25 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, November 2, 1975

WHEN an intruder came crashing through the door of Donald Bates' home in Des Moines, Iowa, the family pet, Zaki, sprang on him and held him to the floor while Mr Bates got a gun. Zaki, a 14-months-old lioness, weighing about 150 lb., has been declawed and is not attack trained, her owner says. Later, a man was charged with burglary.

FIFTY-six years in the spinning trade and never late for work once. That's the proud boast of Len Nightingale, who retired yesterday from Courtauld's Park Mill, Gaskell Street, Bolton.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, November 2, 1950

MR George Bernard Shaw died peacefully at his secluded country home at one minute to five this morning, at the age of 94. In his early life, when he was a raging, red-bearded reformer, he found the London stage cluttered up with the trivialities of the Victoria and Edwardian drawing room. In their place he brought a series of magnificent plays which made the world think. From a young, penniless, obscure revolutionary with a zest for street corner oratory, Shaw in his white-bearded old age became the Great Sage of English letters.

125 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, November 2, 1875

DURING the present week, large crowds have visited Rizareli's circus, the chief attraction doubtless being the three French wrestlers and athletes, and the Brothers Honrey, clowns and acrobats. At the commencement of the week an announcement was published to the effect that the Frenchmen would compete with any of the wrestlers in the district, offering to forfeit 100 francs to anyone who could vanquish them. On Tuesday night a little fellow known by the sobriquet of 'Daff' entered the ring, and defied the efforts of the Frenchman against whom he was pitted to overthrow him. The consequence was that there was an unseemly scene, such as led to the withdrawal of the announcement, the Frenchmen now confining themselves to exhibitions of marvellous strength and friendly bouts in the French style of wrestling. The three Brothers Honrey are remarkably clever, and they go through a number of evolutions altogether new in Bolton. The company maintain the high reputation they have won in the town.