From the Evening News,1992 - A PUB landlord is urging newly-divorced couples to get in touch . . . so he can arrange a celebration! John Boyle has set up a new line in knees-up at The Shakespeare in Farnworth - Divorce Parties.

And since he advertised the idea he has been swamped with interested applicants.

John said: "I know that people suffer tremendous heartache during divorce, and this was my tongue-in-cheek way of lightening the subject a bit. I already have three bookings and 12 other people who say they will want to have a party when their final papers come through."

25 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

October 5, 1977

THE Labour Party conference at Brighton today decided that Britain should stay in the Common Market but renegotiate some of its terms of membership. It came after intense opposition from many delegates to our staying in the Market.

The conference also voted overwhelmingly for abolition of the House of Lords.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

October 5, 1952

MOTORISTS are urged not to feel aggrieved when they are charged 4s 3d at petrol pump stations in Bolton, for this is the actual price of petrol per gallon, in spite of reports they may have read that the price is 4s 3d. Pool petrol prices were zoned, and Bolton is in the inner zone, where the charge is 4s 3d. Because of these reports several motorists have already objected to paying the extra farthing per gallon, according to the managing director of a large garage near the centre of the town.

100 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

October 4, 1902

SO long as the rich idler pays taxes and keeps the law, Society has no business to meddle with him. But it is different with the pauper idler; he is a public danger. Hooliganism is a costly nuisance to the ratepayers of Bolton, and is considered responsible for more than a third of the work of the police.

What shall be done to stamp out the hooligan? By many experts the present system is held to be stupid and wicked. A succession of short sentences for youthful offenders has been proved to be a failure. Almost as soon as they are out of prison they resume their evil ways and are back in prison again.