Why memorials to those killed at work are a fitting and a fine idea

Names of those that have died have been carefully researched and will be displayed on a board adjacent to a memorial stone in Old Lane.

Some may wonder why a similar memorial identifying all those that have died as a result of their work cannot be created in St Helens?

But putting aside the logistical challenge of producing an accurate, comprehensive list, you would need a board of huge proportions to display the names of all the men, women and children killed or fatally injured in their workplace.

There have been thousands of such fatalities in St Helens over the years with the mining industry heading the list.

The Workers' Memorial at Vera page Park in St Helens (Image: Stephen Wainwright)

Although large-scale pit fatalities through gas explosions – such as at Wood Pit in Haydock in 1878 that killed over 200 men and boys – grabbed the headlines, a colliery worker in the St Helens district died almost weekly in the 19th century and during much of the 20th.

The construction industry also created many widows and fatherless children.

Looking back it seems amazing how as recently as the 1960s building firms allowed dangerous work to be undertaken with only basic safeguards in place.

During 1962 alone there were many such tragedies, with the construction of Pilkington's head office in Prescot Road resulting in several fatalities and serious injuries.

The worst accident occurred in June 1962. That was when Peter Rowlands and George Constantinon died after a 5-ton pre-cast concrete wall in an office block collapsed on them while they were laying a floor.

St Helens' magistrates later fined the firm involved £100 for failing to ensure their workmen's safety.

Then in October 1962 Henry Ormesher was killed after the 60-year-old fitter's mate fell from the 6th floor of Pilks' new HQ. Although a guardrail was in place, it had not provided sufficient protection to prevent his fall.

Those three deaths occurred on the Prescot Road building site despite other construction workers previously suffering injuries.

In February 1962 Edward Baldwin had received severe back injuries after falling 40 feet off scaffolding. And during the previous month, Felix Pasyklenwis was awarded £111 damages in St Helens County Court after suffering hip and leg injuries through a similar fall.

The joiner had been walking along scaffolding on Pilk' new canteen building when a plank gave way. And during that same month Terence Healey suffered head injuries after the 24-year-old dropped 25 feet down a new lift shaft.

Further up Prescot Road a shocking accident occurred on June 22 1962 during the construction of Our Lady of Mount Carmel RC Secondary Modern Girls' School.

Roofing felter Derek Hines was killed and two colleagues severely burned after a gas cylinder exploded in the men's faces.

A local resident described the incident at the school that 25 years later would become Carmel College as a "frightening, tremendous explosion".

The jury at Mr Hines' inquest called for better safety precautions to be introduced on building sites.

There were many other industrial accidents in St Helens during 1962.

In January William Ward of Thirlmere Avenue was killed at the Carlton Street electricity works after being buried under a ton of coal.

Then in February Ronald Mawdsley from Parr was fatally burned on a garage site in Baker Street after the 16-year-old had lit a fire in a cabin stove that had paint thinners stored next to it.

At the inquest into the death of Pilkington glassworker John Lynch in July it was revealed that a new system had been introduced to prevent his death from recurring.

That was after miscommunication had led the 51-year-old from Eskdale Avenue to climb up a float glass tank at the Cowley Hill works while a crane driver was carrying out repairs.

These are only a few of the workplace accidents that took place during that year to underline how a memorial board listing deaths over St Helens' 200-year-plus industrial history would not be very practical.

But thankfully we do have the Workers Memorial in Vera Page Park to remind us how modern-day health and safety rules have a very real purpose.

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.