Bill Naughton came to Bolton from Ireland at the age of 4 and left for London aged 30. He first wrote short stories about lorry driving, crime and his childhood in Bolton, in the 1940s. He then progressed to writing more personal, family and  adult themes with stories, radio and stage plays, some of these formed the basis for classic British films Alfie (1966/2004), The Family Way (1967) and Spring and Port Wine (1970).