From the Evening News, April 17, 1903: WHILE, happily, there is an immunity from the most serious forms of crime which now and again darken the annals of the town, the Recorder yesterday had occasion to point to two classes of offence which have been painfully common of late.

One is, of course, breaking and entering.

This is the form which finished Hooliganism generally assumes in our midst, and wicked and detestable as it is undoubtedly it is preferable, if these wrongs are to be imposed upon Society, to the cowardly attack of the person which is the popular method of the London gangs.

Local Hooligans have a predilection for property which is not theirs.

Circumstances, local as well as general, tend to prove the wisdom of adopting Sir Robert Anderson's suggestion - that "professionals" should be permanently detained by order of the Judge, as a lunatic is detained as being unfit to roam at large. If the stream of crime did not actually cease to flow, at least it would be materially decreased in volume.

From the Evening News, April 17, 1993

COUNCILLORS have thrown out plans for another 200-house estate in Bolton. Their decision was taken against the advice of their own officers, and it stunned dozens of protesters who demonstrated on the streets yesterday. They were convinced the scheme - just a mile and a half away from the controversial 227-home Birtenshaw Farm development - would be given the go-ahead. However, councillors decided that the site, between Hospital Road and Hardman's Lane, Bromley Cross, must be kept for industry.

From the Evening News, April 17, 1978

ARE the skates under the skate-boarding boom? A skateboard circus arrived in Bolton at the weekend, flopped completely, and packed up two days early.

About 1000 children and parents were expected to visit the "skateboard extravaganza" at the Spa Road recreation ground, but just 50 turned up, now enough to pay for the fuel for the power generator

The disillusioned circus crew pulled down their big top last night, and called off sessions today and tomorrow.

From the Evening News April 17, 1953

MR JOE Marshall, one of Bolton's most popular band leaders, will no longer be seen seated at the piano which he has occupied for 22 years at the Aspin Hall. He has retired after 38 years bandleading, and so ends an era in the local dance band world.

There has been a Joe Marshall band in Bolton for 30 years, and his name is linked with colleague Hal Bentham at the Empress.

Mr Marshall is retiring to devote more time to his business. He says, "Dancing itself has deteriorated. Instead of ballroom dancing, now there is just a shuffling step, and the old business of politely asking your partner for a dance is gone."