Professor Paul Salveson is a historian and writer and lives in Bolton. He is visiting professor in Worktown Studies at the University of Bolton and author of several books on Lancashire history including a biography of Allen Clarke and his latest production Moorlands, Memories and Reflections. He also owns The Bolton Bicycling Bookshop. How did Boltonians celebrate ‘New Year’ in times’ past? From local evidence, it was with great gusto! Writing in 1930, ‘Old Boltonian’ (one of Allen Clarke’s many pen-names) said that Bolton is “unique among Lancashire towns in the fact that it celebrates the advent of New Year by ceasing work and holding jolly carnival.” Just to make it totally clear, Bolton was like nowhere else.