BOLTON Town Hall was given a right royal start to life when its doors were thrown open in 1873.

On June 5, the hall was declared open by the Prince and Princess of Wales - who became King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.

Despite the rain, more than 150,000 people lined the streets and crowded into Victoria Square to see the arrival of the royal couple, who were greeted by the mayor.

The Prince and Princess had earlier taken part in a spectacular procession from the borough boundary at Chorley New Road to the town centre, accompanied by detachments of Dragoons, Yeoman Cavalry and local Rifle Volunteers.

The royal couple had stayed at Haigh Hall in Wigan as the guests of the Earl of Crawford and Calcarres.

They also opened Wigan's new infirmary during their trip.

The scene is remembered in the 1888 Annals of Bolton by James Clegg, who said: "The streets were profusely decorated with hundreds of Venetian masts and trophies of flags; triumphal arches and street balconies were erected."

The town hall cost £170,000 and the corporation set aside £1,500 to pay for the festivities - but only spent £1,130.

The project took 77 years from inception to completion and it was built from stone quarried at Horwich, Halifax, Darley Dale, Huddersfield and Longridge.

The site chosen for the hall formerly housed the old Pot Market and the square was previously known as Market Square.

The 8ft tall sculptures on the hall were carved by Royal Academy artist Mr Calder Marshall.

They include the central figure, which represents Bolton and wears a mural crown and holds a shield bearing the borough arms, and secondary figures represent industry, earth, commerce and the ocean.

Additions to the hall, costing £1 million, were built and formally opened by the Earl of Derby in June, 1939.

In 1981 the hall was devastated by a massive fire. The building was closed for three-and-a-half years, while £3.4 million restoration work was completed.