William was Benjamin’s younger brother and by the time William would be looking for an apprenticeship in the art of clockmaking, Benjamin would have been a time served clockmaker at the age of about 26, and would be able to offer his brother William that apprenticeship. Alternately, William’s father Edward would have been 63 and more likely would have wanted to teach William his trade. It would appear that Benjamin and William probably worked closely together, because clocks are known to have been signed by Benjamin for Oldham and Ashton. William Barlow always signed his clocks Ashton.
William Barlow married Rebecca
Worthington May 9th 1769 at St. Michael’s Ashton Under Lyne,
the same church in which his brother Benjamin was married.
During their marriage they had eleven children all who were christened
at
St Michael’s church.
Ann February 27th 1770
Robert January 19th 1772
Henry January 16th 1774
Henry April 30th 1775
Sarah June 8th 1777
Susannah February 7th 1779
Maria December 3rd 1780
William October 6th 1782
Elisabeth January 2nd 1785
Mary March 25th 1787
Edward
October 5th 1788
Thomas
Oldham Barlow
Engraver
London, England
The
Graphic - April 05, 1873