JUST an update on some of the recent stories in this column. First, I have heard from Mike Gibson, in Sydney, Australia, who tells me that a friend sent him a cutting on William Edge & Sons article (Dolly Blue and Drummer dyes. Remember?), which appeared a couple of weeks ago.

"I remember those days well," he writes, "especially as my grandfather, Horace Morton, was managing director of the firm.

"They also made Jiffy Firelighters. Those were the days when people were still wearing wooden clogs on the cobble stones in various parts of Bolton; fog enveloped the town in winter, and the buildings were almost black - I believe the stonework has been cleaned up and the buildings now look their best.

"I didn't know that the firm also made Drummer radio-gramophones. However, there was a large radiogram in a beautiful walnut cabinet in the sitting room that must have been made by the company.

"I have often wondered where it might be now. I stayed with my grandfather in Smithills whilst at school in England from 1946 until his death in June, 1950.

"Your article brought back many happy memories, especially of accompanying my grandfather to watch 'The Trotters' at Burnden Park.

Even though we could have been in the directors' box, he always insisted on sitting among the opposition supporters and feeding me with remarks to shout out reflecting the inabilities of their team.

"I have here, in Sydney, an oil painting given to my grandfather by Sir William Edge, 'Pass in Glen Finart', by William Watson, in 1897, which is a reminder of the many happy times with my grandfather in Bolton."

On another subject, that of Sir John Haslam (October 25), Mr B.W. Tyas Cooper, of Breckland Drive, Heaton, tells me that Sir John's grocery shop was not in Knowsley Street, but on the lower corner of the junction of St. George's Road and Vernon Street. "The business continued there after Sir John retired," he writes, "and only moved to Knowsley Street many years after under new ownership. I can remember the shop in St. George's Road - I was intrigued as a small boy by the mechanical bacon-slicing machine there."

I also heard from Miss D. Fawell, who says that her father Sidney Fawell and Harry Hornby were in partnership with Sir John (or plain Mr Haslam as he was at the time) in the St George's Road/Vernon Street shop, and Sir John gave up his partnership when he went into politics.

Lastly, a couple of letters about the picture on October 28 of pupils of St Simon and Jude's School in Rishton Lane. One was from Mr B.S. Entwistle, of Stratford Close, Farnworth, who says that he went to "that excellent school" from January, 1952 until he left, aged 11, in 1958. "You say in the caption to the picture that the school closed in 1952, but that must be wrong; perhaps it was 1972." Well, Mr Entwistle, you may be right about the 1952, but the new St Simon & Jude's School opened in 1968, so your later date must also be incorrect. "I still remember Mr Pilling, the headmaster," he goes on, "and also Mr Cooper, a very nice blind man; there was also a Mr Walker who would rather cane you than speak to you."

Another letter from Margaret Harrison, who was also delighted to see the school photograph because "it included my eldest brother, Brian Harrison, who sadly died when he was only 17. "My other brothers, Malcolm and David, and myself, also went to St Simon's, and I have a lot of good memories of my time there."