How trouble on the streets at Victoria Square is far from new

A council statement said the decision had been taken in response to "concerns from residents, local businesses and council staff regarding ongoing noise and disturbance from street drinkers in and around Victoria Square."

But trouble with the seats in the square is far from new. As far back as 1906 St Helens' top policeman, Arthur Ellerington, wanted the council to stop installing benches in public places, such as outside the Town Hall.

The Chief Constable wrote that "roughs and loafers" sat on the seats and spat on ladies'

dresses as they walked by, explaining: "When passing along females complain bitterly of insulting remarks being made to them, and in many instances these loafers expectorate tobacco juice, &c., immediately in front of them, not caring whether the juice strikes on their dresses or not. These dirty, unmanly practices are generally performed amid laughter from the others; and an inspection of the seats in front of the Town Hall will confirm this."

An image from the archives showing the benches on Victoria Square (Image: Stephen Wainwright)

The loafers were also accused of "finding relief from vermin" by rubbing their backs against the seats!

And after closing time Ellerington said the benches were "fully occupied by persons peacefully sleeping off the effects of drink until ousted by the police".

But sitting on the benches at night-time even when not inebriated was a risky business.

In 1919 Annie Murphy was sentenced to 28 days in prison for being on a bench in Victoria Square at half past midnight.

Despite sitting quietly she was still charged with "wandering abroad" and "lodging in the open air" in Corporation Street.

PC Turner gave evidence that he had found Annie on one of the seats and after asking for an explanation she had replied: "I have nowhere to go, and no money for lodgings; you can lock me up." So he did!

Annie was making her 70th court appearance, which, no doubt, influenced the magistrates in their strict sentencing.

Some of the clearance work involved in clearing Victoria Square (Image: St Helens Archive Service)

The laying out of Victoria Square took place between 1900 and 1903. The work entailed clearing a space of about 4,000 square yards in front of the Town Hall and the Gamble Institute, which had been built in 1876 and 1896, respectively.

The Liverpool Echo wrote that the architects had arranged a "line of buildings in harmony with the noble pile in which the free library and technical schools are housed."

That line of buildings facing the Town Hall and at 90 degrees to the "noble pile" of the Gamble Institute, were, like today, mainly occupied by solicitors.

They previously had offices in what became the open space of the square and had complained at having them demolished and so were pacified by being accommodated in the new building.

On April 3 1903 this article was published in the St Helens Reporter explaining how the new square was almost finished: "The great improvements inaugurated by the County Borough authorities in front of the Town Hall have now been practically completed, and in lieu of the old state of affairs, quite a transformation has been effected. All the old buildings have been pulled down, and a magnificent block of premises has been erected …and the new square as a whole will be found to be one of the best and latest improvements in the town, and will be looked upon with envy by much larger towns."

Two years later the statue of Queen Victoria was added and the war memorial was installed in 1926.

Since then the square has largely remained unaltered, although in the early 1970s Victoria's statue and the bus shelters were re-sited and a one-way traffic system introduced. That was after police complained that almost 100 near-accidents a week were occurring.

Stephen Wainwright's latest book The Hidden History Of St Helens Vol 4 is available from the St Helens Book Stop and online from eBay and Amazon with free delivery. Price £12. Vols 1 to 3 are also still available.