From the Evening News,1993: MAJOR renovation schemes at Ashburner Street Market and Bolton School were at a standstill today with the collapse of the Bolton joinery firm carrying out the work.

Financial experts called in to deal with the crisis today held out little hope for any of the 112 jobs at N.B. Joinery Ltd., in Bark Street. N.B. Joinery started work last September on the first phase of the £2 million modernisation of Ashburner Street Market Hall. And it was only two months away from completing the £1 million conversion of a former swimming pool into an arts and conference centre at Bolton School.

25 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

February 11, 1978

THE biggest police operation ever seen in Bolton stopped any major trouble at last night's controversial National Front meeting in the Town Hall. It took 1,200 police and 20 horses to enable the Front to hold a two-hour meeting vehemently opposed by anti-Front demonstrators. Police said afterwards that 19 people were arrested, mostly for offences under the Public Order Act.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

February 11, 1953

A RAGING blizzard in the North has blocked 40 main roads and partially blocked dozens of others. Most roads north of a line from Birmingham to the Wash were affected. A party of 29 elderly women returning to Bakewell from a Sheffield pantomime matinee spent six hours marooned on the Derbyshire moors in a motor coach.

Four snow ploughs have been out keeping roads open for bus services in the Bolton area. One of the worst areas was beyond Smithills where several moorland roads were snowbound, and cattle trucks have been marooned.

100 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

February 11, 1903

SEVERAL defendants were brought before the Borough Magistrates this morning for using obscene language. There were on the Bench His Worship the Mayor (Ald. J. Miles), Ald. Wm. Nicholson, Ald. J. Horrocks, and Mr W. Cooper.

Michael Grogan, 25, Croasdale-st., was fined 5s (25p), for making use of bad language in Kay-st., and George Jones, 12, Astley-lane, Astley Bridge, and Arthur Buck, 6, Lloyd-st., Astley Bridge, were called upon to pay fines of 5s and 2s 6d (12p) respectively for a similar offence in Cavendish-st.

Ald Miles remarked that the Magistrates were very glad officers were taking notice of bad language. There was hardly a street in the town where he could not hear, even in common conversation, some of the vilest oaths and language that could possibly be uttered. Col. Winder: As a matter of fact, a Justice of the Peace hearing bad language in the streets could fine an offender on the spot.