Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 03.djvu/206

 in 1842, and of Adelaide, Melbourne, and Newcastle, all in 1847; and Barker in his lifetime effected the formation of the additional dioceses of Perth 1856, Brisbane 1859, Goulburn 1863, Grafton and Armidale 1866, Bathurst 1869, Ballarat 1875, and North Queensland 1878. Thus Barker's primacy, as first constituted, extended over twelve separate dioceses, in which, one after the other, the principle of constitutional government was developed in conformity with the precedent set by the dioceses of Victoria and Sydney. The first synod of the latter diocese met on 5 Dec. 1866; and in addition to the diocesan synods thus initiated Barker succeeded in establishing a general synod, composed of clerical and lay representatives from the several diocesan synods, for the exercise of certain legislative and administrative authority over the whole church in Australia and Tasmania. The formation of this general synod, which met three times during Barker's primacy, the last time being in his absence in October 1881, was regarded as having perfected the constitution of the Australian church. Under this régime the diocese of Sydney continued more and more to prosper, and when state aid to religion was abolished in the colony, it was ordained by the legislature that Barker should continue to receive his government salary of 2,000l. a year. Funds were forthcoming for the building of churches and the maintenance of the clergy; a noble cathedral was erected and paid for, and the requisite buildings, endowments, and staff were provided for a college for the education of young men for the ministry. Barker's work was arduous; and he paid three visits to England for the purpose of advancing the diocesan and provincial interests committed to his care. His first wife died in Sydney in 1876: on his third visit to England he married his second wife, Mary Jane, the elder daughter of Edward Woods, Esq., of London, and returned to Sydney in October 1878. He paid a fourth visit to Europe in 1881 in the hope of recovery from an attack of paralysis; after revisiting Derbyshire, he proceeded to the Riviera for the winter of 1881–2. He died after four weeks' illness at San Remo on Thursday, 6 April 1882, and was buried at Baslow on the 18th of the same month. Barker's only episcopal publication appears to have been ‘A Charge delivered to the Clergy of the Diocese of Sydney, 23 Nov. 1858, at the Primary Visitation, &c.,’ 8vo, Sydney, 1859.

[Therry's Reminiscences of Thirty Years' Residence in New South Wales and Victoria, 2nd ed. 1863; Heaton's Australian Dictionary of Dates and Men of the Time, 1879; Times, 7 and 19 April; Church Times, 14 and 21 April; Guardian, 19 April; High Peak News, and Buxton Advertiser, 22 and 29 April; Record, 14 and 21 April and 18 Aug. 1882; and private information.]  BARKER, GEORGE (1776–1845), benefactor to Birmingham, was born in 1776. Notwithstanding his arduous duties as a solicitor, he devoted a large portion of his time both to scientific pursuits and to benevolent and social enterprises. He exerted himself with great energy to extend the advantages of the General Hospital, in behalf of which he was one of the chief promoters of the Birmingham musical festivals. He was the founder of the Birmingham Philosophical Society, and by his lectures on chemistry gave a considerable impetus to certain special manufactures. From the first he took a special interest in the inventions of Watt and Boulton; and it was chiefly owing to his exertions that an act was obtained for that ‘gigantic absurdity,’ as it was called, ‘the Birmingham railway.’ In recognition of his scientific acquirements he was in 1839 elected a member of the Royal Society. He died 6 Dec. 1845. His statue in marble is in the General Hospital.

[Gent. Mag. new ser. xxv. 324–5.]  BARKER, GEORGE ROBERT (1817–1861), colonel in the royal artillery, after studying at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, was appointed second lieutenant in the royal artillery in 1834. Not happening to be employed in any of the colonial wars of the next twenty years, he had no opportunity of showing his qualities; but in the Crimea, whither, as captain, he proceeded at the beginning of the struggle, he speedily attracted the favourable notice of Sir Colin Campbell, afterwards Lord Clyde, to whose division he was attached. He commanded a battery at Alma and Inkerman, was in command of the artillery in the expedition to Kertch, and commanded the batteries of the left attack at the fall of Sevastopol. He returned to England a colonel, and when the news of the mutiny led to the despatch of a force of royal artillery to India, he was at once selected for service in that country. Under his old chief he served, with the local rank of brigadier-general, in command of the artillery at the siege and capture of Lucknow. Subsequently, at the head of a mixed brigade, he defeated the mutineers in force at Jamoo, and captured the stronghold of Birwah, for which services he was made K.C.B. After the suppression