From the Evening News, November 12, 1992 - THE Church of England was today facing the possibility of a break-up in its ranks after the historic decision to allow women priests.

Yesterday's decision, in which 400 years of tradition were overturned by just two votes, prompted fears of a split as the losers expressed sadness and bitterness.

In Bolton, Bishop David Bonser is known to be delighted at the outcome, but said he was anxious to keep quiet about his feelings for the sake of people opposing the decision. "Some people are feeling hurt, angry and upset," he said, "and my task is to look after them and try to hold the Church together."

25 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

November 12, 1977

BOLTON today counted the cost of a night of storms which left a trail of destruction running into thousands of pounds. The wooden framework of a luxury bungalow being built on Chorley New Road, opposite Bolton Golf Club, was reduced to ruins by 70 mph gusts. In other local areas, five tons of brickwork crashed from a detached house, and a fallen tree smashed through a gas main and a family had to flee from fumes.

At Fleetwood, a third of the town was under water after part of the sea wall was washed away.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

November 11, 1952

SIR,- We have once again got to face another winter with the prospect of the children of Harwood having to make the hazardous journey to Darwen to attend school.

A school has been in the course of erection at Bromley Cross since 1936. It is now 1952, and still the school is not available. After the matter was raised with the chairman of Lancashire County Council, it was stated that Turton had never made any representation over this matter, and that schools have been built since the war in other parts of Lancashire. This suggests to me that something is sadly lacking with Turton's representation at the Lancashire County Council.

They are responsible to the general public, and we would like to know what explanation they can offer for this scandalous state of affairs. Yours, Peter Haslam, Jnr., 15 Ruins Lane, Harwood.

100 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

November 12, 1902

THE Vernon-st. branch of the Great and Little Bolton Co-operative Society, Ltd., was broken into in a most daring fashion in the early hours of this morning, and in the immediate vicinity the incident has caused no small amount of alarm. It is surmised that the culprit affected an entrance shortly after four o'clock by breaking the plate glass window near the flour bins by a clock weight, and then managed to get through the aperture.

This was, however, no means easy, and blood stains on the broken glass and in all the drawers gave some clue to the police. In accordance with the instructions of the Committee, all money had been removed from the premises, and nothing has been missed so far with the exception of a few ounces of tobacco.

Later in the day the police affected an arrest, and a man named Bromiley will be brought before the Magistrates tomorrow charged with the offence. Five years have elapsed since the same premises were entered by the window at the back, and in that case also, little booty was secured.