25 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, March 24, 1976

FIELD Marshal Viscount Montgomery of Alamein died at his Hampshire home in the early hours of today. He was 88. Lord Montgomery, commander of the Eighth Army during the desert war in North Africa, had been ill for several months. Flags were flying at half mast in Bolton in sad farewell to the town's most distinguished adopted son - in 1949 he was made a Freeman of Bolton.

Ten years later, however, he was due to attend a civic luncheon in the Town Hall. But one of his celebrated no-pulled-punches utterances raised a barrage of protest.

In a pre-election statement he had said that anyone who voted Labour was "barmy . . . and ought to be locked in a lunatic asylum."

Local Socialists were incensed, and 48 members of Bolton Town Council Labour Party boycotted the lunch.

50 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, March 24, 1951

BOLTON Parks Committee has unanimously recommended that an application from Bolton Wanderers' Supporters Club for the use on Sundays of the hut in Queen's Park for dressing accommodation be refused. Mr T.E. Clark, Parks Superintendent, said the letter of application stated that the committee of the Supporters' Club could see no difference between tennis, golf and bowls on Sunday in the parks in the summer and organized games in winter.

Mr Clark pointed out that while there was no by-law to prevent organized football on Sundays there was a subtle difference between a bowls match and an organized football match. He also said that it was permissible to kick a ball about in parks on a Sunday but not to take part in an organized game.

Counc. Gillies said that since the F.A. did not recommend Sunday football, Bolton should not introduce it.

125 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, March 24, 1876

SIR, - ALLOW me through your columns to draw the attention of the working men ratepayers of Heaton, to the important meeting adjourned from last Saturday to Saturday afternoon next, the 25th inst., and which will be held as before in the Markland Hill Schoolroom. The business at hand is of the greatest importance to all, looking on the one hand at the filthy and disgusting state of Chorley Old-road and the neighbourhood, especially at the lane leading from the Old road to Markland Hill, and then on the other hand at the splendid cleanly condition and good state of repair of the Chorley New-road, required chiefly for the carriages of the residents thereon.

Let all working men then rally to the meeting and elect a man as surveyor who is practically fit and capable to discharge the duties appertaining to the office of surveyor. - Yours, J.M.