From the Evening News, November 9, 1976

25 YEARS AGO

A GROUP of 20 businessmen in Bradshawgate, Bolton, are angry over new parking restrictions in front of their shops. They claim that Greater Manchester Council's decision to prohibit parking on Bradshawgate between Breightmet Street and Bridgeman Place is driving customers away. Bolton Director of Engineering, Mr Harry Hibbert, said the Town's Technical Service Committee had asked Greater Manchester Council to allow 40 minutes off-peak waiting in this section of Bradshawgate when it considered the restrictions.

But the GMC turned down Bolton's request and decided to follow its policy of banning all parking on major routes in town centres.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, November 9, 1951

TARGET for Bolton's Civil Defence Corps in 2,010. To hit that target 1,500 recruits are wanted urgently - and so, from tomorrow until Nov 20th, the Walker Memorial Institute at Ridgway Gates will stage the most ambitious CD exhibition ever seen in the north-west.

Among the displays will be those showing the work of the hospital and fire services, while in the police section the public will have the opportunity to see how police phone pillars can be of use both in war and peace. They will be able to ring up the central police office from a pillar, and hear the message transmitted back to a radio set in a model police car.

An interesting exhibit is a last century fire engine, supplied by Bolton Fire Brigade - and it is still in working order!

125 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, November 9, 1876

THE first annual tea meeting of the members of Atherton Collieries Village Club, was held at Howe Bridge on Monday evening. The President, Ralph Fletcher, Esq., jun., said they started with 153 members - the number had been as high as 233 - and notwithstanding the recent strike and the great reduction in miners' wages, they still numbered 155 members, which he anticipated would be greatly increased during the coming winter.

A bowling green had been constructed during the year, which would prove a great acquisition to the club; and a glee society had been formed. On Saturday evening Mr D. Charlton, of Tyldesley, attended the club as pianist, and on that night members were permitted to being their wives, daughters, or other lady friends

The idea of establishing classes in the higher branches of eduction had been abandoned for the present, members being able to get what they required at the Wigan Mining School, or other institutions in the neighbourhood, but classes for elementary subjects had been started on Wednesday evenings.

The clock in the lecture room had been made expressly for them, and presented to the club by Mr James Watkins, of Bolton.