FOR many years during the 20th century, Oxley's in Claughton Street and Helena House in Baldwin Street were the main places in St Helens to see Santa.
Each November and December during the 1960s, up to 50,000 children were claimed by Oxley's to visit their grotto. I can't provide an equivalent figure for Helena House – but the Co-op's superstore needed to employ two Santas on a shift system!
Santa's seven week say
Bonfire Night would hold a secondary significance for children, as well as the exploding of fireworks and the burning of Guy Fawkes. It was around November 5th each year that Father Christmas would arrive in St Helens for a 7-week stay at the two department stores. And he often came in style – twice!
Festive parade
Redgate Boys' Silver Band would lead Father Christmas in a parade from Shaw Street station to either Oxley's or Helena House. In 1968 Santa rode to Baldwin Street in a "Wells Fargo coach" and in 1969 he was conveyed in a "Mermaid's Chariot".
Helena House's advert for the opening of their grotto in November 1970 said: "Santa Claus will be waiting to greet you in his magic cave after you have had a wonderful ride on his Gnome's Chariot through Fairyland. Lovely gifts for boys and girls of all ages."
That year their grotto opened for business in their Baldwin Street basement on November 7th at 10am. And thirty minutes later the old man in the red cloak and white beard arrived at Oxley's in what was described as a Royal Iris boat. Free balloons and sweets and "bumper parcels" costing 3 shillings were available.
Boys and girls too clever for their own good might have wondered how Santa could be arriving at two places at about the same time. He must have had a body double!
Helena House's grotto
In 1971 Helena House's advert in local papers said: "Ride Through The Fairy Glen, with its beautiful waterfalls to meet Santa Claus in his Grotto in the Basement. Ride only 3p or with a big value gift from Santa 16p. Then see the huge selection of Toys in the Toy Fair, First Floor."
For many years Alf Arnold played Santa at Oxley's and J. Topping and W. H.
Dearden took turns in the role at Helena House. During one week in 1966 both of the latter were sick and so 20-year-old Ernie Rignall stood in and became the Coop's youngest ever Father Christmas. One local paper described the Helena House experience of that year: "Babes in arms, toddlers and even secondary school pupils have stepped aboard a model Noah's Ark for a thrilling ride to see Father Christmas. Fluorescent rain pours down, the scenery glides past and the boat rocks on stormy waves as the Ark takes its cargo of young passengers on a trip to fairyland."
The store Santas reported being asked all sorts of inquisitive questions by the youngsters that sat on their knee. One small child at Helena House wanted to find out whether Father Christmas ate at a nearby chip shop. Alf Arnold at Oxley's explained how one boy demanded to know where his reindeers were kept while he was in the store – and his answer took some convincing!
To reach the 71-year-old Alf in 1966 children had to climb into a submarine decorated with flashing lights and instrument panels and tramp through underground caves where silver rings glittered on stalactites.
And being Father Christmas was not just a male preserve. Winnie Sheridan of Parr claimed to be the first female Santa in St Helens. In 1937 and 1938 while working at Oxley's, the then Winnie Smith was asked to put on the red cloak and white beard.
Everything went without a hitch until one small child unmasked her as "Mother Christmas". The boy later explained that he had known the difference because of the brown Wellington boots that Winnie was wearing as, apparently, a male Father Christmas always wore black boots!
Do you have memories or photographs of visiting the St Helens store Santas?
Send them to the Star at… Stephen Wainwright's new book 'The Hidden History Of St Helens Vol 2' is available from the St Helens Book Stop in Bridge Street and online from eBay and Amazon.
Price £12. Volume 1 of 'Hidden History' is also still available.
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