25 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, June 2, 1976

THE POUND suffered one of its swiftest and sharpest falls yet on foreign exchange markets, dropping 3,55 cents through the psychologically important 1.75 dollar barrier. "No-one wants to hold pounds," said one dealer. "There is no confidence at all."

Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers going abroad in the peak season are already feeling the effect of the fall in the pound, as their final invoices arrive. Currency and fuel surcharges are adding well over 10 per cent, and in some cases up to 30 per cent, to the original price. Only those going to Italy, where the lira is in a worse state than the pound, will pay the brochure price.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, June 2, 1951

ONE of the first decisions made at the annual meeting of the Football League in London today was that the public will have to pay more for admission next season.

The Birmingham proposal that the minimum charge of admission to any league match shall be 1s 6d (7p) instead of 1s 3d was carried by an overwhelming majority.

Clubs will gain only part of the additional income, for the meeting agreed to raise the maximum pay of players from £12 to £14 per week in the playing season.

125 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, June 2, 1876

ON Thursday, a meeting of the Master Cotton Spinners' Association was held at the Town Hall, for the purpose of discussing the conditions of the Bolton Cotton Trade, and the advisability of extending the Whitsuntide Holidays, running short time and reducing wages.

There was a large and influential attendance of employers. The general opinion expressed was to leave the question of holidays to individual action. The whole question of the state of the cotton trade at the present time was discussed at length, and ultimately it was decided to recommend to the whole of the masters in the Bolton district to run their mills four days a week until an improvement in the trade takes place.

This curtailment in the number of working days will ensue provided the owner of the mills containing a majority of two-thirds of the spindles are agreeable to the step. The Bolton district includes a radius of six miles round Bolton, and embraces therefore Leigh, Tyldesley, Atherton, Farnworth, &c. Chorley is just outside the radius, but it is well known that what takes place in the Bolton cotton trade extends to Chorley within a fortnight. A reduction of wages to the extent of ten per cent was also discussed, and it was decided to submit this proposal also to the trade subject to the same proviso as in the previous resolution.