25 YEARS AGO

BOLTON'S road safety week got off to a black start at the weekend with an accident record which police described as 'shocking'. Ten people were injured in a series of 14 road accidents in the Bolton area, almost double the number usually recorded for a weekend. A police officer said: 'This is a very depressing start to road safety week.'

50 YEARS AGO

WHEN one sees a queue nowadays one takes it for granted that it is for cigarettes, biscuits, nylons or some other commodity in short supply. One is not always right, of course. A correspondent travelling by bus along Blackburn-rd. recently saw a queue of about a dozen patient people standing at a street corner. They were waiting to pay a visit to their doctor.

Another correspondent tells us that nowadays he has to queue in the hall at his dentist's surgery until there is a seat vacant in the waiting room. On the other hand, at least one dentist keeps his door locked and his receptionist admits only those who have appointments.

125 YEARS AGO

MR Baron Amphlett withdrew the charge of murder against Holt, of Breightmet. The man was found guilty of manslaughter, and sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment. 'It is unfortunate', remarks the Manchester Guardian, 'that having determined to break the law, he chose to take the life of his wife instead of the handkerchief of his neighbour. But for that happy peculiarity he might have been sentenced to a long term of penal servitude.'

MR James Haslam, a Bolton cattle dealer, was awarded £1,500 in an action against the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company, at the Manchester Assize, yesterday. The plaintiff had sustained very serious injuries in a collision at Windsor Bridge, in September, 1872.

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