I WENT along last month to the Thatto Heath Library Centenary Celebrations.

There were displays of books you could borrow 100 years ago. I borrowed two, Zane Gray’s Riders of the Purple Sage, and Wodehouse’s first Blandings Castle book, as I realised I need to include more fiction in my reading diet. I was fascinated to glance through some old back issues of the Donkey Commoner.

We are working with the library staff to start regular meetings at the branch, to keep alive the interest in the local history of that area. Watch out for further details of the inaugural meeting to discuss how it should be run.

The Sankey Canal Restoration Society will be holding a drop-in open day from10am to 4pm on Sunday, February 8 at the Sankey Valley Heritage Visitor Centre in Blackbrook, (behind the Ship Inn).

There will be walks and talks, slideshows, books to buy, the society’s archives to browse and tea and coffee to drink.

The guided walk will be leaving the Visitor Centre at 11 am and 1.30pm.

For further details contact Colin Greenall on 01744 732031 (daytime) or 01744 731746 (evening).

A few more local history dates for your diary.

On Monday, February 9 starting at 7.30pm the Rainhill Railway and Heritage Society meet at Rainhill Village Hall featuring a talk on‘Fred Waldron & The Wayfarer’ by Dr Tom Preston.

On the same evening Queens Park Local History Group, 7pm at the Sprayhurst Club on Boundary Road, Joan Reakes talsk about ‘The Development of Willowbrook Hospice’.

Email chrispcoffey@gmail.com or ring 01744 817130 or write to 37 Holbrook Close, St Helens, WA9 3XH.