From the Evening News, February 2, 1973

A HARD-working MP without any gimmicks; a champion of the Lancashire textile workers; a man who wasn't afraid to speak out against his own party when necessary . . . These were typical tributes being paid today to Mr Tom Price, Labour MP for Westhoughton since 1951, who died last night in London at the age of 70. The only office he held in Parliament was that of an Opposition Whip from 1953 to 1964, but he was valued as a Socialist of the old school, a man with strong trade union connections.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, February 2, 1948

ON the grounds of redundancy, Bolton County Magistrates, at the annual licensing sessions today, refused to renew the licences of eight houses. These were: Miners' Arms, Kearsley; Rock Inn, Westhoughton; Seven Stars, Harwood; Three Crowns, Westhoughton; Bay Horse, Westhoughton; house Without a Name, Harwood; Canary Tavern, Little Lever; Three Crowns, Little Lever.

In his annual report, Supt. J. Iddon asked the magistrates for a ruling about singing in public houses on Sunday. Licensees who did not allow singing on Sundays complained that they were losing custom.

The chairman, Mr J. Eastham, said that, in the opinion of the bench, they did not think it advisable to allow singing in public houses on Sundays. It lowered the tone of the town.

125 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, February 1, 1873

ON Friday night, at a meeting held in the Wigan Public-hall, under the auspices of the Liberation Society, the proceedings were very stormy. The Rev. J.H. Gordon, of Darlington, was announced to lecture on 'Liberationalism essentially a working man's question'. Mr John Cross presided and appealed to the audience, who were very disorderly at the commencement, either to hear the lecture or to leave the room. Referring to the interruptions at similar previous meetings, he said it must not be supposed that the promoters were made of such soft stuff as to be put down by mere lawless clamour. The lecturer was received with the singing of 'Rule Britannia', and much uproar, and the Rev. R.M. Leigh, a Church of England clergyman, appealed repeatedly to the friends of the Church to be quiet, promising to put questions at the close of the lecture. Mr Gordon was allowed to proceed quietly for five minutes, but then the disturbance commenced again, and a man named Turner, who had been sitting in the front seats, turned to the audience and asked for volunteers to clear the hall of the disturbers. Scuffling commenced, seats were broken, and the police in attendance interfered, and the chairman declared the meeting dissolved. The police had to clear the room.

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