George Digby Barker

Sir George Digby Barker
Born 1833
Died 15 April 1914 (aged 80 or 81)
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Rank General
Commands held Commander of British Troops in China and Hong Kong
Governor of Bermuda
Battles/wars Anglo-Persian War
Indian Mutiny
Awards Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath

General Sir George Digby Barker, GCB (Chinese Translated Name: 白加) (1833 – 15 April 1914) was a British soldier and colonial administrator.

Military career

Barker was commissioned into the 78th Regiment of Foot in 1853.[1] He served in Anglo-Persian War of 1856 and in the Indian Mutiny of 1857 and was present at Siege of Lucknow.[2]

He went on to become Adjutant of his Regiment in 1859.[3] He was then made Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster-General in 1884.[4] Then in 1874 he was made a Professor at the Staff College[5] and in 1877 Assistant Director of Military Education at Headquarters.[6]

He became Commander of British Troops in China and Hong Kong in 1890.[7] He was briefly the acting administrator of Hong Kong between May and December 1891.[8]

He was then appointed Governor of Bermuda in 1896[9] and retired in 1902.[10]

He was Colonel of the North Staffordshire Regiment from 1905 to 1911 and of the Seaforth Highlanders from 1911 to 1914.[11]

In retirement he lived at Clare Priory in Suffolk.[12]

Honours

Barker Road, where the Residence of the Chief Secretary is located (Victoria House - 15 Barker Road), on The Peak was named after him.[13][14]

Family

Barker married twice.[2] In 1862 he married Frances Isabella Murray, daughter of George Murray, of Rosemount, Ross-shire. She died in 1900. They had a son and two daughters. One of their daughters, Helena Barker, married in 1891 Francis Henry May, who would become Governor of Hong Kong from 1912 to 1919. The Helena May Institute was named after her.[15] General Barker remarried on 30 September 1902 Katherine Weston Elwes, daughter of Edward Golding Elwes, of London.[16]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "No. 21404". The London Gazette. 21 January 1853. p. 164.
  2. 1 2 Armorial families : a directory of gentlemen of coat-armour
  3. ↑ "No. 22222". The London Gazette. 25 January 1859. p. 262.
  4. ↑ "No. 25402". The London Gazette. 7 October 1884. p. 4373.
  5. ↑ "No. 24090". The London Gazette. 28 April 1874. p. 2297.
  6. ↑ "No. 24477". The London Gazette. 29 June 1877. p. 3899.
  7. ↑ "No. 26044". The London Gazette. 22 April 1890. p. 2339.
  8. ↑ Sarton Chair
  9. ↑ "No. 26732". The London Gazette. 21 April 1896. p. 2388.
  10. ↑ "No. 27417". The London Gazette. 18 March 1902. p. 1885.
  11. ↑ "No. 28530". The London Gazette. 12 September 1911. p. 6731.
  12. ↑ Clare Suffolk Book III Clare Priory
  13. ↑ Yanne, Andrew; Heller, Gillis (2009). Signs of a Colonial Era. Hong Kong University Press. p. 58. ISBN 978-962-209-944-9.
  14. ↑ The Peak of Hong Kong
  15. ↑ Yanne, Andrew; Heller, Gillis (2009). Signs of a Colonial Era. Hong Kong University Press. pp. 62–63. ISBN 978-962-209-944-9.
  16. ↑ "Marriages". The Times (36888). London. 2 October 1902. p. 1.
Military offices
Preceded by
Sir James Edwards		 Commander of British Troops in China and Hong Kong
1890–1895		 Succeeded by
Sir Wilsone Black
Government offices
Preceded by
Sir William Des Vœux		 Administrator of Hong Kong
May 1891 – December 1891		 Succeeded by
William Robinson
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