25 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, June 20, 1972

NEW uses must be found for the redundant churches in Bolton town centre. This is urged in the annual report of the retiring chairman of Bolton and District Civic Trust, Mr Gordon Thackrah. He regrets that 'insufficient effort' had been made to preserve the few old buildings of historical and architectural merit which Bolton possesses. On the churches, he says: 'It is of the utmost importance that positive action be taken to preserve and convert them to secular use if no other denomination can take them over.'

50 YEARS AGO

IT is at last announced that, when the second Summer Show leaves Bolton this weekend, the Theatre Royal will close for a short time and will revert to films for the rest of the summer. This step is not one which the management wished to take, but is necessary in view of the shortage of 'live' shows. The Summer Show was introduced last summer in an attempt to keep the theatre open for live entertainment all the year round. That the Show has failed this year has meant that the last hope of doing this has gone.

125 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, June 20, 1872

THE driver of an engine attached to a coal or goods train, which left Atherton Station for Bolton at three o'clock on Monday, observed the body of a man lying with his head upon the metals at a crossing a short distance from Atherton Station. The driver, by immediately turning off the steam, managed to bring the train to a standstill before the engine had reached the man. The man was picked up by two of the railway employees, was taken to the police station, and subsequently home. It appears that he has recently been suffering from delirium tremens. He states that he had no intention to commit suicide, and did not know he had laid his head on the metals until he heard the whistle of the train, when he immediately got up out of the way.

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