LAST week we started the story of Woolworths in Bolton.

Thanks to Norman Hindley from Halliwell Local History Society we were able to chart the history of this famous store from when it took over the premises of Constantine Brothers at the corner of Deansgate and Bridge Street in the town centre.

In the early days Woolworths was known as the 3d and 6d store because nothing in the store cost more than 6d.

Norman said: “I remember going, as a boy, to see Father Christmas at the Deansgate store. He had an elevated position in the store near the small Bridge Street entrance and by this time prices had risen from 3d to 6d. Father Christmas would talk to you from his grotto. My mother would give his assistant the money for a present. In those days there were only two prices, 6d or one shilling and whatever was in the parcel was a surprise.”

The assistant would give Father Christmas a signal as to which price present had been bought and the parcel was then put down a model chimney on his level. “It tumbled down and appeared before you at the bottom of a chute,” says Norman.

Woolworths was, says Norman, a leader in music especially in the record department. “In the 1960s they adopted the brand name Winfield for many of their products.”

Woolworths finally closed in Bolton on January 5, 2009 — marking the end of an era for many local people.