25 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, July 24, 1975

BOLTON men have hit back at clothing manufacturers who say British men are scruffy and miserly when it comes to buying new outfits. They said men spent an average 74p a week on their clothes. But men in Bolton's streets said today that one of the main reasons they left clothes off their shopping lists was the cost.

'Clothes in Bolton are just too dear,' said one. 'You can't get a shirt for under £3 these days', and another complained that a pair of boy's shoes cost £6.

BRITAIN'S dole queue crashed past the million mark this month, and Employment Minister Michael Foot says that it will keep growing.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, July 25, 1950

BOLTON Libraries Committee yesterday turned down a suggestion by Mr E. Hendry, Curator of Museums, that a Russell Flint water colour of a river scene, priced 85 guineas, be bought for the Art Gallery. Mr Hendy produced five water colours for inspection, but the Committee decided to buy only one - a view of the Yorkshire Moors, by Oliver Hall, priced 25 guineas. One of the four rejected pictures was described by Counc. Dr Taylor as resembling a 'distorted liver'. 125 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, July 24, 1875

WE are informed on inquiry at the works this morning, that at breakfast time on Thursday, 24 grinders, employed at Messrs Dobson and Barlow's machine works, Kay-street, went out of the works and did not return. The workmen gave no reason whatever for this strange proceeding, nor had they given any notice of their intention to cease work. Some of the men were in communication with the foreman, but he told them he could not enter into communication with them until they returned to the works. The men were also told that if they did not return to their work in a quarter of an hour, summonses would be issued against them for the damages sustained. They, however, would not resume work, consequently summonses were taken out against such of them whose addresses were known - six in number - and the remaining 18 returned on the following day.

Upon later inquiry we are informed that the whole of the 24 grinders have come to terms with their employers. The six men who were served with summonses have agreed to pay 3s 6d, the cost of each summons, and 20s for the damage sustained by quitting work without leave. The 18 men who were not summonsed have agreed to pay 20s.