Across The Pond

One Bolton gives virtual cheers to another on tercentennial

One of our favorite stories here at CCM is towns celebrating their anniversaries. Because we live in one of the oldest parts of the country, we are fast approaching the 400th anniversaries for some of our municipalities, but that pales in comparison to our sister cities abroad. So it puts a smile on our face to hear that helping Bolton celebrate their tercentenary is none other than Bolton, their namesake town in England.

While there is evidence that there were settlers in Bolton, England before the common era – in the Bronze Age, somewhere between 4500 and 2800 years ago - the name Bolton only goes back to 1307. Like our Bolton, it is smaller town just outside of Manchester, with the one in Connecticut also being named for its British counterpart.

The Bolton News, a local newspaper in England wrote that the Mayor of Bolton Councillor Linda Thomas has sent over a commemorative scroll that features the Coat of Arms from both towns, as well as a series of Bolton elephants and Lancashire Roses.

Councillor Thomas was also joining a virtual town council meeting to make remarks on the occasion.

This isn’t the first time that the two towns have celebrated their kinship. Back in 2014, the News reports, several students from the Connecticut Bolton High School visited the English Bolton students, who were given a tour of Bolton Town Hall.

That visit was arranged by Councillor Richard Silvester who was then returned the favor when he visited Connecticut later that same year, and described it as “Small town America in size compared to our own Bolton, however the people are so welcoming and friendly.”

It was the first time two such elected officials had met that in the 300 years since ours was founded, but through the pandemic it became a joyful way to spread cheer across the Atlantic.

Unfortunately, because of COVID, all activities that were planned had to be postponed until next year when the town intends to host the 300+1 anniversary.

It’s always nice to have something to celebrate. Milestones as large as centennials are important because our country is so young. Knowing that the English counterpart has been around for up to 4500 years is a great reminder that towns and cities can survive just about anything that life throws at them - the Bubonic Plague hit Europe less than 50 years after Bolton was founded.