Château Langoa-Barton: The Barton Family
The history of the Barton family may be traced back to 1722, when Irishman Thomas Barton (1695 – 1780) left his native Curraghmore for foreign shores, settling in Bordeaux. It is said by the Barton family that the seeds for the emigration were sown many years earlier, when a profitable smuggling trade between Ireland and France developed. Irish wool was illegally exported to France, against the laws laid down by the English who claimed a monopoly on it, importing it exclusively into England and taxing it heavily.
Soon the wealth of the Irish sheep farmers began to arouse suspicions, and so they began taking payment in wine or brandy instead. No wonder the Barton family, committed sheep farmers, had sudden reason to be interested in trade with Bordeaux. Once Thomas had settled in the region we should not, I suppose, be surprised that he began trading in wine.
Hugh Barton
Thomas enjoyed considerable success, and by 1745 he was sufficiently flush to purchase Château Le Boscq in St Estèphe. He remained in Bordeaux, actively buying and selling wine, and many of his descendants have been just as active in the wine trade. One who wasn’t interested was William Barton, his son, who resided in Ireland and showed little inclination to learn about Bordeaux and its wines. William had nine children though, six sons and three daughters, and of these the fourth son Hugh seemed ready to take on the family business.
