J C Middleton was born at Redruth on 7th May 1894, the son of a commercial clerk. By 1911 he is recorded as a 16 year old art student studying at Redruth School of Art (1910-15) under Phil Whiting. He later studied at Birmingham School of Art (1920-25) and at Royal College of Art. In 1920 he married Gladys Goldsworthy at Kings Norton RD and they lived for a time at Coventry where their son A J MIDDLETON was born in 1926.

He later lived at Wallington, Surrey and became a member of both the Wapping Group of Artists and the Langham Sketching Club. He exhibited between 1933 and 1938 at RA, ROI, RI, SMA and with other local groups. He died in the Sutton - Wallington area in 1969.