From the Evening News, July 16, 1992 - JUBILANT Council chiefs are today celebrating a £37.5 million cash "win" for Bolton. A major business park will now be set up in the Tonge Valley, which is expected to bring between 3,000 to 5,000 new jobs to the town.

The Halliwell area will be transformed by the enormous jackpot.

25 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

July 16, 1977

CHANCELLOR Denis Healey today urged unions and employers to make sure that the national pay rise does not rise by more than 10 per cent in the coming year. As part of the package aimed at securing agreement, he announced a cut in the basic rate of income tax from 35 per cent to 34 per cent. There was an immediate blow to Mr Healey's hopes with the announcement of a shock 17.7 per cent inflation rate for June.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

July 17, 1952

WAS the Bolton telephone exchange formerly at the south-east corner of Victoria-sq? asks a reader.

In the early days of telephones, the head office of the local service was at 8, Exchange-st. which (as today) connected Victoria-sq. with Mawdsley-st. The proprietors were the Lancashire and Cheshire Telephone Exchange Company, Ltd.

A list of subscribers for 1887 shows a No. 66, and presumably that was the number of telephones which served the town 65 years ago. Amongst its interesting features is that Bolton No. 1 in those days was John Musgrave and Sons, Ltd. Today, Musgrave Spinning Co., Ltd. is still Bolton 1.

100 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

July 17, 1902

YESTERDAY afternoon, in ideal summer weather, the Mayor and Mayoress of Bolton (Ald. J. and Mrs Miles) gave a garden party in Queen's Park. The event was unique in the history of the town, but His Worship has only followed the example of other towns and exercised the right granted to Corporations by local Acts in setting apart for a time public parks for the purposes of a semi-public function.

The invitations, 800 in number, were extended to members of public bodies in the town, together with some private friends, and His Worship received 650 acceptances.

The function was a brilliant one, and the most elaborate arrangements had been made for the comfort and pleasure of the guests. Only the north-west side of the Park had been reserved for the purpose of the garden party, the public having the east, south, and part of the west sides of the Park, the visitors using the flower gardens, terrace, and thence to West-st., including the rose garden and tennis grounds.