From the Evening News, January 15, 1904: CONSIDERABLE progress has been made with the fitting up of the new mills in Bolton.

A large number of mules are now spinning at the North End Spinning Company's new mill, the Beehive Spinning Company have 22 pairs running and the Swan Lane company 27 pairs. When all three are completed 150 pairs of long mules will have been added to the producing capacity of the town. The roof is now on Messrs Richard Harwood and Sons' new mill and when completed about 60,000 mule spindles for the production of fine yarns will be put in.

THERE were some remarkable rejoicings on the Musgrove Estate near Whitby yesterday upon the return of the Marquis of Normanby to his ancestral home with his bride after their honeymoon in the south of England. On nearing the castle the horses were unharnessed and, amidst the booming of cannon and vociferous cheering, the carriage was drawn through a triumphal arch up to the entrance, where the Marquis made a short speech warmly thanking the assemblage for the reception.

From the Evening News, January 15, 1954: MEMBERS of the Bolton Further Education Sub-Committee visited De Havilland Propellers Ltd, Lostock this week to inspect the Apprentice training School where 265 boys are under training. Mr E. A. Walter, chairman of the Education Board at De Havilland, Lostock, told the visitors that since the school was started in 1946 with an intake of 20 boys, the numbers had risen to an annual intake of 65 boys. On a five-year saturation basis that would given an apprentice population of 325.

From the Evening News, January 15, 1979: A million householders in Lancashire were asked today to stop using automatic washing machines and dish washers to save water. Six hundred North West Water Authority workers are on unofficial strike over a pay claim. An authority spokesman said: "These machines use a lot of water."

RECENT developments at Osman Textiles have involved the construction of new computer-controlled warehousing facilities on the Albert Mill site in Higher Bridge Street, Bolton and the introduction of a sophisticated up-to-date system of towel hemming. A company spokesman said today he thought the redundancy figure would be in the region of 25-30.

From the Evening News, January 15, 1994: BATTLE-hardened women at Parkside peace camp will be celebrating their 12-month anniversary next week. The camp in Newton-le-Willows, run by Women Against Pit Closures, was set up at Lancashire's last remaining pit last January in a bid to halt sweeping job losses. A series of occupations and sit-ins were staged throughout the year but the colliery remained shut. The women have been treated as heroines by the local community and they continue to brave the bitter cold in a 24-hour vigil outside the pit.

BOLTON South-east MP David Young is demanding a full Commons debate on the Scott inquiry into alleged arms sales to Iraq -- to prevent the government sweeping it under the carpet.