From the Evening News, August 6, 1992 - THIEVES have stolen a Westhoughton church's last historic link. The gang walked away with an 18th century stone sun dial which was embedded in the garden of St Bartholomew's Church.

It is thought that the weighty sun dial was the last link between St Bartholomew's and the chapel which stood upon the spot before the parish church was built.

25 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

August 6, 1977

YOUNG people without jobs have solved a problem for old people without company. A group working on a job creation scheme organised by Bolton's Council for Voluntary Service, set up an Over 60s club for lonely old people they met. The 15 young people, who are employed to visit the elderly and provide a home repair, gardening and decorating service, began the club in Paulham Street, Great Lever, Bolton, and it now has a thriving membership of 87 after just 10 weeks.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

August 6, 1952

THERE was a time when one side of Deane Church Lane was in the old borough of Bolton, and the other side in the township of Over Hulton. This township was affected like 10 others adjacent to Bolton, by the Bolton, Westhoughton and Turton Extension Act, 1908.

The Parliamentary Committee under that Act agreed to Bolton's suggestion to alter the borough boundary. Westhoughton got a portion and the rest, including the odd number side of Deane Church Lane, was included in the borough.

100 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

August 6, 1902

STREET subsidences in Bolton have become so frequent during the past few years that then inhabitants are growing accustomed to them. This afternoon, about 4.30, a portion of the roadway behind the Central Higher Grade Board School, in what is known as Bollings Yard, collapsed while a loaded lurry was passing over it.

The vehicle was drawn away without any damage being occasioned to it, but on an examination being made, although the cavity at the surface is only about a foot wide and two yards long, it was discovered that the roadway beneath, for a circumference of several yards, had completely collapsed and fallen into a quantity of water some 20 feet below. The roadway bears evidence of having been supported on wooden beams at some time, and it is supposed that the subsidence has occurred at the site of one of the old wells which formerly supplied Bolton with water.