25 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, November 14, 1975

PEOPLE facing retirement should cultivate new interests such as butterfly farming, dancing and riding, they are advised in a new book published today.

A BOLTON man who once held the world record for non-stop piano playing, has died. Sandy Strickleton, who became a household name as 'Syncopating Sandy' was aged 64. Mr Strickleton set the piano playing record of 194 hours back in 1951. It was broken by a Stockport man with 195 hours in 1969, and again in 1974 to 200 hours.

A HEADMASTER has urged parents not to discriminate against daughters. Mr Kenneth Gibson, of Farnworth Grammar School, said girls should be encouraged to stay on for sixth form education. In past years he has had to urge parents to allow daughters to go on to sixth form.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, November 15, 1950

THE fruit and vegetable trade, freed from most controls, promises housewives the best Christmas supply since pre-war days.

There should be fair supplies of oranges at prices well within the former control limits, a good supply of jaffas, as well as mandarins and tangerines. Nuts, both in shell as as kernels, are going to be plentiful.

TO be in fashion, it is not necessary to have a large number of brooches, but it is necessary to know how to wear those you do have, so that they look different with every dress, coat, blouse and suit. On simple, tailored dresses a brooch can be used to pleat or gather the material on one side. On other occasions, wear the same brooch as a pendant to a snug-fitting choker.

125 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, November 15, 1875

THE captain (Driver) and crew of the barque Pauline, of London, are firm in the belief that they have seen the far-famed sea-serpent, and that under no common circumstance.

The Zanzibar correspondent of the Western Morning News, writing under date Oct. 20th, narrates that the Pauline had arrived at Zanzibar with coals for Her Majesty's ships, and when off Cape St. Roque, South America, after a severe storm (writes the correspondent, who is a naval officer), a sight was presented that made the crew aghast - nothing less than the great sea-serpent engaged in a conflict with a whale.

It had wound itself twice round the whale, and was twirling it with tremendous velocity, lashing the water into foam. The noise could be distinctly heard on board, and after battling some time, both disappeared. The serpent's length can be imagined. It had two coils round a full-sized sperm whale, with 30 feet clear at each end. Its diameter was from three to four feet.

They saw it twice afterwards. Once it came very close to the vessel, and raised itself 60 feet out of the water, as if about to attack them, the crew and officers arming themselves with axes to repel its attack. However, it let them alone, contenting itself by establishing a great dread in those on board.