Around the turn of the 20th century, St Helens was one of the most important towns in the north west.
St Helens was a powerhouse in the coal mining and glass making industries. At the height of production, the town was outputting over a million tonnes of coal per year.
Along with St Helens based Pilkington Glass becoming one of the biggest players in the glass making industry, collieries such as Sutton Manor and Parkside were producing vast amounts of coal, boosting the town's economy. The two industries went hand in hand, with coal mined from the various collieries used to heat the furnaces used in the glass making process.
