READER Frances Parkinson has sent me a fascinating souvenir booklet which was produced to mark an important event in 1919.

On June 21 about 1,450 people - including wives and sweethearts - crammed into the drill hall in Silverwell Street for a "tea and entertainment" dedicated to servicemen who had returned to Bolton after spending time in German prison camps during the First World War.

The impressively-produced booklet contains the names of those helped by the Bolton Evening News Prisoners of War Fund.

An introduction reads: "The Evening News Fund for sending parcels of food to Bolton and District men in the prison camps in Germany was formed in October, 1915 and was the means of despatching 5,000 parcels at an average cost of 6 shillings each between that date and December, 1917, when the whole system of supply food to prisoners of war was organised by order of the Army Council under a central committee acting through regimental care committees.

"This order made a change in the methods of the Fund, which henceforeward confined its activities to collecting money and forwarding it to the various funds which were entrusted with the care of Bolton men.

"By one or other of these methods, from the inception of the Fund until the Armistice, £8,253 was expended directly on food for the benefit of our local solidiers in Germany and on November 30, 1918, a sum of £300 remained in hand and is being spent tonight, with the sanction of the Charity Commissioners, on providing food in far different circumstances for the men for whose benefit it was generously subscribed."

The writer paid tribute to the kindness of the townspeople and said it was a "labour of love" for the Evening News.

He added: "Proud in the knowledge that we were able to lighten the burden of those who were suffering for us, and happy in our success in eliciting the support of our readers, we have also the satisfaction of knowing that our organisation was equal to the work and that every penny subscribed was expended on parcels of food without any deduction whatever.

"To his band of voluntary helpers and supporters the Editor pays his warmest thanks, and to all here he says Welcome and Thank You."

The menu consisted of cold beef, ham, tongue, bread and butter, pears and custard, cake, confectionery and tea.

Artistes included Edith Bailey (soprano), Ruth Barnard (contralto), Herbert Baron (baritone) and Teddy Whittle (humorist).

The Bolton Boys' Brigade Band played during tea and for dancing between 7pm and 10pm.

An account in the Bolton Evening News at the time included this description of the scene: "Gaily-coloured streamers and flags of the Allied nations hung in profusion from pillar to post and in conspicuous places other banners gave forth the message of the day - Welcome Home."

Mrs Parkinson, who lives in Lower Rawson Street, Farnworth, tells me she acquired the booklet in a second hand book sale.

Pictures

right: GOING TO WAR: These young soldiers were pictured on their way to the front - many like them died, but others were feted when they returned to their home towns.

left: SOUVENIR BOOKLET: The entertainment programme for the Drill Hall event.