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BIOGRAPHIES L

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Charles Roy  Lancaster (1938-)                                                      Botanist, Gardener and Broadcaster                                                 Born 1938 Farnworth, Bolton                                                        Educated  Castle Hill School, Bolton                                            Known as Roy, trained in Bolton parks and gardens department and Cambridge University Botanic Gardens.                                          Regular on 'Gardeners' Question Time '.                                          In 1988, received the highest award of the Royal Horticultural Society, The Victoria Medal of Honour. Awarded OBE in 1999. Honorary Fellow of the University of Bolton 2004.

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Richard Lane (1795 – 1880)

English architect

Born 3 April 1795 London, England

Died 25 May 1880 Ascot, Berkshire, England aged 85 

Projects include : Great Bolton Exchange and Library – Victoria Square, Bolton (1825–1829). Now Grade II listed. Has been a museum of natural history and is now offices and a branch of the Nationwide Building Society)

 

William Lassell (1799-1880)                                             Astronomer                                                                                 Born 18 June 1799 Moor Lane, Bolton                                       Died 5 October 1880 Maidenhead, Berkshire                                  Educated Bolton Day School; Rochdale Academy                                Left Bolton for Liverpool in 1815 - brewer, telescope builder and major figure in astronomy. Discovered: 1846 Triton (moon of Neptune) - 1848 Hyperion (8th moon of Saturn - with WC Bond) - 1851 Ariel and Umbriel (moons of Uranus.)                                                           President of the Royal Astronomical Society 1870-02.

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Laurel & Hardy                                                                              Stan Laurel was born in Cumbria in 1890 and died in 1965 aged 74, he was a heavy smoker and had a heart attack he died peacefully.        Oliver Hardy was born in 1892 in Georgia in US, he was also a heavy smoker and had a small heart attack in 1954, he lost so much weight in such a short time he was barely recognisable, he suffered a big stroke in 1956 which left him in bed and unable to talk for several months, he had another couple of strokes and slipped into a coma, he died from cerebral thrombosis  on Aug 7th 1957 he was 65.                             Both are buried in the United States.                                                 Laurel and Hardy came to Bolton, Lancashire, just once - in 1947 - at the Lido Cinema Theatre, Bolton.                                                           Stan and Ollie stayed at the Brooklands Hotel in Sale, Cheshire.

 

Albert Law (1872-1956)                                                                 Born1872 Every Street, Bolton.                                                        Died 22 October 1956 Southport, Lancashire.                                   MP Bolton 1923-1924, 1929-1931 (Labour).                            Began working barefoot in a mill when he was 11 and was known as "The Barefoot MP" as a result. Worked as a spinning operative in cotton mills. He worked at Stanley Mill in Cannon Street and later at Deane Road before being barred from working in Bolton for going on strike. He went on to work at Bolton Textile Mill Co in Farnworth.                        President of the Operative Cotton Spinners Association. Methodist Preacher.

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Cyril Lawrence (1920-2020)                                                          English professional footballer                                                          Born 12 June 1920  Salford, England                                              Died 14 April 2020  at Royal Bolton Hospital in Farnworth, Greater Manchester, aged 99  after contracting COVID-19 disease during the pandemic.                                                                                He played as a winger in the English football league for Blackpool, Rochdale and Wrexham.    

 

Thomas (Tommy) Lawton (1919-1996)                                    Professional Footballer.                                                              Born 6 October 1919 43 Macdonald Street, Moses Gate, Farnworth.   Died 6 November 1996 Abbeyfield, 49 Rosedale Road, Bakersfield, Nottingham                                                                      Educated Tonge Moor Council School; Castle Hill Open Air School; Folds Road Central School, Bolton 1928-29 Castle Hill Open Air School, Bolton.                                                                              Played for Bolton Town and Lancashire County Schoolboys 1932-34. 1928-29 Castle Hill Open Air School, Bolton.                                    Played professionally for Burnley 1935-36, Everton 1937-39, Chelsea 1945-47, Notts County 1947-52, Brentford 1952-53, Arsenal 1953-56.                                                                                           23 caps for England.

 

Robert Leake (1824-1901)                                                              Born 1824 Manchester                                                               Died 1 May 1901 Wycombe, Buckinghamshire                                 MP Radcliffe-cum-Farnworth 1885-1895 (Liberal)

 

Frank Lean (Leneghan) (1942-)                                                         Author                                                                                        Born 1942 Bolton                                                                       Educated Thornleigh College, Bolton.                                             Writer of thrillers - including series featuring David Cunane, a Manchester detective.

 

Clarence Leat (1892-1973)                                                          Politician                                                                                      Born 24 May 1892  112 Keelings Lane, Hanley, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire                                                                            Died 13 September 1973 14 Mercia Street, Bolton.                        Mayor of Bolton 1967 (Labour).                                                Worked in engineering and was a plate moulder with Metropolitan Vickers, Trafford Park, Manchester.

 

Francis Lee (1944-)                                                                       Professional Footballer                                                                   Born 29 April 1944 Westhoughton, Bolton                                       Educated Westhoughton Boys Secondary Modern; Horwich Technical College                                                                              Played for Bolton Wanderers 1960-67, Manchester City 1967-74, Derby County 1974-77.

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Glenville Adam James Le Fondre, known as Adam Le Fondre (1986-)      English professional footballer                                                          Born in Stockport, England 2 Dec 1986.

On 26 Jan 2015, Adam Le Fondre (born 1986) joined Bolton Wanderers on loan from Cardiff City for the remainder of the 2014–15 Championship season.                                                                  He finished the season as Bolton's highest scorer with eight goals.

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Kian Le Fondre (2005-)                                                              Born 2 Feb 2005                                                                          Bolton Wanderers U-18.                                                                 Moved to Premier League club Burnley                                               The second cousin of former Football League striker Adam Le Fondre.

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Herbert Leigh (1878-1957 )                                                           Paint manufacturers managing director                                          Born 8 Mar 1878 Tyldesley

Died 10 Nov 1957 Newlands Nursing Home, Chorley New Road, Bolton.                                                                              Founder of leighs paints, Bolton - specialised in maritime paints            In 1939 lived at Halliwell Heights, Bolton  

Cremated: Section: K  Grave: 781  St Peter, Halliwell, Lancs. 

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Terence Thomas Lennon (1924–1984)                                               Born 15 Nov 1924 in Prescot, Lancashire.                                        Died 27 Oct 1984.                                                            Lennons Supermarkets   founded in 1958.                                         Chain of Supermarkets based in North East. Started as small chain of grocers but opened first supermarket in 1956 in Widnes. Bought by the Dee Corporation before being re-branded as Gateway.

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Arthur Lever

Owned Levers Garages on Manchester Road which became Kirby Central and now Wilsons.

 

Lady Elizabeth Ellen Lever (1850-1913)                                            Born 4 December 1850 Bolton                                                        Died 24 July 1913 Thornton Manor, Cheshire                                     Wife of Lord Leverhulme                                                               Born Elizabeth Ellen Hulme. World traveller - Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.                                                                    The Lady Lever Art Gallery in Port Sunlight is named in her memory.

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James Darcy Lever (1854-1910)                                                  Co-founder, with his brother William Hesketh Lever, of Lever Brothers, the company that became Unilever,                                                       Born 10 Feb 1854 in Bolton, the son of James Lever and Eliza Hesketh of Wood Street.                                                                           Died 29 Mar 1910.

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Peter Lever (1940-)                                                                         English cricketer                                                                             Born 17 September 1940, Todmorden, Yorkshire, England.                   He played for Lancashire and England.                                            Bolton's champion potato thrower Harold Wood claimed that he was the only man who could chuck a potato over the 125ft. high Darcy Lever Viaduct and threw out an all-comers challenge.                                   On 1 June 1977 ex-England and Lancashire fast bowler Peter Lever took up the challenge. Peter's throw cleared the bridge four times, and landed spuds on the top of the viaduct three times. Harold landed two potatoes on the bridge, hit the ironwork six times, but failed to top the viaduct with a single shot.

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Robert Lever

He left the bequest which was used to re-found the Bolton Free Grammar School in 1646.

 

Rev Thomas Lever (Leaver?) (1521-1577)                                           Born 1521 Little Lever, Bolton                                                        Died 1577                                                                                   Chaplain to Edward VI

 

William Hesketh Lever (Lord Leverhulme)(1851-1925)                          Industrialist and Philanthropist                                                           Born 19 September 1851 6 Wood Street, Bolton                            Died 7 May 1925 Hampstead, London.                                        Educated The Misses Aspinall's Private School; Mr Kay's School, Duke Street; Bolton Church Institute                                                   Mayor of Bolton 1918.                                                                 1st Viscount, Baron Leverhulme of Bolton-le-Moors. Founder of Sunlight Soap, Port Sunlight and what later became the Unilever business empire. Generous benefactor of his hometown. Re-founded Bolton School. Made Freeman of County Borough of Bolton November 10th, 1902.

 

Archie Lewis (1918-1988)                                                              Jamaican singer                                                                            Born 10 April 1918                                                                      Died 29 February 1988  University Hospital, Mona, Jamaica aged 69.  He became the featured singer with Geraldo and his Orchestra, with whom he recorded.                                                                    He played the Grand Theatre, Bolton for the week commencing 10 Oct 1949

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John Lewis (1912-1969)                                                                Born 14 December 1912                                                              Died 14 June 1969                                                                       Educated Grocers School; City of London College                              MP Bolton 1945-1950, MP Bolton West 1950-1951 (Labour).             Chairman of Rubber Improvement Ltd. Steward of British Board of Boxing Control 1949 onwards. Chairman of the Empire Games Committee.

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Liam (c.1996-)

Contestant on Naked Attraction S07 E01

He was picked by Shaida for a date.

 HGV driver from Bolton.

 

Jack Liptrot (-1968)                                                                      Died 16 April 1968                                                                      Leading fireman Jack Liptrot died in the Brackley Pit Disaster.

 

Ralf Alastair J B Little (1980-)                                                           Actor                                                                                          Born 8 February 1980 Oldham, Lancashire.                            Educated Bolton School                                                                Played Anthony Royle in the sitcom 'The Royle Family', also starred in comedy series 'Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps'.                 Grew up in Bury, Lancashire

 

David Littler (1940-)                                                                       Musician                                                                                      Born 13 March 1949 Townleys, Farnworth, Bolton                      Educated Westhoughton Parochial School; Westhoughton Secondary School                                                                                      Guitarist with Westhoughton folk group 'the Houghton Weavers'. The group were formed in 1975, had their own long running TV series 'Sit Thi Deawn' in the 1970s and continue to perform and record.

 

Nathaniel (Nat) Lofthouse(1925-2011)                                              Professional Footballer                                                                    Born 27 August 1925 Bolton                                                          Died 15 January 2011                                                                   Educated Castle Hill School, Bolton                                               Played for Bolton Wanderers 1950-1960 - Centre Forward and Captain - 33 England caps.                                                              Dubbed 'The Lion of Vienna' for his courageous and robust winning goal to seal England's 3-2 victory over Austria in 1952 in the days when you could legitimately score by putting the goalkeeper in the back of the net along with the ball.                                                                        Made Freeman of Bolton 2 December 1989. OBE 1994. Gave a lifetime of service to Bolton Wanderers as trainer, coach, manager, chief scout and Club President. Stand named after him at the Reebok Stadium.

 

James Lomax (1827-1886)                                                          Architect                                                                                      Born  1827 Bolton                                                                         Died  14 July 1886 Bolton                                                             He was a land surveyor and valuer with offices in Bolton. He was surveyor to the Farnworth and Astley Bridge Local Boards, and for six years a member of the Bolton Town Council in the Liberal interest.          Address: 1852 14 Mealhouse Lane Bolton/1859 8 Fold Street Bolton/1880 11 Fold Street Bolton. Residence 1871  Arkwright Street/1881  21 Bolton Road, Farnworth/1886  Gilnow House, Little Bolton                                                                                          Buildings and Designs: Temperance Hall, Bolton / Independent Methodist Schools, Farnworth /  Sunday Schools Fold’s Road Bolton/  Bolton and Suburban Tramways / Belmont Mills Bolton/ Cotton Mill Longworth near Dunscar/ Horse Shoe Inn, Farnworth / Housing Schemes (JL), Bolton

 

Samuel Lomax (1872-1944)                                                         Politician                                                                                      Born 1872 Kearsley, Bolton                                                           Died 5 May 1944 Manchester, Lancashire                                      Educated Kearsley Council School                                                   Mayor of Bolton 1932 (Labour)                                                 Trade Union leader and administrator. He worked as a half-timer in a cotton mill before becoming a Parcels Clerk clerk with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Co in Bolton.

 

Kate Long (1964-)                                                                          Author                                                                                      Born 1964                                                                                   Educated Bolton School; Bristol University.                                       Brought up in Blackrod. Has published two popular novels - 'The Bad Mother's Handbook' and 'Swallowing Grandma'.

 

Ephraim Longworth (1887-1968)                                                     Professional Footballer                                                                 Born 2 October 1887 Halliwell, Bolton                                            Died 7 January 1968 Liverpool, Lancashire                              Defender - Bolton Wanderers, Leyton - was Liverpool & England  Captain.                                                                                     5 caps for England. First Liverpool player to captain England. Made 371 league appearances for Liverpool without scoring a goal.             Early in career played for Chorley Road Congregationals and St Luke's Church teams.

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Samuel Longworth (-1797)

Guilty of the murder of William Horrocks in 1796. He was executed on Lancaster Moor on 3 Apr 1797. Afterwards he was hanged in chains on Deane Moor.

 

William (Billy) Lonsdale (1773-1833)                                                Musician and Composer                                                                 Born 1773   Breightmet, Bolton                                                        Died 23 September 1833 Bolton                                                  Self-styled Blind Fiddler, composer of hymn tunes and comic songs.    First known organist of Bolton Parish Church.                                     Turned up half drunk at Parish Church and played a jig on the organ during Divine Service - dismissed by Canon Slade on the spot.

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John Lord

Robert Lord                                                                                   At Barrow Bridge, John and Robert Lord opened a cotton mill using water power from the Dean Brook which powered spinning mules invented by Samuel Crompton. The brothers built 13 cottages near the mill for workers.                                                        

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Joseph Pickering Lord (1833-1920) 

Cotton spinner / employer                                                              Baptised 20 Oct 1833 Deane, Lancashire, England                           Died 18 Mar 1920 at his home Newlands, Chorley New Rd, Heaton, Lancs. 

Buried Walmesley, Christ Church Vault 123 / 124

 

Captain Stanley Lord (1877-1962)                                                Mariner                                                                                    Born 13 September 1877 Bolton                                                  Died 24 January 1962 Liverpool, Lancashire.                                     Captain of SS Californian in 1912 - unfairly made scapegoat in Titanic disaster for not going to aid of survivors of the ship's sinking.

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Emma Lou (c.2011-)

Design competition winner

Emma, from Bolton, designed Perry the official mascot for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games 

The mascot is named after the Perry Barr area of Birmingham, where the Alexander Stadium will host athletics events as well as the opening and closing ceremonies. The  bull was chosen because of the Bullring in Birmingham. She use hexagons because they "are the strongest shape and the whole world depends on each other."

 

Peter Lowe (1904-1986)                                                                Politician                                                                                      Born 14 March 1904 Gladstone Street, Halliwell, Bolton               Died 11 March 1986 Hamel Street, Great Lever, Bolton                      Educated Brandwood Street School; Sunning Hill School; Bolton Church Institute                                                                                  Mayor of Bolton 1956 (Labour)                                                      He began his career as a junior clerk with Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Co, before working in the Chief Mechanical Engineer's Office at Horwich Loco Works.

 

Kurt Luby (1963-)                                                                          British auto racing driver                                                              Born 6 March 1963 in Bolton, Lancashire.                                          A former British auto racing driver who now works as a motorcycle dealer in his hometown of Bolton.

 

Charles Henry Lucas (1904-1987)                                                    Politician                                                                                    Born 24 February 1904 Clitheroe, Lancashire.                                  Died February 1987 Stapleton Avenue, Heaton, Bolton.                       Mayor of Bolton 1965.                                                          Known as 'Harry' - Son of a Conservative Clitheroe Brewer, he came to live in Bolton when he was 10. Well known for his support for the arts in Bolton and the north west.                                                               A keen mountaineer, during his Mayoral year he climbed Bolton Town Hall clock tower - apparently on the spur of the moment because it had scaffolding round it at the time and the temptation "to see what it was like" was too great!

 

Victor St Clair Lucas (1893-1963)                                                  General Practitioner                                                                    Born 1893 Trinidad, West Indies                                                     Died 1963 Lancaster, Lancashire                                                      Educated  Edinburgh University.                                                        Family doctor who qualified in 1918 and worked in Farnworth from 1919. One of the few black men living in the area at the time, he was a warm and generous figure held in enormous affection by his patients and the wider community.                                                               He was made the first Freeman of the Borough of Farnworth on 21st September 1961 in recognition of his contribution to the town.

 

Stanley (Stan) Lynn (1928-2002)                                                     Professional Footballer                                                                 Born 18 June 1928 Bashall Street, Bolton                                          Died 27 April 2002 Birmingham                                          Educated Whitecroft Road School.                                                    Defender - played for Accrington Stanley, Aston Villa and Birmingham.   First full back to score a hat-trick in a first division game, for Aston Villa against Sunderland in 1958.

 

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