25 YEARS AGO

RACING driver Peter Gethin won the Formula 5000 event at Brands Hatch at the weekend - in a car he had never driven before. The Chevron B28 - the latest car to come from Chevron's works in Chorley Old Road, Bolton - was only unveiled the night before the race because of production difficulties. Gethin won the race by a clear 45 seconds.

50 YEARS AGO

'BOBBY' is the affectionate nickname given to a talking Belisha Beacon demonstrated at a Farnworth school yesterday. Invented and made by PC Gardner, of Farnworth Police, it lights up, turns its head, and talks to children about road safety. You can hear it, and you can see its mouth actually move as the words come out. Twelve prototypes, being made in the Farnworth police workshop, are to be used in indoor and outdoor safety demonstrations throughout the country.

125 YEARS AGO

SIR- Permit me to expose some more 'scandalous proceedings of Bolton Tories' in connection with the petition against the return of J.K. Cross, Esq., MP. The scene of the exploit was Albert-street, Brownlow-fold, and it took place yesterday forenoon, when two young gentlemen walked, unannounced, into the house of a Liberal voter, and began to interrogate his wife (who had only been confined to a few days, and was at the time in bed downstairs) as to whether 'her master' had voted at the last election, and whether he had got paid for his vote, or for his loss of time in voting, &c, &c, and on her replying in the negative, they still persisted in pestering the poor woman with their impertinent questions, and during this time they held the door wide open, thus exposing her to the draught, which might and may result in serious consequences to her. Mr Editor, what should be done to put down this scandalous system of espionage, these repeated attempts to 'find dirt where there is none'. I for one have an effectual remedy for them if they come to my house, and I hope every Liberal voter will take measures to give these 'Tory spies' a suitable reception in case they seek to interview them or their families. Yours, &c, A Liberal.

P.S. I enclose the name and address of the voter.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.