THE ice cream wafer sandwich and some ornate Turkish carpentry feature among little-known facts about Bolton being used to promote higher education in the town.

The University of Bolton has teamed up with creative marketing company, RSM Agency, to reveal six intriguing titbits regarding the town that prospective students might be unaware of.

The series of facts have been widely shared on social media and now readers are being invited to think of more interesting facts to add to the collection.

Jake Cawthorne from RSM Agency said: “We’re working with the university and understanding the pride for the town. We are always looking for new ways to add more facts to our campaign so we would certainly welcome suggestions. We came up with the idea as a collective and together with the University of Bolton.

“The facts came from internet based research, searching notable people from Bolton, interesting features and achievements. The campaign has performed well so far, the posts are top performers on social media.”

The facts are:-

1. “The ice cream wafer sandwich was invented in 1905 by a seller at Bolton Market Hall.”

Bolton did indeed play an important part in the history of portable ice cream consumption, when a Market Hall trader named Lewis repurposed a brass slide used for sandwich making in order to fit new thin wafer biscuits.

2. “Sir Ian McKellen, best known for his role as Gandalf in the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings, was head boy at Bolton school in 1958.”

Sir Ian played Henry V during a school production and has attributed his education there to gaining a place at Cambridge University and becoming a professional actor.

3. “The doors on the Imperial Ottoman Bank Museum, Istanbul, were made in Bolton and still clearly bare the ‘Chatwoods of Bolton’ signature.”

The museum sits in the basement of the grand building that served as the bank’s HQ until 1999, situated in Bankalar Caddesi – which translates as Bank Street – in the Karakoy district of the city.

Safes in the basement of the museum, which were the former strong rooms, bear the name of Bolton on the lock mechanisms.

4. “Britain’s best loved bakers, Warburtons produce a staggering 2 million products every day.”

The bakers behind the giant crumpet and sandwich thins have just announced they’re investing in a state-of-the-art research centre near the existing Warburtons office headquarters and bakery at Hereford Street in Bolton.

5. “Bolton sucks! But only because Hoover’s world service HQ is on Bury Road!”

If your Hoover breaks down, it’s likely it’ll end up here, situated on the Breightmet Industrial Estate.

6. “Ye Olde Man and Sythe pub is the 4th oldest in Britain and the 5th oldest in the World!”

It’s said that the pub in Churchgate is home to dozens of ghoulish spectres. It’s played host to numerous séances and TV crews attempting to contact the undead. One of its alleged inhabitants, the ghost of James Stanley, the seventh Earl of Derby, was recently ‘stolen’ by a Chinese artist and displayed in a Manchester art gallery.

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