10 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News

December 17, 1999

AN emergency general meeting was held after the AGM gave the go-ahead for the disposal of the Burnden Park site for up to £6.75 million, depending on planning permissions.

The land which was home to Bolton Wanderers for 102 years is to be sold to development company Orbit, part of the Emerson Group.

Burnden Leisure shareholders have been told that Orbit intends to develop the overall site with United Co-operative for retail, limited leisure use and small industrial units.

An initial consideration of £3 million will be used to reduce a £6.76 million Reebok Stadium development loan secured on Burnden Park.

25 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News

December 17, 1984

A CONTINENTAL customs officer’s knowledge of Lancashire has helped bring Christmas cheer to the families of Bolton’s striking miners.

For two representatives of the West German SPD party in Bolton’s twin town of Paderborn found ferries booked up until they told customs men where the consignment of presents was bound for. “We told them it was a symbol of town twinning and they found us a place. They were very helpful,” said Herr Gunter Bitterberg, a Paderborn SPD councillor. Each of the 85 parcels is addressed to a separate family in Bolton and has come from a family in Paderborn. It is hoped they will be able to strike up a friendship bringing even closer links between the twin towns.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News

December 17, 1959

OF the four organisations charged with looking after the interests of the elderly Little Hulton, do any of them really offer a solution to old people’s problems?

Sponsored by the Inner Wheel Club of Walkden (the women’s auxiliary of Rotary) a “Silver Wheel Club,” mainly for pensioners, meets each Tuesday afternoon in Blair School, Little Hulton.

But because this old school has been temporarily re-opened to cope with the “bulge” and partly to meet the population expansion through overspill, the activities of the club are largely confined to quiet pastimes like dominoes and whist.

It is possible to carry through a more varied programme at Brierley House Community Centre, where there is an over-60s group about 150 strong.

But there are too many for the centre, and recruitment of members has had to be suspended and possibly in the New Year the group may be divided into two.

100 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News

December 17, 1909,

Mr. A. G. Devey. M.Inst.C.E., yesterday held an inquiry at the Municipal Offices, Wigan, with reference to an application to borrow £1,300 for laying out All Saint’s parish churchyard as an open space.

The Town Clerk (Mr. J. Devons) said that the churchyard had been closed for 30 years and the present condition was by no means creditable to the town.

The Corporation was desirous of pushing the matter forward in order to find work for the unemployed. Dr. Berry gave evidence, and said it would be a very desirable change to convert the churchyard into an open space from a health point of view.

The emanations from some of the vaults were very objectionable. It is intended that the churchyard shall be on the same principle as some of the garden spaces in Liverpool.