Morton was born on 2nd May 1939, at 2
Basil Street, Bolton, the second of the four children of William
and Josephine Murray. There was William, the eldest, then
Morton, followed by Patricia and finally Madeline.
Morton was educated at St Peter and St Paul’s School. Even at a
young age he loved art and his work was chosen to represent the
school in a school’s exhibition in the town. Although gifted in
so many ways, Morton didn’t do particularly well at school, he
had so many other interests. One of these, that was to become a
lifelong passion, was motorcycles, and all things mechanical. At
12 years old, the coalman, Harry Constantine, taught Morton how
to strip down the parts of a motorcycle, and put it all back
together again and when he’d done that, he also taught Morton
how to ride it. Morton was to own a motorcycle for much of his
life. His favourite was a BSA Goldstar.
At 15, Morton left school and tried his hand at a variety of
jobs including printing and coal mining. Eventually Morton found
a job that chimed with his passion – working in a small
motorcycle shop on Derby Street repairing motorbikes. Morton’s
ambition was to become a mechanical engineer, and to fulfil that
ambition, Morton sought help from his former Maths Teacher, to
provide him with the mathematical skills he would need. Morton
went on to work as a Mechanical Engineer for several years with
Anelay’s at Blackburn, again with motorcycles.
There followed a move to the Royal Ordnance Factory at Exton,
and later Lancashire knitting at Adlington. These and other jobs
he held, only served to increase his rapidly expanding knowledge
and experience of working with machines of all kinds. Morton’s
specialism was research and development.
In 1977, Morton joined CCM, later to become Armstrong’s a
manufacturer of trials and racing motorcycles here in Bolton.
Whilst there, Morton distinguished himself, by developing the
first ever carbon fibre frame for a racing motorbike. The
Company were alerted that a global competitor had found out
about this work and were seeking to develop the idea for
themselves. Armstrongs quickly secured the patent.
Always a man of great personal integrity, you could have been
forgiven for thinking otherwise, by Morton’s frequent use of his
favourite catchphrase: “Trust me, I’m an engineer!”
Redundancy struck in the late 1980’s and Morton started his own
company, which developed his own designs for the agricultural
and leisure industries. Morton saw a gap in the market that
would be brought about by proposed changes in the law relating
to vehicle safety. Unfortunately for Morton, the proposed
changes were never implemented by Parliament, and Morton’s
business, along with his health tragically failed. In the depths
of depression, Morton just slept, until one morning he turned to
Christine and told her that he wanted to paint. Christine
scraped together enough money to buy a box of paints and brushes
and suddenly Morton’s world brightened. Morton was saved by his
love of art – and of course, by the love of his life, Christine.
Christine met Morton through his sister Pat, her friend. One day
in the early 1960’s, Christine and Pat were at a Milk Bar in
town, when in walked a man dressed in motorcycle attire,
complete with helmet and scarf. On removing the helmet,
Christine saw that he had a lovely shock of blonde hair. He said
a few words to Pat, and then left. Afterwards, on learning that
this was Pat’s brother, Christine remarked; “He’s gorgeous, I
want to be introduced.”
Morton and Christine met, fell deeply in love, and were married
at Holy Trinity Church, Bolton on 21st September 1963. After
their marriage Morton and Christine bought their first home, on
Ramsbottom Road, where they lived until 1994, when they moved to
Catherine Street West.
Morton and Christine’s marriage was blessed by two children.
Liana born in 1966 and Cameron, born ten years later, in 1976.
Liana says that her Dad, was loving and so caring. He loved to
help her, with homework or in any way he could. He was proud of
everything that she and Cameron had ever done.
Cameron remembers his Dad as being very supportive; a good role
model, who always taught him to be determined in whatever he
did.
Morton’s grandchildren Robyn, Thomas and Zoe, were his joy and
delight. To them he, was “Gramps”, and only very rarely (on an
off day) “Grumps”. Christine says that Morton was a fabulous
husband, who was always there for her. They went everywhere
together. For many years, Morton supported Christine, as she
sang up to 6 nights a week in the clubs, and Morton was always
there.
Christine’s mother had lived with them for 25 years of their
married life, and during all that time Morton was so caring and
considerate of her mother. Christine summed up the enduring
quality of her relationship with Morton, when she said: “First
and foremost, he was my best friend.”
Morton’s interests, aside from motorcycles and art, were wide
and varied. Whilst still a young man, he was introduced by his
friend Harold Addison, to the music of the bagpipes. Morton
learned to play them, and joined Chorley Pipe Band. He drew
great satisfaction and enjoyment from playing the bagpipes for
over 40 years.
As well as the bagpipes, Morton loved all kinds of music. When
Christine joined the singing group, Laos, over 10 years ago now,
Morton came along to support her, and to listen to Laos singing.
He was their best groupie.
But it is for his art that I’m sure Morton would want to be
remembered. It was painting that brought him back from the edge
of despair when his business collapsed, and it was painting that
consumed his energy and his passion. Following his return to
painting, in 1996, together with two friends, Brian Ellison and
Alan Platt, Morton founded Horwich Art Society, which to this
day meets every Friday and has a thriving membership.
Morton’s subject matter was always so varied, ranging from
landscapes to the most detailed and beautifully executed
paintings of locomotives and racing motorcycles. One idea for an
illustrated book of poetry written by Morton, was developed from
a dream of Christine’s about a rhinoceros wrapped in brown
paper. Morton painted a whole menagerie of animals and birds all
wrapped in brown paper, a book that Morton attempted to have
published, and deserves to be, still.
Whatever his subject, Morton, always gave utterly of himself in
the execution of a painting. And that was never more so, than in
the work he completed following the terrible events of the 11th
September 2001 – a painting that so movingly depicts Christ
crucified on a cross made from the twisted girders of the World
Trade Centre. The painting not only captures the horror of the
event, but also places the compassion of God in Christ for his
broken world at the heart of ground zero. Morton’s painting is a
stark reminder of the appalling way human beings can act to
destroy one another. Morton’s great gift was to use the brush to
powerfully convey meaning, when words were simply inadequate.
Morton’s death came suddenly and unexpectedly on the 4th of May
2008.
|
