The recent history of Barton.
Whiting is finely ground chalk and was used to make putty, whitewash and paint.
Ship building, which has seen a recent revival, had for centuries been an important local industry. Attracted in part by the industrial growth, the population of Barton trebled in the 19th century. By the turn of the century it had reached 5,761, and by 1911 it had peaked at 6,673, not to increase again until 1961. The present population is about 9,500. To keep pace with this rapidly growing population, much new house building and rebuilding has taken place initially in the older parts of the town and in the Waterside area, but then towards the end of the 19th century and the early 20th century along roads immediately surrounding the built-up areas.