10 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, June 3 2000 STAFF at the doomed Farnworth Coats Viyella factory face an anxious wait to see if their jobs have been saved.

The company announced yesterday that 90 jobs are to go when the Cawdor Street site shuts.

But more than 100 employees now face weeks of uncertainty as the final decision about which 26 employees will be transferred to another site will not be made until after the traditional two-week Bolton holiday break at the end of the month.

One worker who has been at the company for nearly 10 years said: “We were shocked at the announcement. Now we have been left to stew – it is diabolical.”

Mr Brian iddon, MP for Bolton South East, expressed his bitter disappointment at the news — particularly with the job losses coming in Farnworth, an area already plagued by high unemployment.

25 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, June 3, 1985 CRUCIAL exams will still go ahead despite this week’s three day walk-out in Bolton by the largest teachers’ union.

A spokesman for Bolton’s education department said that all O-level and 16-plus exams will go on without disruption.

Seven secondary schools in the town will be in chaos from tomorrow as about 200 members of the National Union of Teachers take action in support of a national pay claim.

It is expected that about 3,000 pupils will be sent home at some time during the three days.

The NUT has said it will not disrupt exams, and teachers would still come in to supervise.

But the education department spokesman said: “Exams will go on, with or without the NUT. Schools have made their own arrangements to cover them.”

50 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, June 3, 1960 BOWLS skimmed peacefully over Bolton’s public house bowling greens this week for the first Sunday in almost 90 years, and the town trundles another few yards towards Everyman’s idea of a Continental Sunday.

And that may be as far as Bolton wants to go! Despite the recent and well-publicised drive for freedom of weekend enjoyment, people locally seem well-nigh satisfied with present opportunities for Sunday “sinning.”

Father can enjoy his afternoon game of bowls. Sons and daughters can play tennis or even golf, and the whole family can go to the cinema in the evening.

Unless, that is, they want to watch an “X” certificate film. The showing of such films on a Sunday is still liable to be scotched by our beloved Watch Committee. This Sunday censorship, in fact, is one of the few niggling restrictions which sill limit Sabbath recreation.

100 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, June 3, 1910 Miss Nellie Coalthard, Bolton’s sixteen-year-old preacher, who has met with much success in missions in various parts of the country, will give a lecture on her life and work at the Central Mission Hall on Saturday evening. The collection will be for the Poor Children’s Clog Fund.