SPONSORED EFFORT: You've heard of the Laughing Policeman. These were the Walking Firemen . . . The six-strong team were pictured before leaving to take part in a 46-mile sponsored walk in 1976. They were walking - along with about 200 other volunteers - from Ravenscar to Osmotherly, in North Yorkshire, to aid the North Yorkshire mountain rescue team. The picture showed Divisional Officer Lawrence Hubbard, Station Officer John Loughran, Station Officer John Fenney, Fireman Owen Lythgoe, Fireman John Crooke and Fireman Keith Ceesay. Wife was related to Beggs family MY story about a local mineral water manufacturers called Beggs, has brought a response from Scotland!

Mr L.J. Brown, of Lockerbie, was sent a cutting of the column by his sister-in-law who lives in Bolton, and he tells me that his late wife Jessie (nee Begg) was related to that family.

"The business was founded by John Begg around 1876/77", he tells me.

"I do not know the date of birth of John Begg, nor where the birth took place, but on September 2, 1849, he married Agnes Houston in Paisley. Records show that at that time he was the superintendent of parks and cemeteries in Paisley, later becoming land agent at Lennox Castle.

"In about 1876 he moved to Bolton and established the mineral water business. I have a copy of an advertisement taken from Tillotson's Post Office Directory for 1876-77 announcing the opening of an establishment in Bolton for the manufacture of aerated and mineral waters, and announcing that they had the sole right to use a patent stopper for some years. The patent stopper, as many people of my age (87) will recall, was a glass 'marble' moulded into the neck of the bottle, and this was pressed to the top of the moulding by the pressure of the gas inside.

Airtight

"To get at its contents, it was necessary to press down on the marble to relieve the pressure. In the advertisement are the following lines: 'Opened by a gentle pressure from the hand, Quickly done with great ease and without noise. The stoppers being airtight the waters never become flat.'

"At this time the works were at Rose Hill, Manchester Road. John Begg died on December 15, 1892. There were eight children from the marriage, six boys and two girls. The eldest boy, James, was my wife's grandfather. He was born in 1851 and married Caroline Tonge on January 12, 1881 at the Presbyterian Church in Bolton. James, my wife's father, was born in 1882, and in 1885 the family emigrated to the USA; James died suddenly at the age of 40, and his widow returned to Bolton.

"George, born in 1856, took over the running of the business, which was now operating from Walker Street, Spa Road. I do not know when the business close, but it was probably due to the shortage of supplies in the first world war. George died in 1927, aged 71.

"My wife, born in 1913, remembered him visiting them, her father being George's nephew. She remembered that he was very smart even though 70 years of age."

More about Beggs tomorrow.