THERE are many mills and industries in Bolton that have a long association with the town and the mere mention of them will bring back, often, fond memories for our readers of a time when cotton was king.

Of course Bolton is arguably most famous for its cotton mills.

In the 18th century the cotton industry was ready to take off and thanks to the inventions of Kay, Hargreaves and Arkwright that is exactly what it did.

But it would be Samuel Crompton — his name synonymous with Bolton — who wold take the invention crown locally when, in 1779, he gave us the spinning mule which would ensure the cotton industry in Bolton went from strength to strength.

The invention of the steam engine further enhanced the now advancing industry and Bolton would become internationally renowned for fine cotton spinning — an accolade the town and its workers would be rightly proud of.

While the cotton industry was growing at a fast pace so other industries in Bolton were gaining an excellent reputation too.

These would mainly be engineering industries and iron founders from which Bolton is particularly well known.

Think of Dobson and Barlow, Hick Hargreaves, Bolton Iron and Steel Company and Wadsworth and you would only be scratching the surface ever so slightly so prominent would Bolton become in an industrial sense.

Bleaching, dyeing and printing were also important industries in Bolton and surrounding districts.

Other businesses were also starting to make an impression in the town including tanneries.

At first Walkers Tannery would, for instance, be most famous for making leather driving belts for the machinery to run the other businesses.

It would, thought, take off as a business dedicated to producing the leather for shoes.

Les Sharrocks, who lives in Harwood, discovered a charming photograph featuring several members of his own family, when his mother died just before Christmas, at the age of 98.

The staff photograph was taken to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's coronation, in June 1953, and featured the workers in the shed his father worked with at Walkers Tannery in Weston Street — just around the corner from the former of Bolton Wanderers, Burnden Park.

His father, Stanley Sharrocks, worked for Walkers Tannery for more than 30 years and can be seen fourth from the left on the next to the back row.

Other family member also worked at Walkers Tannery including Les' uncle George Smedley who is pictured second from the left on the second row from the bottom.

The photograph is engraved with the words Bolton Leathers Ltd at Walkers Tannery and the date.

When Stanley left Walkers Tannery in 1966 he also left Bolton moving to Basingstoke in Hampshire. He was rewarded for his loyal service with £1 for every year he had worked there, says Les.

He had been in the Royal Tank Corps during the Second World War, starting at Walkers Tannery after the war.

The family lived in Lever Grove — Stanley and his wife Frances along with Les — until Les was aged 18. "So I grew up in Bolton and then moved to Basingstoke," he explains.

Frances also worked for a time at Walkers Tannery in the buffing room, polishing the leather and Les' uncle Bill Hoyles was a driver taking care of deliveries.

He would take deliveries to the docks. Les' aunt Margaret Smedley, who was married to George, worked with Frances.

Stanley transferred to another leather company in Basingstoke but eventually returned to Bolton with Frances when he retired. "My mother wanted to come back up here as she missed Bolton so much," says Les.

Sadly Stanley died 25 years ago after suffering from bowel cancer.

It was when Les' mother died, and he was going through some of her belongings, that he came across the photograph and it jogged his memory about the family's involvement in such an iconic Bolton industry.

Although the work photograph was taken as a celebration of the coronation he remembered the Queen's coronation for a very different reason though.

"I can remember we were living in Lever Grove and a street party had been planned in our street.

"But it rained and we couldn't hold the party outside so we all went upstairs in the Rose Hill Pub and held our party there.

"I remember we were given a celebration mug to mark the event but I'm not sure where that came from or who presented it to us," he says.

Although Les moved with his parents to Basingstoke he also moved back to Bolton in his work as research chemist for ICI.

He had a job which involved travelling the world, including China and the Far East, until ill health meant he had to retire. He worked for ICI for 37 years.

Do you have your own memories of working in any of Bolton's famous industries?

If so we would love to hear them here at Looking Back. Get in touch with Gayle McBain on 01204 537269 or email gayle.mcbain@nqnw.co.uk