From the Evening News, January 6, 1904: THE Quarter Sessions of the Peace for the Borough of Wigan were held on Tuesday before Mr Lancelot Sanderson KC.

The Clerk of the Peace, Mrs Arthur Smith, stated that they were met without any business to transact and it was extremely gratifying to him to make that announcement. The same thing occured 12 months ago. It showed that the residents of Wigan knew how to behave themselves at Christmas time and he had pleasure in observing the custom of presenting the Recorder with a pair of white gloves. The Recorder said it was most satisfactory to find that there was not a single prisoner committed for trial. He congratulated the grand jury and, through them, the borough of Wigan on that happy condition of affairs.

From the Evening News, January 6, 1954:THE matinee at a local cinema was patronised mostly by children yesterday. The film was of the real "blood and thunder" type and the boys and girls were commendably silent until it reached its final denouement. Then came emotional partisanship. Every time the "baddies" were shown riding furiously towards their objective there was an ear-splitting chorus of boos; when the "goodies" appeared galloping furiously after there came a deafening roar of approval. The few adults present smiled and must have thought that the one thing that does not change in this changing world is the child.

MEMBERS of a deputation representing publicans all over the UK suggested to Mr J. A. Boyd-Carpenter, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, that the duty on beer should be reduced to enable it to be sold at one shilling a pint.

From the Evening News, January 6, 1979:THOUSANDS of troops were today standing by to start delivering emergency petrol supplies as the tanker drivers' dispute turned Britain into a "no-go" country. With more and more garages closed, one city, Manchester, without buses and London Country and Green Line buses off the road tomorrow, the position is said to be getting desperate. Texaco men have rejected an offer which would bring average earnings up from £115 a week to £130.

HARRODS, the Knightsbridge store, started its winter sale this morning. Among the bargains were musquash coats and mink jackets, 7,000 dresses at half price and a canteen of silver-plated cutlery for 12 reduced to £500 from £707.

From the Evening News, January 6, 1994:BOLTON council house tenants look set to be hit by a rent rise of more than five per cent. The increase is blamed on inflation, the impact of the sale of council houses, changes in the level of subsidy paid by the Government and policy changes by the council to prepare for compulsory competition in April, 1996.

BOOKMAKERS who last year reported a flurry of bets on Elvis Presley being found alive, say there have been no similar takers this year. As fans prepare to mark what would have been Elvis's 59th birthday tomorrow, a spokesman for bookmakers William Hill said: "It looks like even the most diehard Elvis fans have finally accepted that he is either dead or happy to stay out of the limelight for ever."