25 YEARS AGO

NO dates with men, and no make-up to be worn for five years. These are the strict conditions under which a Lancashire woman has been left the bulk of her boss's £181,000 estate. The boss, Mr Eswyth Grundy, of Leyland, said in his will that Amelia Waite, also of Leyland, should not inherit the money for five years, and only with the proviso that 'during those five years she never uses any lipstick or any other make-up of any kind whatsoever, apart from clear nail varnish, and wears no jewellery such as rings, earrings, necklaces; and never goes out with any men on her own, or with a party of men, during the five years.'

50 YEARS AGO

A BOLTON undergraduate, charged at Cambridge with holding onto a lorry whilst riding a cycle, had this to say to magistrates: 'I had taken part in a strenuous game of golf which had left me in a state of inertia and my frantic efforts at locomotion, whilst riding into a strong head wind, had sapped my last drop of energy. I feel these extenuating circumstances constituted some justification for an act which, I ready agree, in normal circumstances, would be the acme of supreme indiscretion.'

The presiding magistrates commented: 'Very revealing. Ten shillings.'

125 YEARS AGO

SIR,- In the marriage announcements in the paper I notice that 'Mr Foulds of Bolton, brother of Dr Foulds, of Farnworth', has taken unto himself a wife. With the fact of the marriage, or the contracting parties, I have nothing to do; my object in troubling you with this letter being to call your attention to the title assumed by the bridegroom's brother. It seems desirable that the editors of newspapers should be possessed of a Medical Directory, or of some opportunity of knowing 'who is who', for I find that this wedding announcement will act as an advertising medium for this self-styled 'Dr', who is breaking the laws of this country by representing himself to be a medical man. Any vulgar quack or grossly ignorant midwife may know a thing or two, but even supposing they know the alphabet of the profession - which they do not - they are necessarily unfit to be entrusted with the lives of the community. How can it be expected that a man fresh from the workshop or mill, without training of any kind, should know anything about the healing art, when the legally qualified members of the profession are bound to undergo years of study and hospital experience, before the legislature will allow them to commence practice. I am, yours, etc., A Surgeon.

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