AN item in the "100 Years Ago" section on this page caught the eye of Mrs Kathleen Williams of Bury.

Reference to a clog dancing championship at the Grand Theatre prompted her to ask me if I knew anything about clubs for this kind of dancing round about the same time.

The short answer is "no", but I would not be surprised if somebody out there does.

Kathleen tells me that her grandfather Jabez Stiff, whose father ran a boot and shoe business in St Helens Road, was some sort of clog dancing champion.

Enquiries so far have failed to reveal any details, but she believes he used to compete in London.

Mr Stiff, who was born in 1868 and died in 1937, was probably competing some time between 1898 and 1908.

Kathleen would like to hear about any clog-dancing clubs or competitions round about that time.

Her address is 12 Belbeck Street, Bury, BL8 2PX.