From the BEN files... 25 YEARS AGO

A TOWN centre office block is to be renamed to mark the sealing of Bolton's twinning links with Le Mans and the German town of Paderborn. The office block, Victoria House in the Civic Centre, will be renamed Paderborn House following the official twinning ceremony at Bolton Town Hall on April 10.

THE new president of Wingates Temperance Band is BBC television personality Stuart Hall. He succeeds Mr Sydney Ratcliffe, who retired recently after five years.

50 YEARS AGO

SIR - After reading the letter from "PMW' Iast night, in which she complained that her husband, a miner, had been let down by the electric clock, one is apt to wonder if some people can't think or reason for themselves. Must they always be told "Do this" or "Do that', and be content to go through life blaming everybody and everything for something they themselves are responsible for. Apparently "PMW" is in a "jam" and can't get out of it herself. The answer is simple. She should buy a spring alarm clock, price 21s 9d, and so be sure that her husband will never be late or absent from work again. - Yours, etc., ST

125 YEARS AGO

SIR, - In your report of the Burial Board on Monday, I was struck with the absence of any remark with regard to what the Town Council resolved some time ago in respect to what appeared on a certain tombstone in the cemetery. The Town Council, in its indignation against what was considered to be infidelity, which had dared to express itself somewhat prominently, passed a resolution to erase from my friend's tombstone his courageous, out-spoken, epitaph. Why has the Town Council not censured the cemetery official for not carrying out their commands and levelling to the ground such daring, audatious sentiments? The Town Council must have gone to sleep, or forgotten themselves and become incapable,

Perhaps I may be wrong. It may be that it is not their intention to carry out the erasure. I think, though, that as gentlemen they are duty bound as gentlemen of honour to either forthwith carry out their injunction, or to rescind the resolution which they passed, and acknowledge that they have no jurisdiction in this affair. And let every person have the right to use what kind of an inscription which they please, so long that it is worded in reasonable language. The infidel has to pay for his grave as well as the Christian, and why should he be interfered with or molested. I am, sir, yours truly, Thomas Holstead, Doubhill.