25 YEARS AGO

MRS Georgina Grannell's weekend bag of groceries came to 74 pence. She paid 5p for lb lard, 15p for lb tea, 7p for marmalade, 6p for biscuits, 20p for soap powder, 11p for cheese slices and 9p for a bar of soap. Mrs Grannell was in a shop that has gone decimal before D-Day in three weeks' time. In old fashioned £sd her groceries would have totalled 14s 9d. 50 YEARS AGO

SIR,- My wife found a ration book and took it to a police station. She went to the side door and knocked three times but got no reply, so she went to the front door. The sergeant said she should go to the side door. When my wife explained, he still insisted she should go to the side door, so my wife came away. Some reward for being honest. - Yours, etc. J. PARKER 125 YEARS AGO

THE annual ball, in connection with the Bolton Licensed Victuallers' Association, last night took place at the Baths Assembly Room. The arrivals commenced at about eight o'clock, and from that time until ten there was a continuous augmentation of the company until the room contained about 100 couples, so there was no difficulty in securing partners for all who chose to dance. The programme having been exhausted, the ball was closed with the National Anthem.

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