25 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, March 17, 1973

THE former Crosses and Heatons mills at Lostock Junction are being demolished to make way for housing development. Crosses and Heatons, Ltd., once one of the giants of Lancashire cotton, closed the mills in 1971.

Ninety homes are to be built on the site.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, March 17, 1948

SIX underground acres of Whitehall, containing 150 rooms and a mile of corridors, where the war's great decisions were taken, were visited by Pressmen today, for the first time.

Because of their historic interest, these secret underground headquarters of the War Cabinet and war-time chiefs of staff, are to be preserved.

The famous War Cabinet and map rooms have been left just as they were when the war ended on August 17th, 1945. The calendar still shows that date, and the great wall maps with their coloured pins and wools, show the position of our ships and men, and those of the enemy at that date.

125 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, March 18, 1873

LAST evening, an inquest on the body of James Dickinson, son of Mr Dickinson, Sharrock's Farm, was held before Mr J.B. Edge, district coroner, at the house of Mr J. Calderbank, Bridge Inn. Mr R. Dickinson said the deceased was his son, and assisted at the farm.

He was at home when the deceased was brought in about ten o'clock at night. He was unconscious and cut about the head.

Joseph Corrie said: I am a joiner and live in Winterhey-lane, better known as Dog-lane. On Thursday night about nine o'clock I was watching some men, John Partington and John Walsh, throw some broken up machinery through a cotton mill window, a height about 60 feet.

James Summer said: I am a farmer and reside at Blackpool. I was with deceased when the accident happened. We had been standing about three minutes watching. I did not know that they had more to throw through. I and deceased were standing together. I never saw the beam come which struck deceased. I never heard anyone shout. - The case was then adjourned.

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