DOES anyone know the story of a Bolton man called Jeffries, who won the Irish Sweepstake, in the 1930s, and then did a disappearing act? it was asked in this column a few days ago.

Yesterday I told of how Mr John Connolly, who posed the question, had received a couple of phone calls about it. I have also had one, from Mr Jim Jones, of Avondale Road, Farnworth, who told me that he heard the tale when he worked on the railways - although that's all it was, hearsay.

"According to the story, Bob Jeffries (in yesterday's story, it was said he was called David, but it's not really important) worked at the engine sheds on Crescent Road, as an ash loader, a dirty, unpleasant and badly paid job," Mr Jones said. In about 1933 or 1934, Mr Jeffries won the Irish Sweepstake, but continued to go to work, though now by taxi. However, he suddenly realised that he was spending more on taxi fares than he was earning! "So he went off to Blackpool, and got involved with some speculative builders, and lost all his money."

All that is what Mr Jones was told, of course. But what is fact is that he (Mr Jones) was fireman on a train to Fleetwood one day, and he and the driver were coming back as passengers. While they were in Fleetwood, the driver went to speak to a man on a stall at Fleetwood Market, selling buttons and bobbins. When he came back he said to Mr Jones: "That was Bob Jeffries."

So, taking the information I printed yesterday in conjunction with this story, it does seem as though the mystery of the Irish Sweepstake winner in Bolton is solved, the story true.

And if David/Bob Jeffries disappeared suddenly and left his family here, as has been stated, presumably not many people knew what eventually happened to him anyway!

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