25 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, September 8, 1975

CHILDREN and old people today became the innocent victims of British Rail's 'beat the soccer thugs' campaign. There were bitter scenes at some stations in the North-west as day-trippers found cheap fares withdrawn. Children turned away from booking offices after finding the fare to the seaside had increased by up to four times. Cheap day and weekend returns were banned on all local trains until the soccer games kicked off at three o'clock this afternoon.

A HOAX bomb forced police to seal off part of Bolton town centre for over two hours, shutting down shops and diverting traffic. A customer at John Willie's furniture store, Bradshawgate, noticed a suspicious looking parcel in the entrance arcade to the shop, the police were informed, and the Army bomb disposal experts called in. The 'bomb' turned out to be a battery, a piece of polystyrene and a tin plate made to look like the real thing.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, September 8, 1950

THERE are now more than 6,000 table tennis players in Lancashire associated with clubs affiliated to the English Association. Something like 500 of this number are registered with the Bolton SSS League, and the local competition, which starts on September 25th, comprises seven more teams than last winter. The growing popularity of the sport, too, is shown in the fact that no fewer than 54 teams will take part in the five divisions.

IN a competition near Ilkley today, a 25-years-old Boltonian, Mr Thomas Richard Walker, Redstarr, Albert-rd., because the 240th winner of the famous Scorton Silver Arrow, the most coveted prize among the country's archers.

125 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, September 8, 1875

THE marriage of Miss C.F. Hargreaves, eldest daughter of William Hargreaves, Esq., JP, of Moss Bank, Halliwell, with W. Cameron Bathe, Esq., eldest son of W.P. Bathe, Esq., of Sussex Place, Regent's Park, London, was celebrated on Wednesday at St Peter's Church, Halliwell, in the presence of a large and fashionable congregation.

Indeed, the sacred edifice was crowded with interested spectators, who thronged pew and aisle, hundreds being totally unable to gain admission.

Long before the hour fixed for the ceremony, the church was filled, and a large number of persons - the fair sex, as is usual on such occasions, largely dominating - crowded the road from the churchyard to the Jubilee School. An awning reached from the church through the yard to the road, and the pathway was laid with scarlet cloth. There was a slight attempt at decoration in the interior of the church near the altar, the chancel bearing numerous richly-foliaged plants, together with a garland of evergreens suspended from each side of the chancel.

In the evening g a ball took place at Moss Bank. Amongst the multitude of wedding gifts which have been presented, we may mention a grand pianoforte, five oil paintings for the dining room, inlaid Indian cabinet, Venetian mirror and brackets, and a Davenport silver service of plate, silver tea and coffee service, and silver tea tray.