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From the BEN files

From the Bolton Evening News, first published Tuesday 20th Jan 1998.

25 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, January 19, 1973

BOLTON'S latest luxury nightspot is packing 'em in at Breightmet. There is a dance floor, comfortable seating, thick carpet, pleasant decor and special lighting for the discotheque sessions which will be held when the new disco-unit arrives. All this is in the first purpose-built youth club provided by Bolton Education Department, in the grounds of Breightmet High School. It has cost £16,000 (including £2,000 worth of equipment), and is a psychological experiment in an area where the need for youth facilities has been undermined by vandalism.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, January 20, 1948

THE 'grave disquiet' caused throughout operative weaving circles in Lancashire by the cotton manufacturing employers' offer of a wages advance of 7s 6d on condition that weavers put in a full 45-hours week is reflected in the local feeling.

In the words of officials of the Bolton Weavers' and Winders' Association , the offer has created a 'spate of indignation in the mills in the Bolton district on the ground that an attempt is being made to put into operation a system that would treat manufacturing operatives differently from others sections of cotton workers.

125 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, January 20, 1873

THERE was once a Scotch drover who, although he could neither read nor write, had nevertheless made a large fortune by sheep farming, and was open to any degree of flattery, as to his abilities in this department of labour. A purchaser, knowing his weakness, and anxious to ingratiate himself into his good graces, ventured one evening over the whisky toddy to remark: 'I am of the opinion, sir, that you are a greater man than even the Duke of Wellington.'

'Hoot, toot', replied the sheep farmer, modestly hanging his head with a pleased smile, and taking a large pinch of snuff, 'that's too much, too much by far'.

But his guest, after expiating for a while upon the great powers of his host in collecting and concentrating upon a southern market a flock of sheep, suggested the question: 'Could the Duke of Wellington have done that?'

The sheep farmer thought a little, snuffed, took a glass of toddy, and replied: 'The Duke of Wellington was, no doubt, a clever man. They tell me he was a good soger; but then, d'ye see, he had reasonable men to deal with; but I'm not sure if he could manage, say, twenty thousand sheep, besides black cattle, that could not understand one word he said, Gaelic or English, and bring every hoof o'them to Fa'Kirk Tryst. I doot it - I doot it - but I have done that.' The inference was evident.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.

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