50 years ago...the St Helens Show was in full swing

It was the sixth Sherdley Park extravaganza – not counting the 1968 Centenary Show that spawned the annual 3- day event.

But the 1974 Show was controversial because of the high level of participation by the military.

Labour councillors expressed concern that the armed forces' involvement could have a negative impact on children, particularly if weapons were on show.

And they also claimed that the presence of the military in the park was little more than a recruitment campaign for the armed services.

A newspaper advert for the show (Image: St Helens Archive Service)

Councillor Dennis Collins led the pushback, saying: "I don't think any Socialist believes in the show of armed might. We just agreed on the Show going forward this year, and now we've got this military take-over."

Cllr Tony Harvey commented: "It's getting to the point where it looks more like a military tattoo than a show." And Cllr Bill Jones added: "I have very strong feelings on this military show of strength. I feel it is a bad influence."

The Show that began on July 25,1974 did feature a substantial contribution from the armed forces.

There were the Red Devils free fall team; the Royal Artillery motorcycle display team; a Royal Military Police "tent pegging" display (a form of jousting on horseback and motorbike); the Royal Corps of Transport's physical training display team; a Royal Greenjackets "platoon in attack" demonstration and a Royal Marines jungle rescue helicopter display.

Jennifer Millington and baby Angela winners of the 1976 Mother and Baby contest (Image: St Helens Star)

There were, of course, many non-military activities and events.

These included a motor show, beat night, fashion shows, all-in-wrestling, children's concerts, an ideal home and trade exhibition, an inter-school 'It's A Knock-out' contest, show jumping, fur and feather show, dog show, morris dancing competition, arts and crafts exhibits and concluding with the traditional fireworks display.

Two of the most popular events in 1974 were the judging of the St Helens Show Queen and Mother and Child contests – the latter sponsored by the St Helens Star.

The show in its hey day (Image: St Helens Archive Service)

Sheila French from Bosworth Road was judged Show Queen and out of 400 entries for the Mother and Child competition, the winner was Sheila Greenall.

She and her 18- month-old son Andrew from Windermere Avenue in Carr Mill collected £50 in prize money.

The free Show had been budgeted for over £25,000, which is nearly £400,000 in today's money and that huge expense was one reason why the annual event was brought to an end.

That was along with council concern that the huge numbers making a beeline to Sherdley Park were not supporting rate-paying businesses in the town centre.

An estimated 180,000 flocked to Sherdley Park over the three days of the 1974 Show, which was an increase of 40,000 on 1973's record attendance. And the numbers kept rising until in 1993 the turnout peaked at 550,000.

However, with increasing competition from other forms of entertainment, plus, as some visitors claimed, a tired and repetitive format the number of attendees declined until in 2006 the St Helens Show ended.

In the following year the annual event was replaced by the two-day St Helens Festival, which for four years was held much earlier in July and only attracted around 20,000 visitors prior to being cancelled.

But in its heyday what locals called the "Sherdley Show" not only won approval from the public but from organisers of similar events. Jim Bingley was secretary of the Sheffield Show and after visiting Sherdley Park in 1974 said: "We've been to shows in Liverpool, Hull and Manchester in the past few years, to pick up ideas, and St Helens Show has certainly impressed us most of all."

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