Person:Thomas Barker (24)

Thomas Henry lived at 79 Canning Street, Liverpool in 1861 at the age of 19, with his mother Elizabeth (already a widow) and worked as a ship owners clerk. In the household were his brother Joseph Bolton Barker (16), brother Charles N. Barker (age 24) Mariner and their aunt Isabella Hazelwood, age 52.

In the 1871 census he was still at Canning Street and worked as a Merchant. He became the Secretary of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce on 15 August 1884. He was very active with the Chamber and was heavily involved in promoting the industry and trade of the city. He was presented with a bound book of speeches and writings and a large portrait on 30 April 1906.(see below)

He travelled extensively overseas, and promoted Liverpool trade and merchants with West Africa and with Russia, and collaborated in setting up the Department of Russian Studies at the University of Liverpool.^[1]

"Barker joined the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce as Assistant Secretary in 1881. In 1884 he succeeded Mr William Blood as Secretary. Mr Barker formed in that year the African Trade Section whose work has led to a great extension of British Possessions and interests in West Africa. In this connection mention may be made of the large increase in Imports of West African timber, to the arrangement for Timber concessions and the fixing of Royalties and other charges at the lowest obtainable figure.

In 1886 Mr Barker travelled over the Canadian Pacific Railway from Quebec to Vancouver, shortly after its opening, in order to see and report upon the commercial resources of the newly opened parts of the Dominion. From 1888, when the Railway and Canal Traffic Act was passed, he worked extensively in the matters of Railway Reform, including Reclassification of goods and reduction of rates. Mr. Barker also drew up important reports upon the Effects on the Port of Liverpool of the opening of the Manchester Ship Canal, and on the Administration and Charges of the Port. These reports were presented to the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board and their recommendations largely adopted by the Board. The result was substantial reductions in Rates and Dues. These mattes being of vital interest to the Timber Trade, the Association was represented upon the Committees b the late Messrs J. Barkeley Smith, and James Harrison and, later, by Alderman James Webster. Mr. Barker organised and represented the Chamber on a large number of Deputations to Government Departments on many matters affecting the trade of the country and of the Port of Liverpool. Between 1884 and the present time Mr Barker wrote more than 100 Memorials which were presented to various Departments of the State and which may be classified as follows, namely 55 Memorials on Home Administration and Legislation, 25 on Indian, Colonial and Foreign subjects and 20 on African subjects. Also 20 special reports were drawn up and presented to successive Governments, in addition to reports of Parliamentary Bills. In the autumn of 1903 Mr Barker attended the Meeting of Chambers of Commerce of the Empire at Montreal, when he took the opportunity of again crossing Canada by the newest route; thence visiting Japan, North China, Corea, Manchuria and Siberia, travelling over the Trans Siberian Railway from Dalny to Moscow, in order to report upon prospects of extension of British Trade with Siberia and co. Some ten years ago a Russian section was added to the Chamber. Mr Barker was one of a small Deputation, including the late Sir Alfred Jones, which waited upon the Czar of Russia at Cowes, subsequent to the visit of members of the Duma to Liverpool and was made Chevalier of the Order of Saint Anne of Russia."

79 Canning Street, Liverpool.

10 Falkner Street, Liverpool

T. H. Barker with Sir A. J. Jones and Mr Marconi.

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Peter (and Kate?) Grebenik. A biography of Virginia Grebenik. (Unpublished manuscript).
2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Eng. Capt. Henry Charles Day Barker, R.N., J.P. , in Paget Family website.

   http://www.anatpro.com/index_files/Henry_Charles_Day_Barker.htm

3. ↑ Certificate of birth of James Denton Barker.

   Registration District: Liverpool

   1876. Birth in the sub-district of Mount Pleasant in the County of Lancaster

   No.	When and where born	Name, if any	Sex	Name and surname of father	Name, surname and maiden name of mother	Occupation of father	Signature, description and residence of informant	When registered	Signature of registrar	Name entered after registration
   210	Eighteenth July 1876 10 Falkner Street	James Denton	Boy	Thomas Henry Barker	Mary Ellen Barker formerly Mouldsdale	Coal Merchant	J. H. Barker Falkner Street	Twenty First August 1876	John S. Shaw Deputy Registrar	—

   This material is covered by Crown copyright and is published here in accordance with the copyright guidance note regarding the copying of BMD certificates issued by the National Archives, which states that "copyright in the layout of certificates is owned by the Crown. The Crown does not assert any rights of ownership in the contents of the forms." and that users (i.e. WeRelate, in this case) "are authorised to reproduce the layout of the form in any format including on the web, in films and in print."
4. ↑ 283 MRG/3/1, in Liverpool records office.
5. ↑ Batch no PO2027-5, source film 93883, in Liverpool records office.
6. ↑ Class: RG12 Piece 2976; folio: 15; Page 26; GSU roll: 6098086.
7. ↑ Toxteth Park Cemetery Inscriptions.

   Large flat rectangular sand-stone, missing top/central cross? In(loving(memory(of / Thomas(Henry(BARKER, / who( departed this life(April(9th(1917, / aetat(75. // Also(of(Mary(Ellen, / wife(of(the(above(T( H( BARKER, / died(December( 14th(1936, / aetat(91.
   
   
   http://www.toxtethparkcemeteryinscriptions.co.uk/?search-class=DB_CustomSearch_Widget-db_customsearch_widget&widget_number=preset-default&cs-post_title-0=barker&cs-all-1=1917&cs-all-2=&cs-all-3=&search=Search

8. ↑ Birth Certificate, General Registry Office.

   BXCF518186

9. ↑ ^9.0 9.1 General Registry Office, Death certificate.

   DYD329036

10. ↑ 1907 Who's Who.
11. ↑ Speech given by THB
    30 April 1906.
12. ↑ Funeral Notice, Liverpool Courier 1917.

    Reel No. NP29540, March-April 1917, Liverpool City Library

13.   West African Railways, in The Times digital archive, 1785-1985. (Farmington Hills, Michigan: Thomson-Gale, c[2002?]-)
    p.8, 24 August 1895.

    A deputation of Chambers of Commerce (and others) to the Colonial Office regarding railway development in West Africa.
    
    http://0-find.galegroup.com.henrietta.slwa.wa.gov.au/ttda/infomark.do?&source=gale&prodId=TTDA&userGroupName=slwa&tabID=T003&docPage=article&searchType=&docId=CS134667544&type=multipage&contentSet=LTO&version=1.0

14.   Cause of death: 1. Acute Prostatatis 2-3 days. 2.Cystitis pneumonia 3 days. (informant T.P.Conyers Barker, son) (S9)
15.   For 26 years Secretary of the Incorporated Chamber of Commerce of Liverpool: b. Liverpool 18 May 1841, son of Charles Frederick Barker of Copenhagen, m. Mary Ellen d. of John Moulsdale of Liverpool. Educ. at private schools and Queens College Liverpool. Received early business training in two of the largest Shipping and East India houses in Liverpool. Afterwards travelled extensively in Europe, North Africa, America and Australasia. Four years ago toured Northern Hemisphere, via Canada, Japan, North China, Cerea, Manchuria, Siberia, Russia. Member of (1) Council Liverpool Geographical Society since its formation; (2)Committee of City of Liverpool School of Commerce, and (3) of Liverpool Committee of Trinity College, London; also of Surtees Society, Yorkshire Archaeological Society, Yorkshire Parish Register and Thoresby Societies. Author of many widely circulated Reports on Railway legislation, facilities and Schemes, Charges of the Port of Liverpool, Affairs of West Africa, including Niger, Affairs of the East and othe subjects relating to Commerce. Member of Constitutional and Granville Clubs, London. Recreations: literature, British and Foreign, the fine arts, archaeology, &c. Business address B10, Exchange Buildings, Liverpool. Residence: "Ormesby", West Kirby, Cheshire. (S10)
16.   Funeral Notice, P.2, The Liverpool Courier, Thursday April 12 1917 (S12)
    "Barker April 9 at Ormesby, West Kirby in his 76th year, Thomas Henry Barker the beloved husband of Mary Ellen Barker for many years Secretary of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce. Interment at Smithdown Cemetery today (Thursday) at 2.30pm. (Friends kindly accept this, the only intimation)."