William Barton Family

Picture taken in about 1906 shows the William and Ada Barton Family. Father William is standing, Mother Ada sitting below him, Dorothy (about 1) is sitting on Ada's lap, Doris (about 6) is directly to Ada's right, Ida (about 3) is standing next to Father William, Mabel (about 13) is standing to the left of Ida, Donald (about 9) is sitting next to Dorothy and Eric (about 11) is sitting to the left of Donald.

The Girl Doris Ada Barton

Doris Ada Barton was born on March 27, 1901, in St. Helens, Lancashire, England. She was the fourth of eleven children; and one of the eight Barton children to reach adulthood. Her parents were William Barton born on December 4, 1871 in St. Helens and Ada Bates born on December 6, 1871, also in St. Helens.

Doris was very active as a girl. She loved to play Rounders, a game similar to baseball. She also played Cricket with the boys and was quite good. Doris recalled a time her mother said she’d never grow up to be a lady, Doris admitted she never did. She was a member of the Girl Guides, here she made many friends and learned important values that were reflected in her life. She had fond memories of her Girl Guides leader, Miss Ellen Heyes. Doris wrote in her journal:

“When the war broke out in 1914 I was a patrole leader in the Girl Guides. The Guide Mistress, Miss Ellen Heyes, was my friend as well as my officer. When the call came for nurses, she took some training and went to France. For two years she worked hard, and then she was taken ill with fever and passed away to her eternal home. Among her possessions send home to her parents was her bible. The nurse, who wrote to her mother, said Ellen had expressed a wish that her bible be given to me. This bible is now my dear keepsake; from its pages I have gleaned much joy and happiness. I use my bible every day, and so my best friend is forever with me.”

Once when Doris was young her family took a trip to the ocean. In her own words this is the story she told:

“The first holiday I seem to remember was when I was about seven or eight years old. We went with mother, my brothers and sisters to Liverpool; from where we took the boat across the ferry to New Brighton. Whilst on the boat we saw down the Mersey great ships that filled us with awe. What wonderful stories we built around them. How we pictured them on the seas sailing to lands unknown. When we arrived at New Brighton we were eager to take off shoes and stocking and wade out to the fort were the coast guards were. The tide was far out when we started to wade and we reached the fort with almost dry feet. We began to climb the rock which was leading to the wall, and eventually scaled the wall. We did not notice that the tide was coming in until we were at the top of the wall, then it was impossible for us to get back. Sheer terror took as and we scrambled down the inside of the wall and ran for a kind of boat house where we found the coast guards. The men must have seen how frightened we were for they were very kind to us and rowed us back to the shore. For a long time after that day we felt we were heroes, but perhaps our parents must have felt otherwise.”

More Childhood Memories

Doris was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints when she turned eight years old. This event took place on the 30^th of December 1909. She was baptized by her father. Her church was important to her and played a large part in her life. In her words she recalls:

“As long as I can remember I have been in close contact with the church and the missionaries. One picture I remember quite well because it occurred almost every week was the missionaries bringing to mother some of the funniest shaped parcels, which always turned out to be mending. We used to have some real jolly evenings with them. These happy times were really the planting ground of some real good seeds of the word of God…since that time (after the WWI ended) I have scarcely missed a meeting. Each time I attend Sunday school I come home with a little more truth with which to feed the tree which was planted in my childhood.”

Another incident Doris remembered from her youth was going to the Mayor’s Annual Ball. This was a very fancy, invitation only affair, that the Barton family was invited to. Each group that entered would be announced. Doris who was about 13, her sister Ida, who was about 10, and the younger sister Dorothy, who was about 7, practiced all week curtsying for their introduction. When the night arrived, and the announcement made all went well for Ida and Doris, unfortunately little Dorothy tripped over her feet and fell to the great embarrassment of her older sisters. Doris picked her up and told her she was a “clumsy thing.”

The Barton children were very close to each other and had a great deal of fun together. Doris recalled her mother dressing up as Father Christmas, and the laughter that created and the fun the family had at holidays, thanks to mother.

The Courting Years

At the age of fourteen Doris was finished with her public school education and ready to enter the world of work. Unlike most of the family Doris did not begin working in the mill. She had taken and passed the exams for the Bolton School, this school was the preparatory school for college. For some unknown reason she never attended the school. However, during this time she obtained a certificate in nursing.

In the Barton household the rules for courting were very strict. Fellows were required to call at the house; the girls they took out were to be home at nine p.m. sharp. The young men could stay and visit until ten. Doris’s sister Mabel married a man by the name of George Taylor. Doris would eventual meet and later marry the younger brother William (Harold) Taylor. William was a tall, slender, likable, polite fellow. His family ran a bakery where he worked.

Doris and William both enjoyed dancing and made a talented dancing couple. There was a very nice dance hall in Bolton called the “Palais de Dance;” on Friday nights they would hold dance competitions. This competition involved the dance partners dancing on the “Silver Ring” a six feet round disk painted silver. According to Doris’ sister Dorothy, the couples were required to dance a certain type of dance, like a waltz, without stepping off the disc. Judges were in place to watch and decide the top dance couples. Together, Doris and William (Harold) won several of these competitions.

On December 28, 1921 Doris Ada Barton and William (Harold) Taylor were married in St. Thomas, the Church of England, by the local minister. Doris and William (Harold) would be married a total of 12 years. William (Harold) would pass away at on December 28, 1933, at the age of 34.

Doris and William (Harold)

Doris and William (Harold) moved into a small house/shop on Cannon Street. The front was a small typical bakery-grocery business; the back was a living area for the family. Here William continued the bakery business. One difficulty Doris and William faced during this time with the bakery was the relatives. Some of the families were preparing to emigrate to Canada and Australia, they sold their homes and belongings for the trip and while they were waiting for visas to be approved they lived with Doris and William (Harold). While living there the relatives freely ate out of the bakery, and ate quite heartily; eating almost all the shop’s profits. Later the family moved to Claughten Street. This shop had a big front window to display all bakery items. Doris helped with the preparing and baking for the shop. Later the family, which consisted of William (Harold), Doris, Eric and George, moved into a three bedroom home.

Doris and William (Harold) had three children; Eric, born July 13, 1921, George, born December 8, 1926, and Grace Alma, born October 25, 1932. All of the children were born in Bolton, Lancashire, England.

Doris records in her journal an event that occurred when she was a young mother involving her oldest son, Eric. She writes:

“When my oldest boy was two years old, he was very badly burned on his chest. He was just recovering from an attack of the measles and was of course in a low state of health. I called the doctor and the Elders (from the LDS church) at once they all came at the same time. I had already dressed the burn, so beyond looking at it the doctor did not touch him, but he said it was imperative that he sleep, so as to avoid fatal results from the shock. The Elders anointed the boy and prayed that sleep might be given him; they also prayed that I should be blessed with strength to nurse him and that rest should be given me. Almost before the prayer was ended the boy was asleep. He slept for twelve hours and was so bright and contented I could see the direct answer to our prayer. Although the burn was so very severe he was very contented and I did not lose one nights’ rest. In a few weeks time, he was fully recovered. The answer was so direct, so easy to see, that none could doubt that God sent his spirit down to help us.”

Little Eric

This is Doris' oldest son, Eric Taylor, with his cousin Mabel. Eric is standing, Mabel sitting.

Doris Barton and the "Mormon Bride"

Doris was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She played the piano in church and was the Relief Society President among other things. Six years after they were married William (Harold) joined the church. He was baptized on October 7, 1927. He was ordained a priest on October 28, 1928. Doris and William often preformed at church and socials. Doris would play the piano and sing, with William (Harold) playing the mandolin and singing as well.

A last incident that Doris wrote about took place in August of 1931. She explains that this memory stands out so because of the joy that came to her afterwards. She pens:

“About five years ago, a play entitled “A Mormon’s Bride” was being shown at one of the Bolton theatres. The writer had issued a challenge to any Mormon to get up on the stage during a performance and disprove his statement. I attended the performance fully intending to prove him wrong. Half way through the performance the author came on stage with a pretty cock sure air about him; read some infamous statements from some pamphlets, and said that the play had been shown for five nights and the Mormons were afraid to come forward. Whether it was the things he said, or the man himself, I do not know, but I felt so angry I could not rise from my seat. I offered a silent prayer to God to help me still my anger. Immediately I felt very cold and did not recognize my own voice when I rose and walked on the stage. In spite of the man’s insinuations I soon had the audience with me. I was able to explain a little of Mormonism, and when I left the stage the people just clapped and cheered as if I had been the star of the evening. I had at least killed a lot of prejudice. The following days were busy ones, for reporters from all the papers were continually knocking on the door.”

Newpaper Article about "Mormon Bride"

The local newspaper ran this story on August 22, 1931:

WOMAN MORMON
ACCEPTS
CHALLENGE.

PROTEST IN THEATRE
AGAINST PLAY.
From Our Own Reporter.

Botlon, Friday.

A frail young woman braved a crowded theatre audience at Bolton to-night to stand up and proclaim her faith as a Mormon and to protest against the anti-Mormon play, "A Mormon's Bride," presented to-night at the theatre.

Written by a local author, Mr. J. Baker Howard, who is a lecturer of the anti-Mormon Society, the play deals with the luring of a Lancashire girl to Salt Lake City in an attempt to make her the fifth wife of a Mormon elder. The author made a 200 pound challenge to any Mormon or Latter Day Saint to disprove the truth of the statements in the play.

NO POLYGAMY

Mr. Howard made a vehement attack on Mormons, and challenged them to come on stage. There was a surprise when a woman responded. Although she did not deny that early Mormons practiced polygamy, she said she definitely knew that it was not now practiced.

She returned to her seat amidst applause, although some of her neighbors adopted a threathinh attitude to her.

Interviewed afterwords, the woman told me she was Mrs. Doris Taylor, of Claughton-street, Bolton, and was president of the Relief Secretary of the Bolton Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

She had been a Mormon from birth, was baptized at the headquarters in Clarendon-road, Manchester, and of her two children one had already been blessed and the other baptized. Her husband was converted to the faith three years ago.

"I felt funny going on there," she said, "but I had to do it for my faith."

EXCITED AUDIENCE

The elders took up the challenge at the second performance. They drew attention to their challenge of 200 pounds for each case proved of a girl being lured to Salt Lake City for polygamy or to become a plural wife.

During the arguments the excitement was tense, and there was difficulty in maintaining order in the theatre. The elders stated that they mean to renew their protest against the play to-night.

Unexpected Turn of Events

Early in 1932, William (Harold) Taylor left his family for unknown reasons. He left one evening to go to the store and never returned. With this complex turn of events Doris was left to face the unknown alone.
Without any income to continue the house payments Doris had to moved with her two and a half children…Grace to be born in October, to her father’s house on Lloyd Street in Bolton. Eric remembered helping his mom carry a rather large chest full of belongs from their old home to their grandfather’s home, about a mile away. It was very tiring; Eric realized later that his mom was not only carrying the chest, but his unborn sister as well.
Living with Grandfather Barton was not always easy for the boys. George recalls how on cold evenings his mother would place a little stool up by the fire for him to sit on and get warm; more often than not Grandfather Barton would come in to sit down and tell George to move his stool and himself back behind his chair. It seemed his small body might block the warm fire from Grandfather. Doris would come back into the room and move him up to the fire again. This was a brave act for Doris to do, but George recalled, “She was about the only one not afraid of the old man.” A few months later she and her father moved into separate homes on Delacy Street. These homes were City Council Homes, owned by the city of Bolton.

A Birth, A Death

On October 25, 1932, Grace was born. When Doris’ time came to have the baby someone arranged for the ambulance to take her to the hospital. A while after she left a man from the city council came and took the Eric and George to the orphanage. No one really explained to the boys what was happening, this was a very frightening time for them, and they did not know if this situation was temporary or permanent. After about a week Doris was brought home and the boys were returned home. When Doris learned the boys thought she had left them she was mortified.

About a year after Grace was born, Doris’s husband, William (Harold) Taylor, died in a hospital in Manchester of Pulmonary Tuberculosis. George remembers him and Eric coming home and finding their mum crying, they were anxious to know who had made her cry. Then she told them their dad had died. Later, when George was grown his mother related an interesting story to George. George knew his mum to be a very practical person, not one to tell fanciful tales, or things that weren’t true. She recalled how on the day William (Harold) had died she had awoke in the early morning hours and looking toward the bedroom door saw William (Harold) standing in the door way said asked, “Harold, what are you doing here?” She looked over at the clock on the night stand and saw it was about six in the morning. When she looked back the image she had seen was no longer there. Later that day the telegraph arrived informing her of her husband’s dead which had occurred at close to six that same morning.

A Single Mother

Being a single mother Doris was now required to support her family. In the times and place Doris lived this would be no small task. Her sons Eric and George recall:

“Everyone around us was poor for we lived in a poor neighborhood, but we were all the poorer having no Dad. Women didn’t make much money. Mother may have been stern on us sometime, but we were rough lads and it took a strong hand to keep us in line. What with the poverty and struggle to keep us fed and clothed, a weaker women would have given us over to the county to raise, but Mom was strong and she made it through and kept us together.”

Doris began cleaning for the Haslem sisters, four unmarried spinsters. These women designed dress patterns and books that were mailed to customers all over the world. While working for them, they realized how smart Doris was and began having her help them with the business. By about 1940 she had her own office and was in charge of the mailing of books and brochures to customers and keeping all the records of business transactions. This job required Doris to put in long hours each day. Not only was Doris a loyal employee she was a good and caring friend to the Haslem sisters. As their health declined Doris helped out in what ever ways she could. After the business had closed and the last sister, Anna, was convalescing Doris would visit her almost daily.

Doris would work this job until she was 60 years old. Later she worked a few hours a week at a local nursing home. Work was a large part of Doris's life. She gave her best at whatever she did.

Haslam House

This is a picture of Doris Barton Taylor and her grandson, Steve Taylor; it is taken outside the Haslam house where Doris worked for many years supporting her family. The window above them is the office Doris worked from.

WWII

When WWII came all British men were conscripted into the service. This left many jobs unoccupied, jobs that need to be done to keep the city running. In order to take care of this need the women were conscripted for two years to fill those jobs. Doris was conscripted into the city bus system. She was a conductress; she collected tickets and helped passengers. During this time she had an accident. In the early morning hours, as she walked though the bus barn she did not see an open mechanics’ pit and fell in, breaking several ribs. She was taken to the hospital for about five days, then home to recover. Her two sons Eric and George were working so Grace had to go stay with an Auntie Doris, a sister to her deceased father, a woman she had never known.
After two years Doris went back to work for the Haslem sisters, and started where she had left off. She worked this job until she retired at about 60 years old. Later, she would occasionally work a few hours a week at a nursing home, using some of her old nursing training.
During the War Doris also served on the A.R.P. (Air Raid Patrol) two or three times a week. Once she was having an A.R.P. meeting at her house so she gave George and Grace some money to go to the picture show. They went and upon returning George notice that the adults were still there having some refreshments, so he and Grace quietly went up stairs and to bed. After the meeting was over and the group had left Doris began to worry about her children not being home yet. She walked down to the picture show and could not find them anywhere. She checked with the neighbors and no one had seen them. At this point she began to panic and called the police, who began inquiring and searching everywhere, turning up nothing. By this time it was close to midnight and Doris was very, very upset. Finally someone went up stairs and found both George and Grace asleep in their rooms. The next day Doris was busy making apologies to the many people who had been involved in the incident.
The European sector of WWII ended on May 8, 1944. All over the city and in neighborhoods people were celebrating. On Doris’s street they built a big bon fire, people were singing and celebrating. Doris walked home and took the ugly old black-out drapes down that had hung in the house all during the war; she brought them down to the bon fire and threw them in the fire. The war was finally over.

A Caring Person

Doris Taylor was a caring person. Her daughter Grace recalled a time when her mother was cooking up some very delicious smelling meat for supper, it was during the winter and quite cold and rainy outside. Doris looked out the window and was upset to see an old man from the local nursing home out in the cold. It bothered her that the nursing home did not taking better care of the old people. She called him into the house, set him down by the stove and gave him the dinner she had been fixing for her self and Grace. Her daughter-in-law Joan also remembers Doris collecting her washing every Monday and bringing it back on Thursday when she was in hospital. Doris would walk both ways from their house in Turton Road to her own flat in Scorton Ave (her last residence), a distance of over 4 miles.

Family Time

Although she was gone much of the time working to support her small family and doing her duty during the war Doris loved being home with her children, enjoying the simple things. A special memory her daughter had was of her mother sitting at the piano playing and singing silly songs from her own childhood to her children. Occasionally, when time and money permitted Doris would make delicious éclairs for her family. These were special times for her and her family.





Doris Taylor and daughter Grace in about 1938

House on De Lacy Drive

This is a photo of the house that Doris raised her children in on De Lacy Drive, hers was on the right

Children Leaving Home

All too soon her children grew up. At age 18 her oldest son, Eric, joined the Royal Navy; he spent a lot of the war seconded onto merchant ships; ships responsible for bringing food into the country. He was posted here after the ship he was on was torpedoed. This he was not very happy about. He stayed in the navy until 1945. He married Joan Grundy on March 31, 1948. Eric and Joan started their married life living in Delacy Drive with Doris for a short time. They then moved to a prefab house nearby. Joan remembers that they always went back for Sunday dinner – which was a full roast dinner every week. Eric learned the art of French polishing; he did this all his life, and was a master in this profession. He had one son Steve Taylor.

In 1944 at age 18 George, the second son, joined the army. He served with the occupational forces in Germany. In 1950 he married Audrey Thomasson. They had one son Martyn Taylor.

In 1952 her youngest and only daughter married Dick O’Dair and moved to America, and settled in Arizona. They had one son, Paul and two daughters, Gail Ann and Lynn.

Grace's Wedding

Wedding party at Grace and Dicks wedding.

Doris Taylor, at Grace's wedding in 1952, she would be about 51 in this picture.

Grace Taylor and Dick O'Dair married on January 19, 1952 in Rochdale, England. On the far left is Dick's best man, then the happy groom Dick, next to him is his lovely bride, Grace, next to Grace is her mother, Doris Taylor, next to Doris is Grace's bridesmaids, on the far right is Grace's oldest brother, Eric, who stood in and gave Grace to Dick to wed.

Leaving for America

In 1963 Doris came for an extended visit to the United States. Before this trip she lived with Eric and Joan for about 18 months in Dovedale Road, having given up her flat in Wasdale Avenue. Joan shared this humorous antidote about Doris leaving for America:

“We had a party the day before she left (Eric’s family and George’s family). On the morning she left, Doris and Eric left the house (she is not sure if George was also with them) to catch the bus to the railway station – to get the train to Liverpool. I was dressed in a nightgown, dressing gown, and slippers when I waved them off up the street. I then went into the house and made myself a drink. Turning round with the drink I found Doris’ passport, tickets and boarding pass on the table! I ran after them (still dressed as above) to the bus stop (about 0.5 miles away). Luckily, I got there just as the bus arrived and they held the bus up while Eric collected the tickets from me! Who knows what would have happened if the bus had gone – I had no money with me to catch the next one and was hardly dressed!”

Doris and Family

This picture was taken shortly before Doris left for an extended visit to America to see her daughter Grace and her sister Dorothy. Son George is standing on the left, next to him is his wife, Audrey, next to her is daugther-in-law Joan, Eric's wife and Doris Taylor sitting.

Another photo of the family in England before she left. Standing on the left is Joan, then son,George, and his wife Audrey, Doris is sitting in the middle, and grandsons Steve , to the left, and Martyn, right, are sitting on the grass.