Latest news with #BoltonLibrary
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
The dark secrets of Bolton's past uncovered to mark National Crime Month
The intriguing dark chapters of Bolton's history have to come to light once again to mark National Crime Month. Bolton Library is marking the month with a series of events, including visits by crime authors - and a trip to the archives where secrets of the town's past dating back to the 1500s are kept. (Image: Leah Collins) The tour, which was led by archivist Caroline Furey, shows Bolton Library and Museum's collection of historical, court, business and church records taking back to 1525. READ MORE: Located under the Grade II listed building on Le Mans Crescent, the Bolton archives currently have two miles worth of shelving, with about three miles in total when combined with Bolton documents stored at other sites. The tours are led by archivist Caroline Furey. (Image: Leah Collins) Other records include old newspaper articles from the Bolton Chronicle, including detailed court coverage of previous crimes of the past. Caroline said: 'These sessions are ongoing to get people interested in the work we do here at the archives. A lot of people don't even know that they exist under here. 'Bolton library was actually the third public library in the country, so people here really did have a thirst for knowledge.' One of the documents in the collection include an indictment file relating to a 15-year-old pickpocket, James Costello, who was prosecuted for stealing a silver box containing coins from a lady in Bolton. The tours are proving popular with residents for National Crime Month. (Image: Leah Collins) Old court records show that he pleaded guilty to the offences and was transported for ten years to Tasmania. Police records describe James as 'bad and idle, bad in every respect' with records from his time in Tasmania describing an incident when he purposefully damaged his boots so that he couldn't work. Other records detail an Anges Lawless, who stole £5 from her employer in Bolton in 1881 and was sentenced to six months of hard labour as a result. Records from an old police book detail the crimes of James Costello. (Image: Leah Collins) A rather unusual case detailed in the records was Betty Eccles, an elderly lady from Bolton who was convicted for poisoning children with arsenic. Caroline said: 'We have lots of information on the criminals here in Bolton. With James, we know that he passed away in 1892 aged 66, which is a long life for someone of the time. 'We are keen to get in contact with anybody in Tasmania who might be part of his ancestry. The Bolton Library archives have about two miles of shelves in total. (Image: Leah Collins) 'All the information kept in the archives has to be original, and it must be about Bolton. We are keen not to have information that is duplicated and, in the case, when collections become too big to store, we would have to keep a sample. 'It is not all digitalised, this would be a massive job. Some stuff has been digitalised, it's normally external companies that come and do this for us, but it is a long and slow process.' Also discussed was the 1838 murder of Scotch traveller, George Henderson, on Winter Hill. He had set off early one morning across the cloud-shrouded hill, but never arrived at his destination. Later that day, a young boy found him moaning in a ditch, grievously injured by a gunshot to his head, which hours later claimed his life. The man charged with his murder was acquitted, so it's a crime that remains unsolved to this day. Crime author Shari Lapena will be at Bolton Library on July 16 and free tickets available on Eventbrite.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Restoration of Bolton Library nominated for award
The £4.4 million restoration of Bolton Library has been nominated for a prize at the North West Regional Construction Awards. After its unveiling to the public in 1938, the Grade II-listed library reopened in January last year following a 15-month refit and will compete in the "Regeneration and Conservation" category against five other projects. These include the St Mary's Community Centre Extension in Leyland, the Smardale Gill Viaduct in Cumbria, and All Saints Park on the Manchester Metropolitan University campus, where contractors found unmarked graves in the former churchyard. 'It's such great news that Bolton Library Restoration and Refurbishment has been shortlisted for the Regeneration and Conservation award,' said Nadeem Ayub, the council's executive cabinet member for culture. 'Regeneration is about improving lives of our residents by offering services, experiences, and opportunities for all the residents of Bolton. 'The new renovated Bolton Library is modern, versatile, and welcoming space and offers something for everyone.' The money for the scheme came from the previous government's New Towns fund, with Robertson Construction North West leading the refit. The nomination follows on from Elizabeth Park, which opened in March last year on the site of Bolton's former Odeon Cinema, winning Project of the Year at the Civil Engineering Contractors Association North West Awards last September.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Bestselling crime authors in town as Bolton's dark history will be explored
Bestselling crime writer Shari Lapena will be in Bolton to celebrate National Crime Month. Bolton Library will be marking the month with a whole host of intriguing activities. Fans of mystery are invited to dive into a world of crime literature and local history. Highlights include Shari giving a thrilling talk on her new book 'She Didn't See it Coming' on Wednesday, July 16 at 2pm. (Image: Bolton Library and Museums) The Canadian author is known for her page-turning thrillers which keep readers guessing until the very end. She has visited the library before. READ MORE: Bolton Library sheds light on the darker side of the town's past She is best known for her 2016 thriller novel The Couple Next Door, an international bestseller. Also appearing during the month of crime will be Trevor Wood. He will discuss his latest edge-of-your-seat novel 'The Silent Killer' on Thursday 19th June 1pm. The intriguing darker chapters of Bolton's history will be discovered as the archives are opened up and showcased during behind the scene tours with the library's knowledgeable archivists on Tuesday 24th June 11am, 1pm and 6pm. The 1838 murder of Scotch traveller, George Henderson, on Winter Hill may be one of those discussed. He had set off early one morning across the cloud-shrouded hill, but never arrived at his destination. Later that day, a young boy found him moaning in a ditch, grievously injured by a gunshot to his head, which hours later claimed his life. The man charged with his murder was acquitted, so it's a crime that remains unsolved to this day. For more information and to book free tickets go to Eventbrite or ring 01204 332853.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Classic fairytale to take to the stage in Bolton with a delightful twist
The classic fairytale Cinderella will take to the stage this half-term with a delightful twist for all the family to enjoy. But it will be Cinders as you have never seen her before, with this lovely reimagining of the story. Entitled Cinderella: The Ice-Cream Seller! The heroine scoops her way to happiness in this heartwarming theatre show. First look inside Bolton Library as it reopens after multi-million-pound revamp First look at how Bolton library will look after spectacular £3.7m revamp Families can enjoy puppetry, storytelling, and plenty of surprises by the fabulous Little Seeds Music. The play will show at Bolton Central Library on Tuesday (27th May) at 11am and 2pm Tickets are £5 per person and £16 family ticket for four people. Tickets can booked at The performance is suitable for those aged five-and-over. The performance lasts for 60 minutes.
