From the Evening News, July 15, 1976

25 YEARS AGO

TOUGH new laws and powers for the police to inspect financial documents are among measures aimed at combating corruption in public life urged today by a Royal Commission. The Commission was set up 18 months ago in the wake of the John Poulson affair.

BOLTON Council is to be urged to look at the possibility of introducing on-the-spot fines in a bid to clamp down on "litter louts". The fines could be issued in the same way as parking tickets, by uniformed "litter wardens" patrolling the area, suggests Counc. Bert Bennett, deputy leader of the Council.

JIMMY Carter was chosen by a jubilant Democratic Party last night as its candidate for the United States Presidential Election.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

July 16, 1951

PUBLICATION of the preliminary report on the 1951 census has shown that the interim figures for Bolton, arrived at by the local Health Department at various times since the last census in 1931, to be a little wide of the mark.

The estimate was 168,900. The census figure proves to be 167,162. The number of people who for some reason have left the town, therefore, exceeds the new residents by 1,738.

The census figure today shows a decrease of 10,088 since the last census, and of 13,689 since 1911. The estimates suggest that the population reached its peak figure about 1910, said to be 190,315, but that was merely an estimate, and the 1911 census figure of 180,851 throws doubt upon its accuracy.

125 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

July 15, 1876

A SOMEWHAT exciting conclusion was on Wednesday put to a wedding ceremony at St George's Church. It seems that on Saturday last the names were published for the last time in the church, of an intended marriage between a couple of persons in humble life, whose identity we will not disclose. The intended bridegroom waited on Tuesday upon Mr J.D . Briscoe, of Market-street, who is clerk to the church, and after stating that he wished to be married quietly the following morning, asked him if he would undertake to give the bride away. Mr Briscoe consented, and on Wednesday, the couple, attended by a brace of bridesmaids, attended for the purpose of tying the wedding knot. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. Burnham Cassin, of St. Paul's, Mr Briscoe performing the duty desired of him. As he escorted his partner to the church door, the bridegroom, it is said, espied the anxious features of a lady to whom he had previously plighted his troth at the altar. Leaving his newest companion through trepidation at this unexpected glimpse of his old love, he took to his heals, running as quickly as possible towards St George's-terrace, his bride hurrying in the direction of Clarence-street. The rejected wife followed after the faithless one, but he proved the better runner, and managed to elude her, meeting bride No. 2 shortly afterwards, and adjourned to the Duke of Clarence Inn, Bath-street, where they with a few friends partook of the wedding glass. As in other joys, which are fleeting, the bridegroom may find his present bliss cut short by a charge of bigamy.