A COLLECTION of stuffed owls and falcons went on display at Bolton Museum in November, 1972.

The exhibition, which had been loaned by the Yorkshire Museums and Galleries Service, included a race Snowy owl, a kestrel and several examples of the unfortunate smaller animals which provide their lunch.

Mr Peter Bloomfield, senior keeper in the Natural History Department at Bolton Museum, was pictured examining a snowy owl from the Outer Hebrides with nine-year-old Kevin Steadman of Leinster Street, Farnworth.

Meanwhile back in July, 1948 these children, pictured below, were fascinated by these stuffed wild cats - ancestors of some of our domestic varieties.

According to the Bolton Journal, Bolton's "fine new museum in the Civic Centre" was steadily attracting more visitors every week.

The previous week between 300 and 400 people walked round its "gleaming floors and cases" every day.

The writer told us: "The museum is not intended as an entertainment, but besides the serious or casual student many children who are taken there to "pass an hour" gain their first glimpse of some of the infinite variety of nature."

The picture was taken in the popular natural history sector.