Blackpool nostalgia in 1978: Child labour shock, meeting the president and a mystery illness

Survey reveals child labour in Blackpool

A full scale investigation by educational officials was in demand following a shock survey of child labour in Blackpool’s holiday trade. The survey claimed that young teenagers were found to be working until midnight and, in one case, up to 16 hours a day for meagre wages.

The findings of the survey, by Blackpool Trades Council, were sent to Blackpool’s education offices.

The survey listed cases in a fish and chip bar, a cafe and an amusement centre. But discos and amusement arcades were also being probed.

It followed a claim by a Blackpool councillor that child labour was being exploited in hotels.

Coun David Owen told Blackpool District Education Liaison Committee that the exploitation of schoolchildren in hotels was a ‘public scandal’.

After the latest findings, Mr John Green, president of Blackpool Trades Council said: “It warrants a full scale investigation to dig out the people who are exploiting these children.” The Trades Council probe covered one large Blackpool cafe, a fish and chip bar and a fairground.

It found:

*A 14-year-old working until 11pm

*A 15-year-old working up to midnight for £25 a week

*A 15-year-old doing fairground work from 5am to 9pm, earning £37 a week The amount deducted varied.

Shaking hands with the president

Not many people could claim to have shaken hands with American President Jimmy Carter (pictured).

But local assistant solicitor Christopher Beverley had quite a story to tell about a visit to the States. Mr Beverley, secretary of the local Young Solicitors’ Association and his wife Sheila, went as guests of the American Bar Association who were holding their annual meeting in New York. They had a packed agenda including a visit to the Mayor of New York’s office and the American president was there too. At the reception afterwards Mr and Mrs Beverley were introduced to the president and Mrs Carter. “Both were extremely charming. It was one of the highlights of the trip and he felt very honoured.” They also visited Baltimore and Kentucky. Photo: Getty

Click here for 1977Poisonous waste blamed for mystery illness

A mystery illness in a Fylde village was possibly caused by poisonous industrial waste being dumped on a nearby marsh, residents feared.

Councillor Richard Spencer MBE, told Fylde Environmental Health and Control Committee: “At least six people in the Freckleton Marsh area have gone down with a illness which doctors were unable to diagnose.

“Four of them are so bad that they are unable to continue to work.

“On Wednesday there was a terrific stench from these works - Clifton Marsh Sewage Works and tip and there is tremendous concern about what its being tipped there - possibly from the Salwick atomic energy plant.”

The committee agreed to write a letter of protest to the North West Water Authority deeply delporing the smell and demanding an investigation into it.

After the meeting Coun Spencer refused to reveal the names of the sufferers. But he described the symptoms of the illness as ‘a kind of apathy’.

“These people are generally tired and weary and not interested in food, not sleeping very well and not really interested in anything.”

Taste of Lancashire for Hollywood star

The rich living of Los Angeles’ exotic night-life leaves John Travolta cold - it’s the homely taste of Lancashire life he craves for.

Superstar John, the man with the world at his famous feet, likes nothing better than to stretch out in front of the television with his “adopted” Lancashire family.

So says Mrs Joan Edwards, the St Annes woman who has been his personal aide for two years,

When the pressure gets too much it’s Joan and her 23-year-old actress daughter Kate that John turns to for some old-fashioned Northern common sense and sanity.

“We all spent Christmas together,” said Joan.

“I take care of him making sure he keeps all his appointments and generally keeping the pressure off him as much as possible.”