NOW a part and parcel of daily life in Bolton the launch of the Evening News 135 years ago was a decided gamble.

There was no tradition of local evening newspapers in the country, let alone in Bolton. The only other local evening was a Shipping Gazette in South Shields. People read their news (those few who bothered at all) via weekly news sheets. Bolton folk wanted to read about what was going on in the country -- for the first few years the Evening News carried far more national than local news -- and bought all the copies that could be printed, for a halfpenny each.

There was, of course, the matter of profit and loss where success was less assured for some time.

In the first week of production records show that advertising and sales receipts were just £11 2s 5d while expenditure was £27 13s 9d!

In fact it was not until April of the following year that the paper first showed a profit. -- and by June of the same year one week's receipts went over £100 for the first time.

(CAPTIONS)

(PIC 1) John Tillotson

(PIC 2) William Frederick Tillotson