From the Evening News, July 17, 1972

A BIG sea lift which brought 111 children from strife-torn Ulster at the weekend for a free holiday in local homes went off 'like clockwork' one of the organisers said today. Six people from Leigh travelled to Ireland to collect the children, who are staying at homes in Bolton, Leigh, Westhoughton, Lowton, Culcheth and Astley. About 100 people were in St Joseph's Hall, Leigh, yesterday, to collect the children.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, July 17, 1947

THE shortage of domestic coal supplies and the difficulty of keeping warm, and at the same time obviating condensation are problems that appear to have been overcome in permanent pre-fabricated houses on the Laburnum-rd. site at Blackburn. The houses, erected by Messrs W. Townson and Sons, of Bolton, are BISM steel houses, and contain many useful gadgets for the modern housewife. Probably the most interesting are the hot water and central heating arrangements regulated from a small coke or coal fire to which is attached a gas kindling tap. Thus with one fire, heat is provided throughout the house and the water heated for baths, washing, etc., at the same time.

125 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, July 17, 1872

YESTERDAY afternoon an accident of a most painful nature happened to a boy about eight years old, son of Mr John Whittaker, a fitter at Messrs Picksley, Simms and Co.'s foundry, Bedford Leigh. Mr Peter Wright, who carried on the business of a joiner, has recently been making alterations in his premises for the better facility of his business, the improvements including the addition of a pair of sliding gates to a portion of the joiners' shop in which a circular saw is worked by steam power. As the lad was passing on his way home these gates were open and curiosity, no doubt, led him to remain there a short time watching a man of the name of James Berry saw up some timber. Unfortunately there was a flaw in the timber and when the teeth of the saw came into contact with it, the timber rebounded with considerable force and struck the lad in the lower part of his stomach and flung him to the ground. When he was picked up by a neighbour he was found to have received to frightful gashes, the blood from which saturated the ground. He lies in a precarious condition.

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