The Barton Family

The road to 1908

It is clear from even such an advocate as Henry Ford, as can be read in his biography ‘My Life and Work’, that the most incredible changes brought to the 20th Century by motorised road transport were simply not generally foreseen.

Writing about the period of the 1890s Ford states “Practically no one had the remotest notion of the future of the internal combustion engine” and that electricity had been expected to be the coming thing - much indeed as it is now.

In Great Britain, the 1891 census shows that living in Radford in Nottingham with his family, was a young man of 25, whose occupation was given as ‘Gas engine maker’. He was Thomas Henry Barton.

Tom’s faith in, and knowledge of, the internal combustion engine led him to buy his first motorised vehicle before the turn of the 20th century, making one of the very first British owners of a motor car. He first put this simple, but temperamental, vehicle to use carrying passengers in Mablethorpe on the Lincolnshire coast. What is more, to a timetable – making it what is recognised to be the first English motor bus service. Subsequent ventures of variable success and with improved vehicles followed near Derby, in Weston-super-Mare and then near Derby again. But, presumably because of both the limited passenger carrying capacity of the early vehicles, and their poor reliability, regular services were proving almost impossible to achieve by any operators, although private hire of vehicles was popular.

No doubt, by the end of September 1908, Tom was amongst the most experienced bus operators in the world, but still had only one vehicle - which he then promptly sold.

After what must have been most frank discussions with his eldest son, who worked with him, it was decided that a new bus must be bought. On a train journey to London with the purpose of buying a new vehicle, a ludicrous coincidence occurred. Tom and his eldest son dropped into conversation with the only other occupant of their train carriage, who just happened to be a Director of the company making buses of their preferred manufacturer - Durham, Churchill and Co. of Sheffield. The Director sold them a nearly new vehicle before the train had even reached Luton.

It was decided they would yet again attempt to establish a service route with their newly acquired Char-a-banc, and it was thought that a Long Eaton to Nottingham route, commencing to coincide with the Goose Fair that week, held promise.

Within days permission from the authorities was sought and granted, timetables printed, and the vehicle prepared and stationed ready at Long Eaton the night before for the big day. On the 1st of October, 1908 at 8.00am at The Green in Long Eaton started the Long Eaton, Beeston and Nottingham service route, which, incredibly, still runs bearing his name to this day.

Hi Simon
 
I want to let you know how pleased we are that we chose Bartons as our venue for the charity event  we organised last October.
 
We considered several venues in Nottingham including places in the middle of Nottingham. We made the best decision in coming to you. Not only were you and Cathy so accommodating and welcoming you were efficient prompt and reliable. Your cheeky sense of humour was invaluable at times of stress.
 
Our evening was a huge success not least because of the magical Tardis that your premises offers. We could and did let our imaginations run and were able to create the illusion of a big top with clever lights and drapes.
 
A wonderful space with huge potential to be what ever anyone wants it to be. I can't wait to use you again.
 
We made loads of money too!
 
Thank you again
 
Heather

When I first walked through the many industrial spaces at Bartons with Simon Barton, MD of Bartons Plc, I knew there was something special about the site, something it's hard to put your finger on. It's not the size of the spaces, although they are impressive, or the facilities Bartons has (from the recently renovated Gallery, the car parking, the amount of buildings there) it's something else. Bartons has what many venues can never have: A history that connects deeply with the local area, spaces that still radiate character and a light that complemented the art to perfection.
 
When we opened the doors on the 15th and people from Beeston, Chilwell, Nottingham and further afield began to stream through the doors everyone was captivated, not just by the vast collection of inspiring contemporary art there was on show but also by the place itself. When you take time out to visit an Modern Art Gallery it can often feel like the atmosphere leaves you unable to talk in anything but a whisper, to feel tense, to feel disconnected from the pieces you've gone to see.... at Bartons there was none of that. There was none of the 'standoffish reverence' you get from many galleries, there was just the chance to enjoy the work in a truly unique venue. Families would walk around with their children getting right up close to the work on show and in many cases (like the Tardis and the 'Wrong Pong') interacting with it, chatting, discussing, pointing and laughing... it was magical.
 
We don't have an exact number, although the invigilators were taking down approximate numbers and those added to the Black History event, the Big Draw and Oxjam pushed footfall at The Carnival of Monsters 2011 over the two weeks to around the 4000 mark. As the person who came up with the idea in the first place and as one of the main organisers of the event I'd hoped to get 1000, so to get four times that amount is staggering and a testament to all those who put time, effort and faith in the project. The fact that we had newspaper, radio and television throughout the 2 weeks proves what impact and interest the festival generated.
 
I think the depth and breadth of the festival is only really beginning to sink in now it's over. When we conceived this idea back in March it was designed to benefit local artists in the first instance, and to help provide a platform to raise awareness of how great the art scene is in the East Midlands. As the festival took shape over the two weeks I think we all realised that it became much more than that. Aside from the great art that was exhibited, and the performances from the likes of MissImp, Chris McDonald and Oxjam, it became about the local community and the people living there. What I don't think any of us had planned was that the festival presented art in a far more accessible way than any other exhibition I have ever attended.
 
Next year we hope to make the festival larger and further reaching than this year, and know that once again providing the much needed platform for artists in the East Midlands will draw an even larger audience than before.
 
The Carnival of Monsters 2011 - A great art festival in an inspiring venue.
 
Richard Cook
Festival Organiser


The T.H BARTON INNOVATION FUND has been set up to
 commemorate the centenary of the running 
of the first Barton bus service in the 
Nottingham area in 1908. The above 
fund has been established in 
conjunction with the University of 
Nottingham. The purpose of the 
fund is to offer financial support 
for outreach activities designed 
to encourage young people 
from the greater Nottingham 
area to study engineering at 
the University.

The University’s Faculty of
 Engineering delivers a range 
of activities for both primary 
and secondary school children 
and these take place both on 
University campus and in local 
schools.  Events are run independently
by the University as well as in conjunction with charities, local and national engineering bodies and the Royal Academy of Engineering.

All donations to the T.H BARTON INNOVATION FUND will go directly into activities that help to broaden the outlook of young people and promote the benefit and thrills of investigative learning and creative problem solving.  Examples of these include engineering workshops for 13-17 year olds, residential summer Schools for sixth formers, after-school clubs for primary school children and a variety of other taster days, including those that allow young students to sample university life.

Donations to the fund are able to be made tax effectively, with the University of Nottingham having charitable status under the terms of the 1948 Education Act.  Cheques should be made payable to:
The University of Nottingham - T H Barton Fund



TH Barton Scholarships offer financial support through a competitive selection process to undergraduate students in the Faculty of Engineering at The University of Nottingham. The scholarships are means tested and applications invited from students who meet the residency requirements for a ‘home/UK' student and who have received a secondary level education in a state or maintained school or college in the East Midlands.

For further information about outreach activity at the Faculty of Engineering, please contact Jill Minter at the University of Nottingham on 0115-951-3629.