William Edward Barton (3 November 1858 – 15 September 1942) was a New Zealand cricketer who played ten first-class matches for West Coast and Auckland in the 1880s.

Born in England, Barton was educated at Cranleigh School in Surrey, where he was coached at cricket by the professional players Harry Jupp and James Street.

[8][9] Barton married Eva Hamlin Stevens at St Mark's Anglican Church in the Auckland suburb of Remuera in November 1888.

He singled out Barton's performance for the Wanganui XXII against the 1880–81 Australian XI, when he scored 44 out of the 85 required to win, against the bowling of Fred Spofforth, Harry Boyle and Joey Palmer, in a match in which 51 wickets fell for 266 runs.

Dan Reese later wrote: "For a couple of years ... Wanganui cricket reached first-class standard, chiefly on account of Barton, then the best batsman in New Zealand, being resident there.

[27] In a match in January 1886, Barton, "a cricketer who has not been equalled in New Zealand for the number of centuries he has scored", made 195 for the Auckland club.

The Sydney Globe newspaper recommended his inclusion, and the leading Australian Test player Jack Blackham also raised the possibility.

[33] As well as cricket, which Barton played for 40 years,[1] he also excelled at lawn tennis, representing Auckland at the New Zealand Championships in December 1887.