A man from Merseyside won a fortune worth £3m in today's money on Littlewood's pools.
The pools were a popular game in which people would guess the football results.
Gordon Foster, from Rainford, won £150,000 on a treble-chance win in 1962.
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The 36-year-old had invested a half crown on the wager, or around 12 and a half pence, along with his wife Nancy, and sister-in law Mildred Mason also putting in half a crown.
For each half crown, £50,000 was won, totalling a whopping £150,000 for the train driver.
However, instead of keeping the money all for himself Gordon Foster instead opted to spread some joy in his native St Helens, and used the money to buy presents for sick children at a hospital in Rainhill
Local historian Stephen Wainwright explained how other papers at the time reported on Mr Foster's win.
On December 22 1962 the ECHO said: "Christmas came early for more than 30 children suffering from heart complaints at St. Joseph's Heart Hospital, Rainhill, near St Helens, last night.
"Father Christmas was 36-years-old Mr. Gordon Foster, of Bushey Lane, Rainford, the former £9-a-week railwayman who three weeks ago became the season's record football pools winner when he won more than £150,000.
"The spending spree was part of a promise that Gordon and his wife made when they were handed the cheque – to make it a happier Christmas for someone less fortunate than themselves.
"So, with his wife Nancy acting as adviser, Gordon made the rounds of the shops near his home and in St Helens.
"Then in the 1956 car he says he intends to keep he went to the hospital. As the children crowded round he handed out the gifts.
"As soon as the trip was over the Fosters went back to the shops for more gifts for their 10 years-old daughter Lynn and some of their neighbours.
"At his home later Mr. Foster – a railwayman for 21 years – said:
“This is something that we have wanted to do ever since we got the money. We are wonderfully happy and we hope we have been able to make the children a little bit happier, too.”
"Last word came from the Rev. Mother Helen, Mother Superior at the hospital, who said: “Mr. and Mrs. Foster, were very kind. The children were thrilled.”
Mr Foster told papers he would not give up his job right away as he enjoyed driving the trains, but that work would now be 'a hobby'.
