From the Evening News, September 3, 1976

25 YEARS AGO

THE Evening News is glad to be back with its readers this evening for the first time in almost a week. We apologise that the paper is not as comprehensive as usual, but production only resumed this morning following discussions at national level in a dispute involving some 50 regional and local newspapers after members of the National Graphical Association instructed its members not to handle material submitted for printing and plate making from "unrecognised" sources. Further discussions are to take place.

THE first 100 standpipes in the North-west were erected in Bacup today by the North-west Water Authority as the town's water supply dwindled to the dangerously low 35-day level.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, September 3, 1951

FABRICS come in cycles in the fashion world just as do the fashions themselves, and the latest trends indicate that velvet once again will be popular with designers this coming winter. It will not only be used for trimming and accessories, but for indoor and street clothes as well.

THE circus was there on Moor-lane one day - the next time people looked it had gone. However, people queueing for the late buses on Saturday evening spent an interesting few minutes watching the circus hands dismantling the huge tents and clearing the site. About 90,000 local people had been thrilled by the performances given by the wild animals.

125 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, September 2, 1876

A MEETING of the Manchester and Salford Trades' Council was held on Wednesday night, when several subjects came up for discussion. A statement was made that the plasterers' labourers of Bolton complained of a lock-out under rather singular circumstances. During harvest-time, it is usual for all classes of labourers to render assistance in the gathering of the corn, and a plasterers' labourer at Bolton absented himself from his usual employment to go harvesting. On his return to work, two plasterers, who were in the same employ as himself, struck work against him for so absenting himself, and induced their fellow workmen to follow their example. A general meeting of the plasterers was called, and they decided that they would lock all the whole of the union labourers unless they paid a day and a quarter's wages and expenses for drink for the plasterers who had struck. This the labourers refused to do, and they were so to speak locked out, a resolution being passed by the plasterers that any man working with any of those so locked out should be fined the sum of £2. It was under these circumstances - one branch of the trade seeking to coerce another - that the labourers appealed to the Manchester and Salford Trades Council for support.

The secretary wrote to the general secretary of the Plasterers' Union at Birmingham upon the matter, and he replied he knew nothing about it. The matter at present remains in abeyance.