Key Points
- The Halliwell Local History Society (Smithills branch) will be holding a talk entitled Murderous Bolton on Tuesday 27th October 2026.
- This talk will be given by Steve Fielding, covering crimes and criminals associated with the history of Bolton.
- It is due to begin at 7.30pm at the Parish Centre, Church Road, Bolton.
- Entry is £1 for members and £2.50 for others.
- There will be tea and coffee available beforehand at £1 per cup and society publications for sale.
- The society is celebrating 40 years of the society and all members and non-members are welcome.
- There is car parking available at the Parish Centre and Church Road, and the venue is on the route of the Beeline bus service 501 running from Bolton Interchange and Johnson Fold every half hour.
- It is confirmed in the published programme that Steve Fielding is giving a Murderous Bolton talk on 27th October.
Bolton (Manchester Mirror) October 21, 2026 – Halliwell Local History Society (incorporating Smithills) is inviting residents to explore lesser-known and darker episodes from the town’s history at its next monthly meeting. As reported by The Bolton News, the society will welcome author and speaker Steve Fielding, whose presentation is titled Murderous Bolton.
The talk will examine notorious crimes and killers connected with Bolton’s past. According to The Bolton News, attendees will be offered “a fascinating insight into some of the cases that have shocked Bolton over the years.”
The event forms part of the society’s regular programme of local-history meetings. Its published monthly schedule lists the October 27 session as “Steve Fielding – Murderous Bolton.”
When and where is the event taking place?
The meeting will take place at 7.30pm on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, at the Parish Centre on Church Road, Bolton. The Bolton News states that parking is available at the Parish Centre and along Church Road.
For those travelling by public transport, the venue can be reached using Beeline bus service 501, which runs every 30 minutes from Bolton Interchange and Johnson Fold.
Halliwell Local History Society’s own website lists its meeting venue as St Peter’s Parish Centre, 347 Church Road, Bolton, BL1 5RR, and says meetings begin at 7.30pm.
Who is Steve Fielding?
Steve Fielding is the invited speaker for the October meeting. The Bolton News identifies him as the presenter of Murderous Bolton, a talk focused on crimes and killers from the town’s history.
Fielding has also previously been listed by Turton Local History Society as the speaker for Tales from the Hangman’s Record. That society described his work as covering Lancashire murders and executions, including the development of capital punishment from the Middle Ages to the 1960s, notorious Lancashire murder cases, and hangmen.
No further biographical details about Fielding are included in the available reports on the Bolton event. The society’s announcement does not identify the individual cases that will be discussed.
How much does attendance cost?
Admission costs £1 for members of Halliwell Local History Society and £2.50 for guests. The Bolton News reports that both members and non-members are welcome to attend.
Tea and coffee will be available before the meeting for £1 per cup. Books published by the society will also be available to purchase at the event.
The society is marking its 40th anniversary. Its announcement, as carried by The Bolton News, says anyone interested in local history is invited to attend and learn more about the town’s “intriguing and sometimes grisly past.”
Why is the society highlighting Bolton’s criminal history?
The talk is presented as a local-history event rather than a contemporary crime report. Halliwell Local History Society’s programme places Murderous Bolton among a wider series of talks on subjects including pub signs, Lever Park, theatre and television, local tales, and tall trees.
The society’s website describes it as Halliwell Local History Society, incorporating Smithills, and says it meets on the last Tuesday of each month. The October session follows the society’s September meeting, which featured Charlie Boardman speaking on “Tall Trees.”
The event’s focus on historical crime reflects a continuing public interest in local social history. However, the available reports do not state whether the talk will address any particular murder case, trial, execution, or historical period.
What has been reported by each source?
The Bolton News published the fullest account of the announcement, including the date, venue, admission prices, transport information, refreshments, book sale, and the society’s 40th anniversary. Its report was published on October 21, 2026.
Yahoo News syndicated the story under the headline “The dark side of Bolton’s past to be revealed in fascinating local talk,” with the same core details: the society’s invitation, Steve Fielding’s talk, the October 27 meeting, and the Parish Centre location.
The Bolton News also promoted the article on X, sharing the headline and link with its followers.
Halliwell Local History Society’s monthly-meetings page independently confirms the October 27 date, Steve Fielding as speaker, and Murderous Bolton as the talk title.
Background of the development
Halliwell Local History Society (incorporating Smithills) is a Bolton-based local-history group that holds monthly meetings at St Peter’s Parish Centre on Church Road. Its website says everyone is welcome and that meetings begin at 7.30pm.
The society’s 2026 programme has included talks on subjects ranging from pub signs and Lever Park to theatre, television and film, local tales, and tall trees. The October meeting is scheduled before a November talk by Steve Williams titled Four Tins; no meeting is listed for December 2026.
The event also comes during a wider period of local-history activity in Bolton. The Bolton Family History Society, part of the Manchester and Lancashire Family History Society, has run a 2026 programme including a talk on the Weavers Uprising of 1826 and the Chatterton Massacre, while the Bolton branch of the Historical Association has announced a 2026/27 lecture programme at Bolton School.
Prediction: How can this affect local residents?
For Bolton residents, the talk is likely to provide an accessible way to engage with local history beyond familiar industrial and civic narratives. Attendees interested in genealogy, social history, or the history of crime may find the event useful as an introduction to archival research and local historical sources.
For Halliwell Local History Society, the meeting could support its 40th-anniversary programme by attracting both regular members and first-time visitors. The £1 member and £2.50 guest admission, along with refreshments and book sales, may also help the society sustain its regular meeting programme.
For the wider community, the event may encourage greater awareness of how local institutions preserve and interpret the past. Its practical arrangements—central location, parking, and a regular bus service make it accessible to residents in Bolton and nearby areas, including those travelling from Johnson Fold or Bolton Interchange.
