25 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, September 20, 1976

ABOUT 100 people, many of them close to tears, saw a plaque unveiled at Westhoughton yesterday to the memory of 344 local men and boys who died in the Pretoria Pit disaster 66 years ago.

BATSMAN Alan Birtwistle was expecting a fast delivery, but what the Greenmount cricketer saw hurtling down the wicket scared him stiff. Instead of a cricket ball, Alan faced a wild kestrel swooping straight for his eyes. What did he do? "I swung wildly and hit it for six," he reports. "It flopped down to the ground dead." Alan was out next ball.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, September 20, 1951

HERE'S a particularly thorny subject which may upset washing-day theories of many local housewives. If washing-day lines of clothes are hanging across a back street which is the only passage between my garage and storeroom and the main street, what is the position if some irate housewife objects to moving her washing to let my vehicle pass? asks a reader.

Well, in the first place, replies Quidnunc, this is a matter which necessitates all the helpful consideration both sides can supply. There is no excuse for anyone raising objections to reasonable requests, especially as this is a right of way and essential to the business.

As far as the law is concerned, I am informed that where drying clothes are proved to be an annoyance to members of the community or an obstruction to those who have reasonable right to pass along the street with a vehicle, there is an actionable offence.

125 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, September 20, 1876

A RUMOUR was current during the afternoon of yesterday that their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Teck were making a visit incognito to Bolton, the immediate occasion of the visit being a desire to witness the interesting manufacture of steel by the Bessemer process and other pleasing sights at the Bolton Iron and Steel Company's Works, Blackhorse-street.

The rumour was unfounded as regarding her Majesty's cousin and her husband, but the distinguished persons whose visit gave rise to the rumour were their Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Teano, Italy, accompanied by the Countess of Crawford and Balcarres, and Lady Lindsay, of Haigh Hall, near Wigan, and party, who visited the above works.

Their Highnesses are at present the guests of the Earl of Crawford and Balcarres at Haigh Hall, and yesterday afternoon at half-past two they arrived in Bolton from Wigan, for the purpose of inspecting the extensive works of the Company referred to.

The process of railmaking and other interesting spectacles were witnessed, followed by the ever pleasing sight of the Bessemer steel manufacture, which was watched with great interest by the visitors.

The distinguished party afterwards left the town by the 4.50 train for Wigan.