In 1888 Atherton became
Rector of St Dunstan's parish church in
Bolnhurst, in rural
Bedfordshire, a post he occupied for 15 years. During this time he began writing what became an extensive collection of verse which caused some to regard him as the 'Lancashire Burns', in reference to Scottish poet Robert Burns. Atherton acquired the nickname 'Robin O' Bobs', along with a reputation as an eccentric. He sometimes used the pseudonym Rupert Upperton. The church establishment believed Atherton to be unsuited to a role in the clergy, and eventually he was removed from his position in what had become his adopted rural community, and left the
Anglican church in 1904. He later described his departure from the church as being due to middle class hypocrisy. Atherton became a 'wandering poet', living for a time in
Birmingham and
Manchester, before returning to his native Kirkby to live at Pear Tree Farm, where he resided until his death in 1930. He is buried in the churchyard of
St. Chad's, Kirkby parish church. The library of the
Merseyside Maritime Museum has four copies of his poems that refer to the sinking of the
RMS Titanic and the
RMS Empress of Ireland. Knowsley Archives has preserved an audio recording on SoundCloud of Atherton reciting his poem about the doomed passenger ship, Titanic. Atherton's poetic themes included nature, the countryside, and emigration by sea. Some of his work was perceived by contemporaries to be well-crafted, echoing themes similar to those of fellow poet
Richard Church. ==Personal life==