William Barker was a gunsmith and later a clockmaker of great reputation. He was in particular celebrated for his excellent astronomical clocks and longcase clocks which were often housed in exceptional cases made by leading cabinet makers of the period. Some of his clocks appear in several museums including the Victoria & Albert Museum, London and the Merseyside Museum. Also as a gunsmith he had a great reputation, for instance for his steel crossbows and fowling pieces. See examples of his work in the pictures below.
 
In those times it was illegal to trade independently in Wigan without being granted the Freedom of Wigan first. William Barker first applied for Freedom to trade as an independent in Wigan on 11 March 1748. The Freedom was granted in 1751 but there was an argument about how much William should pay to the coffers for the Freedom. This was sorted out and he became a Freeman of Wigan in 1754 as a gunsmith, which was his main trade then, although he was making clocks already, as well. For a short while he employed Thomas Coats, later to become a well known clockmaker in his own right, as a journeyman.

born in February 1714 in Wolstanton
died in early 1787, buried on 8th February 1787 at Cartmel.

He was a son of William Barker and Anne Daye.
He married Ellen Johnson.
The couple had 3 children, among them

.

The last notice which was taken of him in Wigan was that he was too ill to attend a parish meeting in July 1786.  His son, Daye, took over the business, but only carried it on for a brief period as he was not registered under 'Clockmakers' in any trade directory after 1787. William Barker died in late 1786 or - probably - early 1787; he was buried in Cartmel, Lake district, where his son Daye moved around the time of his death, probably a bit before.

William continued to be very involved in the 'politics' of Wigan and was elected a Burgess of the Borough on 6th October 1756
 
William Barker had two sons and one daughter. The elder son,

, became a clockmaker, as well (before turning to other businesses, see

), the younger son, Thomas, a gunsmith.

Left: Longcase George III Chippendale Mahogany clock from 1765-70 made by William Barker

Bullett Crossbow from about 1760 made by William Barker

Crossbow from about 1780 made by William Barker