Bolton Through Time

Bolton’s name suggests a Saxon origin, and by the twelfth century the local economy was centred on textiles and agriculture. Spinning cotton was the reason for Bolton’s rapid expansion during the Industrial Revolution. The nineteenth century witnessed burgeoning growth that brought both prosperity and privation. The twentieth century saw the town coming to terms with this growth and the inevitable further changes that followed. Bolton Through Time provides a pictorial record of some of these changes, comparing historic photographs with their modern counterparts. Readers will see how the modern metropolitan borough compares with its former self - less industrialised and hard edged perhaps, but altogether a greener and more sanitary place. It’s a ‘must have’ for all those interested in Bolton’s fascinating history.