From the Evening News, October 13, 1992 - A MASSIVE mystery blaze shut down a Bolton primary school today after totally destroying one classroom and severely damaging two others.

Teachers stood on street corners surrounding St Maxentius School in Bradshaw this morning, sending pupils home as they turned up with their parents. A fire brigade spokesman said: "There is no reason to suspect arson. There was no sign of a break-in, and none of the windows were broken before the fire blew them in."

25 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, October 14, 1977

POLICE carrying out pornographic raids in Greater Manchester terrified small newsagents, it was claimed last night. A Bolton newsagent declared that it needed only one newsagent to bring about a test case to stop police raids and seizure of magazines. In recent months in Greater Manchester, including Bolton and Bury, police in plain clothes have carried out lightning raids on a large number of newsagents and seized thousands of magazines. Newsagents claim they do not know which stock is obscene and which is not.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, October 13, 1952

AS soon as the cloth in process at the bleachworks of John Smith, Junior, and Co., Ltd., at their Smiths-rd. works, Great Lever, is finished, the works are to close. About 120 people are affected. In future, the cloth will be processed elsewhere, but the works will be kept as a reserve in perfect order and ready to be re-opened promptly in case of need.

In the case of employees who do not take work which they may be offered elsewhere, an ex-gratia gift of £1 a year of service with the firm will be paid to each employee.

100 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, October 14, 1902

AN inquest was held at the Rock Hotel, School Hill, this morning, by the Borough Coroner (Mr Roland Taylor) relative to the death of Richard Cupitt (36), iron-dresser, 59 Reservoir-st., who was found drowned in a pond in Taylor's field, off Swan-lane, about 12.30 on Saturday afternoon. - Delia Cupitt (widow) stated that deceased has been missing from home since the 25th ult. On that day he got up and went out of the house about 1.15am stating that his head felt like a barrel, and before he could stand it much longer he would cut his head off.

Witness and her two sons tried to stop him, but he looked wild and they could not do so. She did not see him alive again. They buried a little girl a short time ago, and that had affected him a great deal. Witness had a family of six children, the oldest of whom was seventeen years of age.

The Coroner remarked that no doubt deceased had drowned himself while temporarily insane, and a verdict to that effect was returned.