25 YEARS AGO

A YOUNG brunette stopped the Motor Show preview in London today - by taking off the top of her bikini. Men gathered around ten-deep, photographers' flash bulbs popped, and another bikini-clad girl - her top firmly under control - looked disapprovingly down her nose. The crowd round the topless girl grew ever larger, forsaking the cars.

50 YEARS AGO

THE playing of music through the loudspeakers on Victoria-sq. this forenoon, indicated to the public, busily engaged in shopping, that something unusual was afoot. They realized what it was when, shortly before noon, the Mayor (Ald. Bradley), the Town Clerk (Mr Rennison) and Savings officials, appeared on the Town Hall steps to say, in effect, "Thanks - a million."

In other words, Bolton had done it again. The target in "Thanksgiving Week" was reached and passed, and the town was going all out to make its savings for the week £1,250,000. The surprising feature of the Thanksgiving Ball at the Albert Hall last night was the number of dancers able to turn out in evening dress. Seventy five per cent of the girls were wearing long dresses, a little dusty at the hem perhaps, but still very picturesque, and half the men were in clothes to match.

125 YEARS AGO

THE STORM AT FARNWORTH

Between a late hour last night and an early hour this morning, a violent storm of wind and rain passed over Farnworth, and we regret to say much damage has been done, amounting to, so far as can be judged, £300. There is great activity displayed at this time in Farnworth in the building trade as represented by cottages and shops, and it is to this property that the damage has been done. In Bridgewater-street, four houses in course of erection, and which have been got up to the square, have been almost completely demolished, only the back walls being left standing. In Ellesmere-street, Mr Henry Stone, shoemaker, has experienced great loss in the demolition of the inside walls to four houses. In a street off Egerton-street, Moses Gate, the inside walls of some houses have been blown down. We have not heard of any personal injuries being sustained.

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