the other two feature Father Mark, Father Damien and an unknown priest.

13th June 2015 - The Industry Part 1 page has been updated with two photographs of SD Graphics Rolling Mill, which were taken by Ken Davies in 1982. A link to a gallery of ten pictures contributed by Ken has also been added to the page which shows the 84 inch hot copper rolling mill, mill drive installed in 1859, a copper sheet being rolled, sheet being placed in annealing furnace, pulling a hot sheet out of a furnace etc.

11th June 2015 - The Lea Green Colliery page has been updated with two photographs of the pithead baths, which were completed in May 1939. Also added two photographs and full details of the death of William Leyland from a massive roof fall in 1950. These have been supplied by Mike Molloy. Details of a number of other tragic accidents have also been added, including rugby league player Robert Smith who played for Wigan Highfield and died in 1931. Plus a photo of loco no. 6.

2nd June 2015 - The Iron Works article in the Industry in Sutton Part 2 page has been updated with more details and three images of Bold Iron Works in Neills Road. The photographs are a group shot of workers and apprentices from 1912, an aerial picture of the 7 acre plant c.1950, plus a 1951 advertisement.

1st June 2015 - The Downloads page has been updated with 'The Operetta' by John Duffy, an amusing six page account by the former head of St. Anne's RC Boys' School of the annual play produced by the infants' school.

31st May 2015 - The Clock Face Colliery page has been updated with three photographs and details of the pithead baths complex, which as well as showers, also included a lamp room, offices and canteen. This was connected to the main colliery site via a bridge over Gorsey Lane. Also added to the page has been a section describing a court case brought by checkweighman Lot Kitts in 1911, plus a photograph of the Clock Face Colliery Band. The Clock Face Colliery page is jointly researched and written with Harry Hickson.

17th May 2015 - Updated the Sutton Celebrations! page with five new photographs. These are: 1) VE day celebration at the rear of Irwin Road; 2) a picture of a May Queen group taken about 1946/7 in Old Mill Avenue; 3) Christmas party picture taken about 1952; 4) 1966 walking day photo in Robins Lane near Edgeworth Street; 5) 1960s Peasley Cross walking day photo. Thanks to John Barton and Harry Hickson.

12th May 2015 - Updated the Sutton at War Part 2 page 'War Notes & Photos' with an image of a St. Anne's RC School wartime roll of honour. Plus a photograph of Joseph McCarthy pictured in 1945 having the Military Medal pinned on him by Field Marshal Montgomery in Normandy. These images are taken from the personal collection of John Duffy, the headmaster of St.Anne's RC Boys' School from 1913 to 1950, and contributed by Clare Edwards. Also updated the In Brief section of the Sutton Streets & Placenames page with details of the derivation of Graces Square, Four Acre Lane and Fisher Street. Also updated Sutton Crime Part 2 article The Case of Breach of Promise & Seduction of a Seventeen Year Old Sutton Girl with information contributed by Nicola Burke on what happened to Margaret Anjou Critchley after her court case.

6th May 2015 - The original St.Anne's RC School article on the Education in Sutton page has been removed and transferred to a new dedicated St.Anne's page, the 80th heritage page on this website. Ten new images have been added, as well as much new information, mainly sourced from the personal collection of photographs and cuttings belonging to John Duffy, the longstanding headmaster of St.Anne's. A former pupil of the school, Duffy joined its staff in 1909 and was made headteacher of the boys' school four years later at the young age of 24, only retiring in 1950. Thanks to Clare Edwards for making this collection available.

28th April 2015 - Updated the Can You Help? page with a request by Tony Hignett for information on a photograph of four priests taken in an arched doorway which Tony thinks may have been taken at St Anne's RC Church and might feature Fr Cornelius McEnroe and Fr Ralph Holden of St Theresa's church.

25th April 2015 - Updated Religion in Sutton Part 2 article on St Anne's RC Church, monastery and convent with more details on the history of Holy Cross Convent in Sutton. A photograph of the recreated Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes grotto has also been added.

22nd April 2015 - Bold Colliery Parts 1 and 2 have both been updated with much new information on the history of the colliery, including reasons for its post-war reorganisation, details of underground workings, its communications centre, Bold Miners' Institute etc. A detailed plan of the underground workings has also been added to part 2, along with photographs of three colliery tallies and Bold Sidings signal box.

19th April 2015 - Updated the Sutton Tragedy Part 2 page with a new article ‘Accidental Drowning in Old Sutton’, which discusses the high number of cases of swimmers drowning in works’ reservoirs, ponds and clay pits. It features several examples, including the drowning in 1917 of a 12-years-old boy in Sutton Rolling Mill’s reservoir and a case from 1932 when two mineworkers drowned in the Lea Green Colliery reservoir.

18th April 2015 - Updated Michael Hughes page with a photograph of Thornhall Hall (contributed by Stephen Schwarz). Also updated Sutton Streets page with information on the likely derivation of the name of Fisher Street and updated Sutton at War Part 2 with details of Major George H. J. Fenney of Catterall House, Mill Lane. Also Religion Part 3 has had more information on preacher John Kitts added.

17th April 2015 - Updated Sherdley Estate page with new information and two photographs of Sutton Grange, the 20-room house that was contiguous with Sherdley Park off Marshalls Cross Road and which had a number of renowned occupiers. Also added a new article with five photographs on the Sherdley Lodges in Sherdley Road and in Marshalls Cross Road.

31st January 2015 - Updated Memories of Sutton Leach by Harry Hickson in Memories of Sutton Part 9 with two photographs taken in the 1950s, along with 400 words of contextual detail. The pictures feature a boy in a boat paddling through flooded waters in between Leach Lane and Mill Lane. As well as explaining the photos, Harry discusses the history of some background features of interest and places them in a present-day context, so the modern reader can obtain some bearing.

27th January 2015 - Updated the Pudding Bag page with 3 photographs taken at 13 Woodcock Street contributed by Bryan Bickerstaff and from the estate of the late Gordon Roberts. One shows radio / TV engineer Gordon by his Rothery Radio van c.1955, plus an interior shot of his parents taken in the late 1940s. The latter was taken on 35mm film but not in a 35mm camera, as roll film was difficult to obtain at that time. The sprocket holes shown in the original photograph have been digitally removed. A third photo shows Gordon's young brother Raymond with Val Wright, who lived at number 11, sitting on Gordon's Excelsior Talisman bike c.1951.

25th January 2015 - Updated the Sutton Poetry page with four poems by Harry Cunliffe (1909–83) called 'Whalleys Dam & St.Anne’s Reservoir', 'Old Mill Dam', 'In a Little Old Churchyard' (St.Nicholas) and 'Thro' Strappers'. Plus a poem by former Sutton Manor Colliery Training Manager Brian Salkeld called 'What is the Pit Like Grandad?'.

17th January 2015 - Created new Memories of Sutton Part 20 page, which features extracts from 'Memories of my Youth' by Henry Cunliffe. Harry was born in 1909 at Phoenix House in Sutton and the family later moved to Convent House in Fenney’s Lane. In these 3400-word extracts from Harry’s handwritten memoir, he vividly describes a time when people made their own entertainment, household drudgery for women, the haunted convent and much more.

5th January 2015 - Updated Downloads page with Sutton Manor Magazines No. 5 and No. 9 from February and December 1990. These four-page in-house publications were distributed just months before the colliery closed. In one of them the manager K.A. Leech reports record breaking production figures.

30th December 2014 - Updated article on locomotive maker Edward Borrows with much new information on John Cross & Co. who also made locos in St.Helens Junction between 1864 and 1869 and briefly employed Borrows. Two photographs have also been added of loco Cross no.12, which when working in Portugal was re-named Estremoz. Thanks to David Love for his assistance. This article and ones on 'Iron Works & Engineering' and 'Other Sutton Works' have been transferred to Industry in Sutton Part 2, as part 1 was getting very long. The existing part 2 page on 'The Story of Sutton Mill' has been transferred to a new part 3 page.

23rd December 2014 - The navigation page menu for phone and small tablet users has been improved. Instead of the 'drop-down' menu used on larger tablet and desktop computers, there is now an ‘accordion' style of navigation menu. After tapping on the 'Sutton Beauty & Heritage Menu' link, visitors are presented with a navigation menu and can tap arrows on the right to visit other pages. Other minor improvements have been made and there are more to come. (Nb. I am aware of an issue with the drop-down menu navigation with some Android tablets, which prevents visitors from selecting pages from the drop-down menu. A solution is currently being sought. You can also visit the Site Map page to view a complete list of the 131 pages on the website complete with summaries and direct links.)

12th December 2014 - Launched revamped Sutton Beauty & Heritage website which has taken six months to develop and has the following main features: • Images on main pages now 25% wider (10-15% on phones / tablets); • Responsive design so the site displays better on smaller screens; • Enlarged text to improve legibility; • ‘Back to top of page’ arrow displays after scrolling part way down each page; • ‘Clog Clatters’ page renamed ‘Downloads’ and now includes many downloadable documents; • Redundant blog removed; • Many other minor improvements.
As a consequence of building the new site there have been few updates over the last 6 months. Normal service will now be renewed!

10th July 2014 - Updated The Making of Dream page with 3 new videos a) an interview with the ex-miners’ lead spokesman Gary Conley; b) ‘Dream Real Topping Out', the installation of the sculpture in Sutton Manor in 2009; c) ‘Jame Plensa Artist in Conversation’ at Shining Lights Centre, Sutton Manor. Plus a photo of Year 9 of St Peter’s Primary School, Newton-le-Willows at Dream as part of their inter-generational project. Plus a second picture of Plensa’s Chicago sculpture, ‘Looking Into My Dreams, Awilda'.

9th June 2014 - Updated Sutton at War Part 1 with a new article on Paratrooper Private John Moran who participated in three of the most well-known and dangerous airborne operations of World War 2 – the D-Day landings in Normandy, the so-called 'Bridge Too Far' campaign at Arnhem and the massive Rhine Crossing operation in 1945. Also updated the Sutton Manor Colliery Part 2 page with information on the trials of the Anderson Strathclyde RH22 high pressure water assisted roadheader machine, which was used underground at the colliery between 1983-4. The update includes two photos.

23rd May 2014 - Updated Sutton Sport article on the history of Sutton Cricket Club which has been rewritten and expanded and three new photographs added. Two of the pictures are team photos from the 1950s. These have been contributed by Geoff Chisnall, whose family were heavily involved with the club. Also updated the Sutton Streets and Placenames page with a short article on the derivation of Grimshaw Street in Sutton Leach.

17th May 2014 - Updated Religion in Sutton Part 2 article on the history of St. Annes RC Church, Monastery and Convent has been extensively updated with much new information. The article is now 3700 words long and 16 new images have also been added.

11th May 2014 - Updated Memories of Sutton Part 6 article by Dave Latham, 'Life in the Old Convent Part 1', with four images. Three concern birthday cards, plus a 19th century illustration of the convent.

25th April 2014 - Added new Sutton Poetry page with 13 poems mainly written about Sutton from a number of authors including Brian Salkeld and Frank Bamber, some composed in Lancashire dialect. Also updated the Memories of Sutton Part 9 comprehensive article 'Memories of Sutton Leach' by Harry Hickson with a new section about Gil Bond of Abbotsfield House, who was an illegal bookmaker and bodybuilder. Three bodybuilding photographs of Gil have been added.

19th April 2014 - Updated the Sutton Halls & Houses page with a new article on Mill House in Mill Brow. This was almost certainly the millers house and originally inhabited by the Lamb family, who ran the Sutton water & steam mills. Mill House was also the home of renowned tent and marquee maker William J. Cope. The article includes a description of Copes life and five photographs, one of which is a remarkable diamond wedding picture taken in front of Mill House in 1929 with a link to a larger version. Thanks to Geoff Chisnall, Harry Hickson and Lily Coffey for their assistance with this article.

7th April 2014 - Updated the Clock Face Colliery page with much information and two photographs (contributed by Terry Callaghan) concerning the work of the pre-WW1 Colliery Rescue Team. A description has also been added of the shocking death by decapitation of pit sinker George Macintosh in 1906. Also added are images of one of the earliest colliery tallies, plus a Clock Face Colliery Carnival certificate from 1932. The Clock Face Colliery page is co-written with Harry Hickson. Also updated the Bold Colliery Part 2 page with a photograph from 1987 of a headgear being demolished, plus a picture of the colliery loco shed taken in 1977.

27th March 2014 - Updated the Can You Help? page with a request by Tom Williams for information on two photos. One is an undated picture from around 1910 which shows his grandfather, also called Tom Williams, apparently celebrating with friends, possibly at a wedding. The second picture is believed to have been taken in the Sutton Conservative Club during the 1950s, at what appears to be a festive occasion. Also Harry Hickson has provided a detailed explanation of the questions raised in the Can You Help? page's introduction concerning the Sutton Loyalty League. Also updated the Leisure and Entertainment page's 'Enjoying the Parks of Sutton' section with more details on the history of Sutton Park. Three photographs have been added including an aerial view from the 1920s.

19th March 2014 - Updated the Celebrations! page with 5 new photographs and descriptions. Three photos have been contributed by Ken Morgan and feature a Sutton Parish Walking Day in Sherdley Park c.1952, the Blinkhorn Parish Rooms '8.15 Club' celebrating after a panto performance c.1953, plus a second Powell Street VE Day party photo. Two other pictures contributed by Terry Callaghan show the Clock Face Methodist Church's Sunday School outings to Pex Hill in Widnes. These were both taken in Clock Face Road around 1911. Also updated the Education in Sutton page's St.Anne's RC School section with two images: a) Ticket for a bowling handicap at the Bull & Dog in 1932 in aid of St.Anne's, contributed by Jim Lamb; b) Class photo c.1957-60 contributed by Julia Barker. Also added to the 'Sutton Nash in the 20th Century' section a class photograph from the 1930s contributed by Alan Tucker.

17th March 2014 - A number of corrections, amendments and clarifications have been made over the past two weeks. These include correcting the location of Borrows's second Providence Locomotive Foundry to Station Road. A Cricket Club photo showing tennis players in the Sutton Sport page had incorrect identification of the men. The Crane Avenue photo in the Sutton Streets page required significant clarification. A number of additions and corrections have been made to photos in Memories of Sutton Parts 9 and 10. The reference to Lea Green Station being originally Kendrick Cross Station has been removed from the Transport Timeline, as it is thought to have been Rainhill station. The introduction to the Lea Green Colliery page has been rewritten as it was misleading. A photograph in the Sutton Manor Colliery Photo Albums was labelled a 'Dosco tunnelling machine' when it is in fact an RH22 used to drive through sandstone. Also the information that the buildings at Sutton Oak Chemical Defence Research Establishment (Magnum) were demolished during the 1950s has proven to be incorrect. Some buildings were, but others were used for other purposes - including civil defence - until the 1970s. Thanks to Harry Hickson for most of the corrections and also Gordon Crosby and Janet Hawksworth.

16th March 2014 - Updated Memories of Sutton Part 19 with with 4 articles: a) 'My Early Days in Sutton' by Ken Morgan in which Ken describes Sutton Nash teacher Jimmy Webster, his mother's shop in Station Road and the Sutton 'Bug' cinema. b) 'Memories of Davies's Dairy' by Brenda Macdonald in which Brenda describes her mother's recollections from the 1920s of the Edgeworth Street dairy owned by John Davies. c) 'Memories of Davies's Dairy' by Tom Williams in which Tom remembers the dairy and family, especially their shop run by his daughter Sarah. He also describes how his father delivered milk using Mr. Davies's horse and cart and relates an incident from around 1916 when the horse took fright and galloped off, spilling all the milk churns. d) 'My Family at Ravenhead Glass Works' by Gill Chesney-Green. Gill discusses her research into her ancestors, many of whom worked at the glassworks, and their links to the Salvation Army.

24th February 2014 - Updated Sutton Manor Woodland page with details and six photographs of the replanting of St.Matthew's school garden at Sutton Manor prior to the school's closure. Plus the recent addition of the lintel stone and arch that used to be at the Thatto Heath school's entrance. Also updated the Pudding Bag page with a sketch of Railway Terrace in 'Pudding Bag' made by Carol Meredith (née Sneyd) about 1971, just before its demolition. Carol later learnt that she had inadvertently sketched the house where her grandfather was born.

23rd February 2014 - Added new page Memories of Sutton Part 19 with two articles: 'Head Cook and Bottlewasher: Growing Up in Post War St Helens' - the Sutton extracts from the new book by Alan Tucker - and 'My Sutton Nash Memories' by Diane Heaton (née Morris).

16th February 2014 - Updated Religion in Sutton Part 3 page with a description and three photographs of the Clock Face Methodist Church in Clock Face Road. Two of the pictures from 1906 have been contributed by Terry Callaghan. Also expanded the existing information on the Peasley Cross Congregational Church and added 5 photographs. These have been contributed by Cynthia Taylor, the daughter of former minister Rev. West. Also updated the Clock Face Colliery page with an image of the memorial plaque to the Clock Face miners who were either killed or honoured during World War 1 (contributed by Ste M). Also added a rare underground photograph, which has been contributed by Terry Callaghan.

11th February 2014 - Updated: Sutton Crime Part 2 page with a new article entitled 'The Story of Not-So Stuffy Sutton Judge Sir Bernard Caulfield (1914  1994)'. He is mainly remembered for referring to the "elegance" and "fragrance" of Mary Archer in her husband's libel case of 1987. Caulfield was Sutton born, bred and buried and served as President of the Sutton Historic Society. History has not treated him kindly, despite a distinguished career as a high court judge for over 20 years.

5th February 2014 - Updated: How Sutton's Changed page with a new article on Lea Green. The piece describes how it has evolved from a mining and farming district to a centre of private enterprise and residential development. The article of almost 1000 words is illustrated by seven images.

31st January 2014 - Updated these Photo Albums: St.Nicholas Church, Brickfields, Griffin Wood, Sutton Brook and Sutton Park. These have been replaced by new 'responsive' photo-albums.

30th January 2014 - Updated these Photo Albums: Dream, Clock Face Country Park, Sutton Bridges and Sutton Churches. These have been replaced by new 'responsive' photo-albums.

29th January 2014 - Updated these Photo Albums: Sherdley Park, Sutton Mill Dam, Sutton Manor Woodland and Various Pictures. These have been replaced by new 'responsive' photo-albums which scale down to the size of the device used to view the pictures. So very large photos on a desktop PC, small photos on a mobile. There are many new images contained within the albums.

4th January 2014 - Updated Memories of Sutton Part 18 with a new article 'The Day I Visited Lea Green Colliery' by Phil Morris. Phil describes the day in 1954 when his father Cliff - a deputy at Lea Green Colliery - took his 5-year-old son to his workplace and also discusses a visit to a machinery exhibition that was staged at the NCB offices in Elton Head Road. Also updated the Education in Sutton page with two class photographs of Sutton National School from 1895/6. One picture features 44 pupils and a teacher from the boys' school and the second photo shows 41 pupils and 2 teachers from the infants' school. The pictures have been contributed by Frank Parry, whose Uncle David is on the boys' school photo.