William Barton (Bill after shift 1953)
My father William Barton (Bill) was born on 5 November1925 at number one Longshaw Common, Billinge, after he married Lily Baggaley he moved to Wigan and lived at 2 Harts Yard, off Greenough Street , Wigan. A few yards from Jims shoe shop. My father worked at Cronton pit near Huyton, but at the time he sat for the painting he worked at Gaffenys pit, my father was very often in Jims shop talking with Jim. Jim was interested in old houses and old pubs and he had taken photographs of every street and passageways in the Scholes area. This was before the redevelopment of the 60s; Jim also wanted the photos to use as backgrounds for some of his paintings. In 1953 Jim asked my father to sit for a painting, Jim told father to go round after his shift. In Jim’s words ...Bill don’t get washed or changed arrive in your black face. Dad did this until the painting was finished, on the day it was finished Jim took a small black and white photograph of it then a couple of days later put the painting on display in his shop window until his next painting was finished and placed in the window and Bill after the shift was stored with the others at the back of the shop, Father was aged 28 when he sat. Jims back door and our back door were only a few feet away and we shared the same open yard, As a boy I often asked Jim if I could watch him paint or repair footwear, He would say yes sit on that chair, I would watch for ages, Jim was a nice man. Father later worked as a gravedigger at Ince and Gidlow, he died on 4 September 1991 aged 65.
Footnote:
These are the words from David (Bill’s eldest son). We would like to thank Bill’s family for letting us share their memories.