Peter Milton

Peter Milton was an art teacher friend of Ken Barlow's from Bessie Street School who he employed at the Community Centre to give evening classes to the residents. In his first class, Hilda Ogden drew son Trevor's house in Chesterfield with him and his family. Peter was very impressed with Tricia Hopkins's picture of Paul and Linda McCartney and she boasted to him that she was top in art at her school. Gail Potter, exhibiting considerably less talent, was told not to be despondent. Peter had the idea to have a life class at the next session which whetted the appetite of all the women present with the exception of a timid Mavis Riley. At the next class he told them to be gentle with the model as he was not used to this sort of thing. The women sat breathless with anticipation...and Albert Tatlock walked in. Fully clothed in his suit, he left his cap on after Peter told him that they wanted to capture his character after the lifetime of experience and hardship he must have endured. Looking over the resulting masterpieces, he praised Tricia's work and said that Hilda's wasn't bad - for a first attempt.