The death was announced of Sir James Duckworth at Castlefield Rochdale-he had built up a tea business opening his first shop on Oldham Road, his business would grow with over 100 shops across Manchester, Lancashire and Cheshire. They were popularly known as “Jimmy Ducks.”

His origins were of a poor background, battling from early years with poverty and hardship. He began working in the local mill at the age of six, joined the Marines at the age of seventeen and suffered from ill health.

At the age of 24, he bought a pound of tea from one Joshua Stott, which he made up into two and four ounce packages. He then acquired a hawking license from the Town Hall, and proceeded to go from door to door selling the tea, opening his first shop in 1868.

He was a Liberal Councillor for Castleton West and became Mayor of Rochdale in 1891 for two years serving again at the beginning of the 20th Century and was to serve both Middleton and Stockport as a Member of Parliament. He was knighted in 1908, in recognition of “long service to Liberalism and to the public in general.”

New Year’s Day football saw United lose at home in front of a thin crowd to Bradford while city drew at Oldham’s Boundary park

It was announced that the battleship the Formidable had been sunk in the Channel, of a crew of over eight hundred, only 71 had been picked up. She was sunk by two German torpedoes, the first British battleship to be sunk in the First World War.

The 22nd and 23rd battalions of the Manchester regiment left from Exchange station bound for Morecambe, the 23rd were nicknamed the Bantams being comprised of men below the official height for entering the army.

The Bishop of Manchester preached at St Paul’s Kersal and at Manchester Cathedral on a day of intercession for Devine blessing for our soldiers and sailors

An Oldham soldier was charged with the murder of his wife.William Barry had joined the Royal Barrison artillery on the out reak of war and returned home on ,Dave on Xmas eve.

He had it was reported got drunk on the train home telling fellow passengers that he was going home to see if his home was as pure as when he left it.His wife was found with bleeding to the head and fragments of a basin and a bottle lying around.Both the husband and wife had been drinking heavily

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