From the Evening News, February 5, 1992

ANGRY anti-poll tax protesters demonstrated outside council leader Bob Howarth's Heaton home last night after the jailing of a Bolton defaulter, and called for his release. Counc. Howarth told the BEN: "I was annoyed for my neighbours more than anything else. I can understand the protesters were upset by the jailing, but the decision was made by magistrates.

25 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, February 6, 1977

A MILLION bags in 50 years make Joe Speakman Bolton's undisputed Old King Coal. Now Joe's half century as a coal merchant has been recognised with a special reward from the coal industry. In a ceremony at Farnworth's Dixon Green depot, Joe, aged 64, was presented with a miner's antique Davy Lamp.

He commented: "If they'd given me £500 it wouldn't have been a better present. I've always wanted one."

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, February 6, 1952

THE whole nation and empire was stunned today by news of the sudden death of King George. An announcement from Sandringham at 10.45am stated that His Majesty, who retired to rest last night in his usual health, passed peacefully away in his sleep early this morning. He was in his 57th year and the 16th year of his reign.

The new Queen burst into tears when the news of her father's death was broken to her the Royal Lodge, Nyeri, Kenya. Not until a direct radio-telephone call had been made to Buckingham Palace and the tragic news confirmed, was she told the King was dead, and she was the reigning Queen. She decided to return to London immediately.

100 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, February 6, 1902

ANOTHER important event from an engineering point of view has been reached in the progress of the Trinity-st. new Station, inasmuch as the hoisting up of one side of the connecting link in the triple span from Johnson-st. to Trinity-st. is taking place this afternoon. The iron work weighs many tons, and for several weeks the work of riveting the ponderous girder together has been in progress.

Traffic will not be interfered with in the slightest degree, as the span has been put together on the triangular piece of ground inside the Blackburn and Liverpool lines and at the Johnson-st. fork. When complete, the new bridge will form an easy access to both platforms.