An orphan tells his story

A CULCHETH man who spent years “embarrassed” about being an orphan has written a book to tell his story.
Bill Cartwight surprised his children by presenting them with his book, “The Trail of an Orphan,” as a Christmas gift.
And now the book, priced £10, is being sold locally and all proceeds will go to two hospices in Wigan and Leigh, and Bolton – the areas where Bill grew up and worked.
Bill and his wife Jean have three children Janice, Neil and Sharon. The couple lived in Glaezbury before moving to Culcheth. Bill had an insurance business working in the Bolton and West Houghton areas before retirement.
The couple have a home in Culcheth and spend time at their second home in Aberdovey in Wales.
They have funded all the costs of the book themselves so all proceeds can go to charity. Copies are on sale at Forget-Me-Not bookshop in Culcheth.
Bill, 72, was taken to Styal Orphanage when he was four, following the Manchester blitz. He and his sister Marion were left homeless and his mother, Winifred Hindley, was declared missing or dead. His father was serving with the army in the Far East.
His grandmother spent two years trying to track them down via Social Services before taking them to live with her in Atherton.
He found the orphanage a frightening place with regular sounds of air raid sirens and spending nights in the outdoor air raid shelters. He writes of a difficult life with regular beatings, nights in complete darkness and being lonely and afraid.
Bill said: “There was stigma attached to being in the orphanage so I never told anyone about it. I just got on with life and really envied people who had a mother and had not spent time in an orphanage.”
In 2003 he found he had a blood relative, his mother’s sister, who grew up in Atherton and had never been in touch despite knowing that he lived nearby.
Bill said: “It took me back a bit that she had not been in touch. But mother was a singer in the Manchester clubs – so was a bit of a ‘black sheep’ in the family.”
He said he enjoyed writing the book and people have said the story is “inspiring.” He said he is pleased to help the charities and has so far sold 300 copies.