25 YEARS AGO

THE crowds are returning to watch Football League matches after a wane in support at the start of the season. "Gates" were down by 1,800,000 on last season by the end of September, but attendances last weekend aggregated 681,698, an increase of 2,188 on the same weekend last year. But at Bolton and Bury gates are well down. The Wanderers' top gate this season has been 13,130, but at a recent game the attendance was only 6,860; Bury have averaged only 4,824 a match.

50 YEARS AGO

THE first public session of the United Nations' tribunal opened in Berlin today, when the 24,000-word indictment charging German war criminals collectively and individually with crimes against humanity was filed. In 50 minutes the tribunal completed the formalities, receiving the indictment against the 24 top Nazis, including Hess, Goering and Ribbentrop, and adjourned to meet "within 30 days" at Nuremburg. Martin Bormann, Hitler's deputy, is included in the indictment although not yet in custody. 125 YEARS AGO

ON Saturday afternoon, under the especially favourable circumstances of a fine day and a large and influential attendance of the clergy and gentry of the district, the memorial stone of the new church of St. Stephen, Kersley Moor, was laid by the four daughters of the late Harrison Blair, Esq., of Peel Hall, Little Hulton, and in perpetuation of whose memory the church is being created.

THE other day we reported an accident in which Alice, the wife of Joseph Shipperbottom, of Waterloo Street, was seriously injured in a cab accident in Bridge-street. We regret to say that last night death terminated her sufferings.

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