Roland and Peggy Beech, both former Boltonians who now live in Western Australia, have sent me their reminisces. Roland wrote: "I was born in Astley Bridge in 1923, so I have just had my 80th birthday.

"After attending Seymour Road day school and Sunday school, I won a scholarship to the 'Muni', and left with my School Certificate in 1939.

"I came to Australia in October, 1957 on a two-year work contract, and have been here ever since. I have been able to travel considerably, and being a Chartered Surveyor has helped in this respect."

It seems that on old school friend regularly sends cuttings from the Evening News to the couple, and "both myself and my wife of 55 years particularly enjoy Looking Back."

In the paper of December 2, 2002, there was a review of Bolton Little Theatre's production of J.B. Priestley's "When We Are Married", and "this brought back very happy memories because in St Paul's, Astley Bridge, production of that play, in either 1941 or 1942, I took the part of the organist. I got the part because the producer was the well-known Elsie Dakin (she produced dozens of plays and musicals) and we happened to live next door on Blackburn Road.

"Elsie worked in Manchester for the BBC in connection with Children's Hour. She was also an elocutionist, and she taught me to talk posh as the organist, and lose my natural dialect as much as I could.

"This exercise opened up a new world to me, and I was bitten by the theatrical bug, which has remained with me ever since. Wherever I have lived, I have been totally absorbed in the theatre as a hobby, and have found it a great antidote to the seriousness of mechanical engineering.

"Miss Dakin cast me again as the nephew in Dickens' 'Christmas Carol', and approached me to help organise what became known as Black-Out Concerts at St Paul's Parochial Hall, on Sunday nights during the winter time 'to keep the teenagers off the streets.'

"With my younger brother Derek and some of his pals, we formed what was called 'The Six Joes', performing songs and sketches (which we wrote ourselves). The concerts became very popular - I wonder if anyone can remember them? Soon, people started offering to perform - singers, dancers, musicians, magicians etc. I put on a show every second Sunday for several winter months.

"The most outstanding event was when an old school friend (from Bank Top School, where I attended for my first two years of schooling), who had a small dance band, offered to play. When the band arrived, it had been supplemented from a five-piece to a 10-piece band. These included Jack Howarth (Harker & Howarth) and Alyn Ainsworth, who went on, of course, to become famous; Jack played saxaphone and Alyn guitar. His sister Brenda also came along and sang a duet with her brother.

Iknow that most of these people have passed on, but it is possible that some younger teenagers who were in the audience might recall those concerts."

Among other Looking Back cuttings which Mr and Mrs Beech received was from from last November, a 1964 aerial view of Astley Bridge, on which Mr Beech can spot his former home at 546 Blackburn Road. "I believe the house is still there, but now occupied by an insurance company. When Mr Beech lived there, at No 548 was Dr Cranna's surgery (which later became that of Dr Frazer), but "I know that property has since been demolished". The picture also showed Hesketh's Mill, on the site where Asda now stands.

Mr Beech concludes: "After leaving in 1957, I did not return until 1970, by which time Asda was in full swing."

Should you remember Roland or Peggy, and wish to contact them, their address is 16 Wangoola Tce., Mt. Nasura, Western Australia, 6112.