25 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, January 7, 1974

PASTOR John Pennington from Carrington preached the Gospel outside Burnden Park on Sunday as 39,138 'sinners' filed into the ground on the day big-time Sunday football came to Bolton. 'Be sure your sin will find you out', it said on the placard he was holding. Members of the Bethel Evangelistic Church, Bolton, were also distributing religious tracts. More than 70 people were taken from the ground before and during the match, and there were two arrests when 500 fans invaded the pitch before the kick-off. Wanderers won the match.

50 YEARS AGO

THE climax of this week's bargain sales in Bolton was a queue, 200 or 300 strong, outside a well-known fashion shop this morning. The women - some of whom had been there since 6am - were waiting for the opening of the shop's biggest sale since the war. All the garments in the windows were selling for anything from a half to a tenth of their original price, and at half coupon rate. One cardroom worker, who had queued for three hours, had seen a blue costume for 18s 11d. Other bargains were found in the underwear department, while there was a ready sale for fur coats at half-price and plastic raincoats at 10s 6d.

125 YEARS AGO

SOME talk has been going on during the past few years in Broughton Ferry regarding what has been termed a romantic elopement. Two or three families of gipsies several weeks ago pitched their encampment on a vacant piece of ground at Monifeth-road. The tents open to the street, the only light at night being the glare of a bright red fire produced by gas cinders. Some of those who visited the place, especially those of the masculine gender, say they have gone for the 'fun of the thing', while some of the 'weaker' sex have gone fully anticipating a glimpse into mysterious futurity. Some of the younger females possess pleasant features and charming manners.

One seems to have captivated the heart of a young man belonging to the 'kingdom', who is said to have proposed marriage. The suitor was accepted, and the parents of the 'tawny' fair one did not object to the proposal, but put on an imperative condition, which stood as a stumbling block in the way of the betrothal. They demanded that their would-be son-in-law should lead the life hitherto followed by their daughter, and also become a 'dweller in tents'. This stopped the affair for a time. The lovers, however, are said to have bolted the other day. They drove in a cab to Invergowie where they joined the tram, but where they have gone to remains a mystery.

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