I WAS browsing through some old papers when I came across a press cutting from St Helens News dated June 1938.

Written by someone called JMH it stated: "St Helens was originally the name of a small chapel and then of the little hamlet in its immediate vicinity. The chapel was one of three on the main road from Widnes to Ormskirk, the others being at Farnworth and Rainford.

"It is known to have existed in 1377 and is marked on maps of the 16th and 17th centuries at St Ellin Chap, St Helens Chap and St Helins Chap. With the coming of the Industrial Revolution the little hamlet grew into a flourishing town but it was not until 1868 that it was officially recognised as a borough. Twenty one years later St Helens became a county borough. Although the important change in status coincided with the coming of age of the borough there were no celebrations to mark it.

"The little chapel from which the town has taken its name had fallen into decay by 1614 and in 1615 was rebuilt. Two hundred years later the rapidly growing congregation made it necessary for the building to be enlarged and it was at the consecration of this larger church that it was dedicated to St Mary.

"In December 1916 this building was burned down and the fine new church that replaced it was dedicated to St Helen.

"The present appearance of St Helens would have been different had the Liverpool to Manchester railway, opened in 1830, followed the course originally planned for it. It was to have taken a route similar to that now followed by the East Lancashire Road. The route eventually chosen, a more difficult one for the engineers, made possible the industrial development of the south of the town and the consequent growth of the St Helens Junction district."