Local Chronology, 1944-45.

Death of Mr. Robert Wright, well-known Wigan Newsagent, in his 62nd year.

Death of Councillor Robert Nightingale, member and former chairman of Aspull District Council, aged 66 years. - The committee appointed to consider the question of the date of the Wigan Holiday Week decided that in future this should be the week commencing with the Saturday after the first Friday in July instead of August Bank Holiday Week.

Death of Councillor Charles Cecil Woodcock, former chairman of Hindley District Council, aged 54 years. - Death of Very Rev. Canon Arthur McCurdy, D.D., a native of Wigan, aged 65 years.

Road transport passenger services suspended through dense fog. - Mayor presides at Christmas Party given to 400 London evacuees at Baths Assembly Hall.

Death of Mr. John Herbert Wrigley, of Parbold, aged 60 years. - Death of Dr. E. W. Read, radiologist at Wigan Infirmary, aged 65 years. - Earthquake shock felt in Wigan district.

Death of Mr. John Wm. Jones, B.A., formerly second master at Wigan Grammar School, aged 68 years. - B.B.C. broadcast tribute to Wigan on its National Savings achievement.

Death of Mr. John Thos. Bouchier, cashier for forty years to Messrs. W. Morton and Sons, Ltd., in his 75th year. - Mr. James Harold Wilson, prospective Labour candidate for Ormskirk Division, awarded the O.B.E., and Mr. Harry Ashurst, of Euxton, a former member of Upholland District Council, the B.E.M., in the New Year Honours' List.

Wigan Town Council: Free bus passes granted to Limbless Ex-Servicemen.

Birchley Hall, Billinge, home of the historic secret Birchley Press, sold for £8,100.

Death of Mr. Squire Haworth, formerly headmaster at St. Andrew's School, Wigan, in his 84th year. - Presentation of plaques and certificates at Hindley to commemorate the township's "Salute the Soldier" Week.

Death of Mr. David Beardsmore, J.P., of Bickershaw, at the age of 57 years. - Institution of Rev. John Edwin Bebb, M.A., as vicar of St. Mary's C. of E. Church, Lower Ince, in succession to the late Rev. S. Bryson. - Red Cross and St. John Penny-a-Week Fund Exhibition Coach visited Wigan.

Plaques and certificates presented at Standish in commemoration of the success of the "Salute the Soldier" Week.

Death of Mr. Emmanuel Taylor, former Borough Magistrate, aged 82 years. - Colonel Stanley Bell, O.B.E., J.P., adopted prospective Conservative candidate for Westhoughton Parliamentary Division.

Presentation of plaques and certificates at Upholland to commemorate "Salute the Soldier" Week.

Announcoment in the "Wigan Observer" of the retirement of Sir Thomas Martland Ainscough, C.B.E., a native of Wigan, and son of a former Mayor of the Borough, after 37 years of public service in the Department of Overseas Trade, the last 26 of them as H.M. Senior Trade Commissioner for India, Burma, and Ceylon. - Young women who reached the age of 18 years in second half of 1944 registered under Registration for Employment Order.

Presentation of "Salute the Soldier" Week plaques at Ince.

Death at Southport of Miss Mary Wall, a director of Messrs. Thos. Wall and Sons, Ltd., Wigan, and fourth and last surviving daughter of the late Mr. Thomas Wall, J.P., founder of the firm, in her ninetieth year.

Announcement in "Wigan Observer" that Wigan was to help Edmonton, Middlesex, in the scheme whereby county boroughs in the north were making collections of gifts for those in London and the southern counties, who had suffered seriously from flying bomb attacks, and were facing the task of building up their homes again. - Death of Mrs. Emily Prestt, former Mayoress of Wigan, aged 68 years.

Wigan Education Committee: Statement of how the new Education Act would affect Wigan.

Death of Mr. Arthur Berry, managing director of Messrs. D. A. Ablett and Sons (1938) Ltd., Wigan, at the age of 69 years.

Mr. A. J. Hawkes, F.S.A., borough librarian, elected and installed president, for two years, of the North-Western Branch of the Library Association.

Announced in "Wigan Observer" that the sum of £1,500 to provide a Wigan Ward of ten beds in the British Memorial Hospital at Stalingrad, bad been subscribed in Wigan district.

Death of Mr. Charles Polding, of Parbold, at the age of 82 years.

Death of Mr. Alfred Wood, chairman and managing director of Messrs. Middleton and Wood (1919) Ltd., funeral directors, Wigan, aged 64 years. - Death, at Birkdale, of Mr. Thomas Gilbert Dobb, formerly agent to the Lancashire Collieries of the Wigan Coal and Iron Co., Ltd., aged 81 years.

Wigan Rural District Council: Announcement that the Ministry of Town and Country Planning had granted permission for the Lancashire Electric Power Co. to erect overhead electricity mains at Harrock Hill, for a period extending to 31st December, 1947.

Pilot attached to Ferry Service killed when his plane crashed near Wrightington Parish Church.

Death at AspuIl of James Sharrock, Wigan Rugby League Club's former international full-back, aged 62 years.

Death at Kersal, of Mr. Thomas Ashurst, native of Wigan district, and one of the most experienced and widely travelled "ambassadors" of the Lancashire cotton industry, aged 66 years.

Registration of boys and girls born between 28th January and 24th February, 1929.

Youths born between 1st April, 1927, and 30th June, 1927, registered under National Service Acts.

Death of Mr. William Millard, optician, watchmaker, and captain in the Legion of Frontiersmen, aged 76 years.

The King and Queen visit Pagefield Ironworks, Wigan, and the war-time nursery at Wigan Rectory.

Death of Mr. W. Watmough, J.P., aged 82 years.

Announcement in "Wigan Observer" that Wigan had adopted H.M.S. Chevron in succession to the destroyer H.M.S. Janus, which was lost in action early in 1944.

Colonel Sir Henry Clayton Darlington, of Melling Hall, Carnforth, and formerly of Parbold, appointed Sheriff of the County Palatine of Lancaster for the ensuing year.

Allied Forces crossed the Rhine on the night of 23rd-24th March, Lance-Cpl. W. Davies, of 227, Ince Green-lane, Lower Ince, being the driver of one of the first tanks to make the crossing.

Wigan Town Council Annual "Budget" Meeting: General Rate of 17s. in the £ levied, an increase of 1s.

Double Summer Time began at 2 a.m.

Presentation at Hindley of two water-colour paintings to Mr. T. J. Brown, J.P., M.P., in recognition of his long service as a member of Hindley District Council.

Death of Mr. O. La Hive, physical training instructor at Ashton-in-Makerfield, Upholland and Ormskirk Grammar Schools, aged 59 years. - Death of Mr. Thomas Worthington, of Southport, formerly chairman and managing director of Messrs. W. H. S. Taylor and Co., Ltd., Wigan, aged 78 years.

Earl of Crawford elected President of the Mining Association of Great Britain for the ensuing year. - Death at Southport of Rev. C. R. Slee, former vicar of St. Thomas's, Wigan.

Rev. G. Hansford instituted vicar of St. Andrew's Church, Springfield.

Death of Major Arthur Ratcliffe-Ellis, M.A., head of Messrs. Peace and Ellis, solicitors, aged 72 years. - Death of Mr. Thomas Henry, former Haigh and Wigan licensee, aged 97 Years.

Wigan Branch of the Independent Traders' Alliance inaugurated.

Wiganers injured in train smash at Kirby.

Death of Rev. Joseph Howard, a native of Wigan, in his 64th year.

Memorial Service at Wigan Parish Church to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, late President of U.S.A.

Fortescue Repertory Company opened their sixth season at Wigan Hippodrome with the comedy "Her Past." - Lighting Restrictions discontinued, commencing from to-day, after 2,061 nights of black-out and dim-out.

Death of Mrs. Margaret Ainscough, of Parbold, Mayoress of Wigan in 1922-23, aged 68 years.

Registration of boys and girls born between 25th February, 1929, and 28th April, 1929. - Seventy-second annual meeting of the Lancashire, Cheshire and Miners' Permanent Relief Society (First annual meeting since April, 1940). - Death of Major William Walker, veterinary surgeon, of Winstanley, aged 58 years.

Death of Mr. Wm. James Poole, former well-known Wigan businessman, aged 70 years. - Engine and thirteen wagons, loaded with coal, and engine driver, disappeared down an old colliery shaft at Abram, filled in over twelve years ago.

Resettlement Advice Service available in Wigan from to-day. - Ten foxes killed at Beech Farm, Standish.

Broadcast over Flensburg Radio, by German Foreign Minister, at 2-30 p.m. to-day, that Germany had surrendered unconditionally to Great Britain, United States and Russia.

Victory in Europe, "VE" Day, celebrated to-day, when the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Winston S. Churchill, officially proclaimed that "the German war was at an end."

"VE" Thanksgiving Services in Wigan and surrounding townships: Mayoral Procession to Wigan Parish Church.

"Misadventure" verdict at inquest at Abram, on Ludovic Berry (67), engine driver, who was killed when his engine and thirteen wagons plunged down an old pit shaft known as No. 7 Brookside Colliery, Hindley, on 30th April.

Announcernent in "Wigan Observer" of the arrival home in Cambridge of Lieut. E. C. L. Hulbert-Powell, prospective Conservative candidate for Wigan, who was taken prisoner after the evacuation of Dunkirk.

Death of Mr. Johnson Swales, cattle transporter, of Upholland, aged 64 years. - Mr. Winston Churchill, Prime Minister, resigned office; announcement made that Parliament would be dissolved on Friday, 15th June, and that a General Election-first since November, 1935-would take place on 5th July, and that results would be made known on 26th July.

Death of Mr. Henry Fair, former superintendent of the Wigan Corporation Cleansing Department, aged 77 years.

Registration of boys and girls born between 29th April, 1929, and 26th May, 1929.

North-Western Branch of the Library Association held meeting at Wigan, being accorded, a civic welcome. - "Victory" Exhibition of English literature from Chaucer to Stevenson, opened at Wigan Public Library.

Announced in "Wigan Observer" that Miss Joan L. Harley, B.A., M.Ed, senior French mistress at Liverpool Institute High School for Girls, had been appointed Head Mistress at Wigan Girls' High School in succession to Miss M. D. Nicolson, M.A., who had been appointed Head Mistress of the George Watson Ladies' College, Edinburgh.

Rev. R. O. Shone, B.D., held farewell services as Vicar of St. Thomas's Church, Ashton-in-Makerfield.

Mr. William Foster, J.P., adopted as Labour candidate for Wigan, and Mr. T. J. Brown, J.P., adopted as Labour candidate for Ince Division.

Lieut. E. C. L. Hulbert-Powell adopted as National and Conservative candidate for Wigan.

Rev. F. H. Milward, formerly of St. Nicholas's, Halewood, instituted Vicar of St. Thomas's, Ashton-in-Makerfleld, in succession to Rev. R. O. Shone, with whom he exchanged livings.

Announced in "Wigan Observer" that Mr. Richard Britton. M.A., senior master and mathematics master at Chadderton Grammar School, had been appointed headmaster of the Hindley and Abram Grammar School, in succession to Mr. W. S. Fairbrother, M.Sc., who is retiring. - Registration of men born between 1st July, 1927, and 30th September, 1927.

Wigan Youth Week ended to-day.

Captain R. E. P. Cecil adopted as Conservative and National candidate for the Ince Division.

Death of Councillor John Greenough, of Wigan, aged 63 years. - General Election writs received for Wigan and Ince Divisions. - Annual meeting of the Liverpool Branch of the Royal Life Saving Society held at Wigan.

Three windows in the Baptistry at Haigh Parish Church unveiled by the Earl of Crawford, and dedicated by the Rector of Wigan (Canon W. O. Hunter Rodwell) to the memory of Rev. C. H. James, Vicar of Haigh, from 1886 to 1918.

Mayor gave official "send off" to the first organised party of evacuees which left Wigan to-day by train for their homes in a London area and the south.

Mr. Ebby Edwards, general secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers, addressed Labour meeting at Pavilion Cinema, Wigan, in support of Mr. W. Foster's candidature.

Nomination Day for General Election: Contests in Wigan, Ince, Westhoughton, Newton, Chorley, Ormskirk, and Leigh. - Mr. Will Lawther, president of the National Union of Mineworkers, addressed Labour demonstration on Wigan Market Square. - Centenary day of Standishgate Methodist Church.

Mr. R. S. Hudson, C.H., Minister of Agriculture, addressed a meeting at Queen's Hall, in support of Lieut. Hulbert-Powell's candidature.

Registration of boys and girls born between 27th May, 1929, and 30th June, 1929.

Guernsey Islanders in Wigan attended Church of Christ, Rodney Street, Wigan, in commemoration of the fifth anniversary of their evacuation.

Mr. Thomas Monks and Mr. Matthias Winstanley elected members of Wigan Town Council.

Wigan's new Holiday Week, which commences with the Saturday following the first Friday in July, instead of August Bank Holiday Week, began to-day.

Double Summer Time ended at 2 a.m. (second hour off). - Public authorities allowed to re-institute full pre-war lighting of streets and roads from to-day.

Presentation to Mr. W. S. Fairbrother, M.Sc., on his retirement from the headmastership of Hindley and Abram Grammar School.

Rainstorm causes flooding in Wigan and Orrell. - Terrier Show, believed to be largest in the country during the war, held at Drill Hall, Wigan, there being 385 entries, and 104 exhibits.

Death of Mr. William N. Murray, former secretary of Wigan Chamber of Trade, aged 45 years.

General Election: Polling in Local Constituencies being: Wigan, William Foster (Lab.) 31,392, Lieut. E. C. L. Hulbert-Powell (Cons.) 14,666; Ince Division, T. J. Brown (Lab.) 28,702, Capt. R. E. P. Cecil (Cons.) 2,875; Westhoughton Division, Rhys J. Davies (Lab.) 20,990, Col. S. Bell (Cons.) 11,346; Ormskirk Division, H. Wilson (Lab.) 30,126, A. C. Greg (Cons.) 23,104, Commander S. King-Hall (Ind. Nat.) 11,848; Chorley Division, C. Kenyon (Lab.) 24,550, R. Hamilton Brown (Cons.) 21,595; Newton Division, Sir Robert Young (Lab.) 25,197, Fl.-Lt. K. Lewis (Cons.) 15,465.

President Truman, of U.S. America, announced, to-day, discovery of atomic energy bomb.

Announced that Brigadier Henry John Anthony Thicknesse died of wounds in enemy hands on 23rd October, 1944.- Death announced of Fr. Wm. Fitzmaurice, S.J., former parish priest of St. John's R.C. Church, Standishgate, aged 68 years. - Announcement that Mr. Wm. Foster, M.P. for Wigan, had been appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Fuel and Power, and Mr. J. Harold Wilson, M.P. for Ormskirk, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, in the new Labour Government.

The "No Sunday work" railway strike, principally affecting the north-west, spread to Wigan.

Mr. Attlee, Prime Minister, announced in a midnight broadcast, the surrender of Japan and the end of the war.

Death of Councillor J. T. Baxter. of Standish District Council, aged 74 years.

Death of Councillor George Foster. J.P., member of Ince District Council for nearly thirty years and prominent angling official.

Jim Sullivan, Wigan's international Rugby League full-back, took over new position of ground manager, trainer and coach to the Wigan club.

Death of Sir Ronald C. Lindsay, fifth son of the 26th Earl of Crawford, British Ambassador in Washington, U.S.A., from 1930 to 1939, and previously ambassador in Berlin and Constantinople, aged 68 years.

Death at Leicester of Mr. James Kerr McClure, former proprietor of Messrs. Evans and McClure, drapers, etc., Standishgate, aged 77 years. - Railwaymen call off "No Sunday work" strike.

Safety Week in Wigan began. - Boys born between 1st October, 1927, and 31st December, 1927, registered under National Service Acts, number registering in Wigan district 299.

Death of Dr. Harold Ernest Watkins, of Newton-le-Willows, aged 77 years.

Haigh, Aspull, and Blackrod Agricultural Society's revived show at Home Farm, Haigh, was attended by approximately 5,000 visitors.

Death of Mr. Henry Barton, dairyman and former member of Wigan Town Council, aged 77 years.

Death of Mr. James Trickett, of Orrell. former Wigan Postal Official, aged 67 years.

Wigan's first short mid-September holiday, which is linked up with the changed Holiday Week in July, began to-day.

Death of Mr. Thomas Robey, formerly clerk to the Hindley District Council, aged 75 years.

Meeting at Wigan and District Nining and Technical College, decided to form Wigan and District Field Club to study natural history and geography of the district and promote interest in the countryside.

Final list of collections and donations of Wigan ard District Victory Fund published in "Wigan Observer."

Presentation at Town Hall to mark departure of Rev. H. V. Atkinson. vicar of St. Luke's. Orrell, to All Souls', Springwood, Liverpool.

Standish Thanksgiving Savings Week ended (Target £30,000, Result £39,700 16s. 6d.); also Orrell Thanksgiving Week (Target £40,000. Result £33,698).

Death of Mr. John James Johnson, well-known Newtown Independent Methodist Church and Sunday School worker, aged 66 years.

Death of Mr. Wm. Siddell, Wigan master tailor, aged 79 years.

Death at Wigan Infirmary of Councillor Thomas Mason, .J.P., chairman for 15 years of Abram Urban District Council, aged 68 years. - Asliton-in-Makerfield Choral Society resumed annual concerts, Miss Eva Turner, prima donna, being principal guest.

Ince Thanksgiving Savings Week ended (Target £80,000, Result £115,002); also Wigan Rural District (Target £35,000, Result £39,184), and Horwich (Target £90,000, Result £96,740).

Death of Mr. Peter George Royle, Wigan toy dealer, aged 87 years.

Announced in "Wigan Observer" that Brynn Hall Colliery, Bamfurlong, was to close down on 31st October. - Wigan Thanksgiving Savings Week ended (Target £350,000, Result £427,725); also the Ashton-in-Makerfield Week (Target £75,000, Result £78,418).

Wigan's water supply curtailed each night owing to the Corporation's reservoirs being nearly empty.

Board of Trade announced in "Wigan Observer" that parts of the Ministry of Supply factory at Bradley, Standish, occupied during the war by I.C.I. Metals, Ltd., had been allocated to Messrs. H. J. Heinz and Co., Ltd., for the production of foodstuffs. - Death of Mr. Alfred Oakes Smith, governing director of Smith's Hosiery Co., Ltd., Doming Street, Wigan, aged 79 years. - Abram's Thanksgiving Savings Week ended (Target £25,000, Result £27,054). - Competitive musical festival held at Queen's Hall by the Wigan and District Equitable Co-operative Society Educational and Co-operative Choirs Committee.

Party of 32 Channel Islanders, who had lived in Wigan since June, 1940, returned home.

Death of Mr. Charles Rigbye, of Wrightington, member of old Roman Catholic family, aged 74 years. - Sixth anniversary of Wigan and DistrIct Victory Fund celebrated at social evening at Baths Assembly Hall, the anniversary also coinciding with the forthcoming winding up of the Fund.

Hindley Thanksgiving Savings Week Ended (Target £50,000, Result £71,747 13s. 11d.); also Golborne (Target £50,000, Result £57,173); and Westhoughton (Target £80,000, Result £102,045 10s. 6d.). - Holcombe Hunt met at Parbold.

Death of Mr. Allan Hood, Wigan organist, aged 51 years.

Wigan Municipal Elections (first since 1938): Contests in eleven wards: Labour gained two seats.

Upholland Thanksgiving Savings Week ended (Target £25,000, Result £41,100); also Aspull (Target £30,000, Result £37,353 15s. 7d.); and Coppull, Charnock Richard and Heskin (Target £25,000, Result £27,500). - Death of Mr. Ernest Bentham, Standish cinema managing-director, aged 69 years.

To-day observed as "Coal Sunday" in all mining areas; Mr. W. Foster, M.P., Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Fuel and Power, addressed mass meeting at Pavilion Cinema, Wigan, under the auspices of the Lancashire Branch of the National Union of Mineworkers.

Recital given by Edward Isaacs, Manchester pianist, at meeting of Wigan Music Society.

Death of Mr. J. P. Middlehurst, J.P., formerly of Birchley Hall, Billinge, aged 76 years.

Councfflor Frank William Roberts, J.P. (Labour), elected Wigan's 699th Mayor. - Announced at Mayor's banquet that the Central Electricity Board had decided to erect a new electricity generating station at an estimated cost of over £4,000,000 at Westwood, Wigan.

Blackrod Thanksgiving Week ended (Target £5,000, Result £9,365); also Newton-le-Willows (Target £115,000, Result £149,369). - Wigan and District Poppy Day Appeal; record total of £711 18s. 4d. collected.

Lieut.-Col. J. W. Holmes, M.B.E., T.D., Assistant Director of Education, addressed members of the Wigan Education Committee on his experiences as a member of the Allied Military Government in Italy.

Colours of the 5th Battalion, the Manchester Regiment (Wigan Territorials), which had been in safe keeping at the Town Hall since 3rd September, 1939, handed back to the battalion which was going to Malta. - Death of Mr. Oswald Hilton Platt, Wigan master printer, aged 73 years.

Death of Mr. William Dickinson, of Southport, Wigan pawnbroker and jeweller, aged 71 years.

Death of Mr. James Davenport, of Thursley Hall, Haslemere, Surrey, a native of Wigan, in his 70th year. - Death of Mr. Walter Saxon Diggle, orthopaedic surgeon of Liverpool, and formerly in business as chemist at Hindley, aged 46 years.

Wigan Corporation Transport Committee recommended that Mr. James McKnight, Wigan traffic superintendent, be appointed transport general manager in succession to Mr. J. Brierley, who is retiring.

Mr. Tom Brown, M.P. for Ince, presented to the House of Commons 6,000,000-signature petition for a basic 30s. a week old age pension without means test on behalf of the British Federation of Old Age Pensioners' Associations of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

Death of Mrs. Agnes Constance Watt, widow of Dr. Peter Carruthers Watt, of Wigan.

Death of Mr. Wm. Hurst, master butcher, of Standish Lower Ground, aged 74 years.

Wigan and District Disablement Advisory Committee, set up under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act, 1944, held its first meeting. - Death at Douglas, Isle of Man, of Mr. Richard Lace, F.R.G.S., former Wigan schoolmaster, at the age of 90 years.

Balance of Wigan Victory Fund distributed among over a hundred ex-Japanese prisoners of war at the last public function of the Fund.

Registration under National Service Acts of young men born between 1st January, 1928, and 31st March, 1928.

Announcement in "Wigan Observer" that St. Margaret's Home, Goose Green, is to be closed. - Announced that the Royal Cinema, Wallgate, to be converted into an electro-plating factory.

Rev. R. B. Whitfield inducted vicar of St. Luke's Church, Orrell, in succession to Rev. H. V. Atkinson.

Announced in "Wigan Observer" that Messrs. Carrington and Dewhurst Ltd., of Eccleston and Rochdale, had taken over 139,816 square feet of Douglas Mills, Bradley, Standish, for rayon weaving, which is expected to find employment for 600.

Model Laundry at Newtown destroyed by fire: Loss of coupon goods.

Death of Mr. John Worswick, director of Wigan Entertainments Ltd., and a leading figure in the northern entertainments world, aged 77 years.