25 YEARS AGO

VANDALS poured oil onto a Bolton Association cricket pitch last night. The attack was similar to the one which forced the Headingley Test match to be abandoned yesterday. A 2ft. square patch of engine oil on the square at the Walshaw Sports Club was discovered this morning.

MILLIONS of TV viewers were advised last night to visit Bolton by architect and broadcaster Ian Nairn. Bolton received a great boost as Nairn gave viewers a guided tour of the town, marking out the pedestrian precinct and the Octagon Theatre for special praise.

THERE is growing concern, and rightly so, at the way Social Security benefit is being squandered on some people on items like colour television and drink. Yet whenever there are attempts to have benefit paid as vouchers or chits, there are cries of 'stigma' and 'means test'. Yet it is clearly evident that benefit is being abused, and not only by tenants who are given the money to pay their rents. It is time that welfare organisations, and the Social Benefits Commission, decided on a policy of paying all money destined for rent direct, instead of handing it over to the claimant. That way ratepayers and taxpayers would know that there money was being spent properly.

50 YEARS AGO

TRAFFIC was delayed and homes were flooded north of Bolton last night as a result of the heavy rain. Between Belmont and Abbey Village flood water was estimated to be 4ft. deep in places, causing delays for about four hours while workmen cleared the road. Traffic on the Adlington to Chorley road was help up for half an hour by 3ft. of water at Skew Bridge. The heavy rain in Bolton kept many people indoors, but no floods have been reported.

WHEN was the last of the Spring-gardens demolished? It would seem about 1940 when premises disappeared that had, for some time, been used as a warehouse or business depot at the Great Moor-st. end. The old dwelling houses nearby went out of occupation in 1936, and were demolished soon afterwards.

125 YEARS AGO

MR Peter Crook, cotton spinner, Lever-street, and Messrs Crosses, Winkworth and Co., Limited, cotton spinners, Lever -street, were charged on summonses at the Borough Court, on Thursday, with allowing certain chimneys to send forth black smoke as to be a nuisance. Mr Hinnell, Town Clerk, said that the proceedings were taken under the Nuisances Removal Act. He had to ask the Bench to make an order for the abatement and prohibition of the nuisance, and also the payment of costs by the defendants. John Wigham, engine tenter for Messrs Crook, said he appeared to state on their behalf that they were sorry that such a complaint should be made. They had endeavoured to reduce the smoke, and had spent £1,000 twelve months ago for that purpose and to economise fuel. They had done their best to abate the alleged nuisance.

The Bench made the order asked for, and said that the defendants were liable to costs.

THE remains of Miss Ann Peel, one of the three persons lost in the ill-fated yacht 'Mistletoe', when unfortunately run down by the Queen's yacht 'Alberta' in the Solent on the 18th inst., and whose body was recovered by divers the following day, arrived last Saturday evening about eight o'clock, at the Vicarage, Pendlebury, where the lamented deceased resided with her brother-in-law, the Rev. Alfred Dawes, previous to her departure nearly four weeks ago on this summer tour from which she was destined never to return alive.