Alec Paton - Wilfred Owen's forgotten friend

The Wilfred Owen Story relaunches from February 2012 with a truly unique and historic exhibition

Wilfred Owen's Forgotten Friend tells the story of Alec Paton. Owen was said to have only one close friend during his time in Birkenhead.

As pupils of The Birkenhead Institute, the boys’ studious nature drew them together and they shared most of the top accolades in their class. Inseparable during holidays, they rode horses on New Brighton Beach and swam at The Argyle Street Baths.

Wilfred spent so much time at the Paton household, it was even suggested that he remain with the family when his own parents returned to Shropshire.

When as young men they both became soldiers, fate saw Paton live through it, whilst his best friend perished in the last week of the war and became the greatest war poet of all time. Alec, who bore a striking resemblance to poet Siegfried Sassoon, became a teacher on the South Coast. He was said to be reluctant to discuss his boyhood companion, but upon his death at the age of 97, he was buried with an anthology of Wilfred's poems.

The exhibition features the world’s first ever pictures of Alec Paton to be seen since Owen's posthumous worldwide fame. His own testimony and that of those who knew him tell the quiet tale of a gentleman who lived his life in the reflective glow of his genius school pal.

The above picture shows Alec Paton as an old man on an emotional visit to Birkenhead Central Library. He is reading an Owen poem whilst a painting of Wilfred hangs poignantly on the wall behind him.

The Exhibition is permanent