THE Mayor of Bolton joined trans-Atlantic celebrations as she addressed leaders of the town’s namesake in Connecticut.

Cllr Linda Thomas gave a short speech at a council meeting of the American town to congratulate them on 300 years since they were incorporated into the state.

It was certainly a late shift for the Mayor, as she addressed the meeting which began at midnight on Tuesday via Zoom.

To mark the occasion an ornate congratulatory scroll and Bolton Council pin badges and other souvenirs were sent overseas.

The scroll will now be displayed in their council meeting rooms.

Bolton is one of the older Connecticut towns, having been incorporated in October 1720.

Many of the early settlers came from Bolton from which the town received its name.

It covers an area along the extreme western edge of the rolling eastern Connecticut upland, overlooking the Connecticut River Valley to the west.

The area of the town is 15.5 square miles, and it is bounded by the towns of Manchester and Glastonbury on the west, Coventry on the east, Andover and Hebron on the south, and Vernon on the north.

Bolton was originally part of the hunting ground of the Podunk Indians.

In the early 1600s when the first settlers moved east from Hartford to the Bolton area, they travelled on the Olde Connecticut Path.

By 1774 the residents of Bolton were still affirming their loyalty to the King of England, but at the same time voting at a town meeting to cooperate with their brethren in the other colonies to defend America.

Early industries in Bolton included distilleries, hat manufacturers and cigar makers, with the Bolton Quarry sending flags of stone to Washington, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and New Orleans as early as 1820.

In the speech, Cllr Thomas, said: “As mayor of Bolton, Lancashire, England, I would like to congratulate you on your town’s tercentenery since its incorporation.

“Knowing that the town was named after Bolton back in 1720 it is with great pride, being the first citizen of Bolton, that I extend my warmest wishes to all of your townsfolk.

“Sadly due to the pandemic your planned celebrations have had to be postponed until 2021 so it will now be a three hundred plus one celebration.”

In a Facebook post, the Bolton, USA administration showed a picture of the scroll on display and said: ” Thank you to Mayor, Linda Thomas of Bolton, UK for your kind words at last nights’ board of selectmen meeting.

“We too look forward to a friendship between our two great towns of Bolton.”