BOLTON School Boys’ Division is one of the oldest schools in the area with origins dating back to at least 1516.

At that time Bolton Grammar School for Boys was recorded as being “a going concern”

and in 1644 it was endowed by Robert Lever, and so began a long and close relationship with the Lever name.

Plans are already under way for the school’s 500th year anniversary which will be celebrated in 2015 (100 years after the school was re-endowed) culminating with a 500 year party in 2016.

The school has a host of famous former pupils including chess champion Nigel Short.

Nigel David Short MBE (who was born June 1, 1965) is an English chess grandmaster, chess columnist, chess coach and chess commentator.

He earned the Grandmaster title at the age of 19 and is often regarded as the strongest English player of the 20th century.

He challenged Garry Kasparov in the World Chess Championship 1993 in London, but lost.

He has defeated 12 of the 19 officially recognised World Champions since 1886.

While acclaimed actor Sir Ian McKellen is arguably Bolton School’s most famous son, the school also boasts diverse and interesting former pupils such as Robert Whitehead who was the inventor of the torpedo, bought by the Royal Navy in 1871, broadcaster Mark Radcliffe, actor Ralf Little and Eric Forsyth who sailed twice round the world singlehanded.

Leader of the Halle Orchestra, Martin Milner MBE was a pupil at Bolton School, as was Max George who is a member of the pop group The Wanted and footballer Julian Darby (former Bolton Wanderers’ player), BBC TV’s The Apprentice finalist Alex Wotherspoon and Oscar winning film producer, Andy Paterson, all list Bolton School on their CVs.

Bolton School has a striking presence in Chorley New Road close to Bolton town centre.

In the 17th century the school — funded by Robert Lever — moved from its original Tudor building with white washed walls and thatched roof to a site next to Bolton Parish Church. In the late 19th century the school moved from this site to Westbourne, where the current Boys Division senior school stands and at this point it amalgamates with the then Bolton High School for Girls.