Person:George Barker (31)

George Barker was born on 8th January 1815 and baptised two months later in the parish of St Botolph without Bishopsgate in the City of London. He was the son of a wine merchant called William Barker and his wife Mary. The family lived on the street called Bishopsgate in London.

George also went into business as a wine merchant. He appears in the 1841 census on Bishopsgate.

On 19th November 1846, aged 31, George married Mary Ann Knott Timothy at the church of St Giles without Cripplegate in London. They went on to have fourteen children together between 1847 and 1871, although three of their children died young.

The family appears in the 1851 census living at 23 High Holborn, along with several assistants and servants. The family spent some time living in Paris - they have not been found in England in the 1861 census, but their daughter Zilia later indicated that she had been born in Paris around 1860.

In 1863 George bought a firm of bankers and merchants which had gone into liquidation. He built it up into his own banking company, called George Barker and Company. For some years it prospered and the family did well. He also continued to run a separate wine merchant and distillery company. George acquired a country house called Stonehall at Oxted in Surrey, where the family appears in the 1871 and 1881 censuses with several servants. He also kept a London home, owned property in Madrid (having made substantial investments in Spanish railway companies) and also lived for significant amounts of the time in Paris. In 1877 George's three eldest sons, Hilton, Herbert and William joined him as partners in the business, and increasingly they took on the running of the companies after that time. (Herbert later left the partnership, some time between 1880 and 1882.)

The 1891 census finds George, Mary, a grandson and two servants living at his London home; 37 Queen's Mansions in Westminster.

In 1892, George Barker and Company failed, and George and his sons Hilton and William were all declared bankrupt. There followed a lengthy series of court proceedings associated with the failure of the company. George had to give evidence in court in December 1892. The newspapers observed that he was rather deaf by this time, and given his age (he was 77) he was allowed to sit whilst giving his evidence. George's sons Hilton and William were both prosecuted for fraud by customers who had invested in the bank and lost their money. The strain on the brothers was considerable, and in February 1893 George's eldest son Hilton committed suicide. After Hilton's death the fraud charges against William were dropped.

The month after Hilton's death, George's daughter Zilia died aged about 33.

George and Mary moved to 84 Gloucester Terrace in the Paddington district of London, near Hyde Park. George died there on 13th February 1899, aged 84. Mary survived him by twelve years.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Baptisms register, in Church of England. St. Botolph Bishopsgate Church (London). Parish registers of St. Botolph Bishopsgate, 1559-1901. (London: London Metropolitan Archives).

   BAPTISMS solemnized in the Parish of St Botolph Bishopsgate in the City of London in the Year 1815
   No.	When Baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parents' Name		Abode	Quality, Trade, or Profession	By whom the Ceremony was performed
   			Christian	Surname
   839	March 24 Born Jan[uar]y 8 1815	George son of	William & [blank]	Barker	Bishopsgate Street	Wine Merchant	J.A. Perny

   George's older sister Mary's baptism at St Botolph Bishopsgate on 24th March 1813 gives her mother's name as Mary, as does George's younger sister Hannah's baptism at St Botolph Bishopsgate on 10th January 1817.

2. ↑ England. 1841 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 725; Book 14; Folio 15; Page 24, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Bishopsgate, London (St Botolph Bishopsgate), Middlesex
   George Barker, male, 25 [1811-16], Wine Merchant, born in county
   James Layall, male, 20 [1816-21], Sho[?], born in county
   Charlotte Hurall, female, 60 [1776-81], F[emale] S[ervant], born in county

3. ↑ England. 1851 Census Returns for England and Wales. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 1513; Folio 506; Page 7, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: 23 High Holborn, St Andrew Holborn (Western) [i.e. part of the parish outside the City of London], Middlesex
   George Barker, head, married, male, 35 [1815/16], Wine Merchant, b. Shoreditch, Middlesex
   Mary Anne K. Barker, wife, married, female, 25 [1825/6], b. Cripplegate, Middlesex
   Helton C. Barker, son, male, 3 [1847/8], b. Shoreditch, Middlesex
   Herbert Barker, son, male, 2 [1848/9], b. Shoreditch, Middlesex
   William Barker, son, male, 1 [1849/50], b. Shoreditch, Middlesex
   James L. Roberts, nephew, unmarried, male, 13 [1837/8], Scholar at homes, b. Chesterfield, Derbyshire
   Henry Whitford, assistant, unmarried, male, 33 [1817/18], Assistant, b. Hackney, Middlesex
   Robert Rend, servant, unmarried, male, 24 [1826/7], Assistant, b. Rockliff, Cumberland
   Charles Pocock, servant, unmarried, male, 24 [1826/7], Assistant, b. Shoreditch, Middlesex
   Edwin Wallington, servant, unmarried, male, 20 [1830/1], b. Piddington, Oxfordshire
   Susan Barrett, servant, unmarried, female, 38 [1812/13], House Servant, b. St George Hanover Square, Middlesex
   Mary Whittle, servant, unmarried, female, 23 [1827/8], House Servant, b. Hoxton, Middlesex
   Ann Elton, servant, unmarried, female, 22 [1828/9], House Servant, b. Amerwick[?], Surrey

4. ↑ England. England and Wales. 1871 Census Schedules. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG10; Piece 838; Folio 19; Page 30, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Stone Hall, Oxted, Surrey
   George Barker, head, married, male, 55 [1815/16], General Merchant, b. London
   Mary A.K. Barker, wife, married, female, 43 [1827/8], b. London
   Hilton C. Barker, son, unmarried, male, 23 [1847/8], Wine Merchant, b. London
   Herbert Barker, son, unmarried, male, 22 [1848/9], Wine Merchant, b. London
   William Barker, son, unmarried, male, 21 [1849/50], Merchants Clerk, b. London
   Ada M. Barker, daughter, unmarried, female, 19 [1851/2], b. London
   Alfred Barker, son, unmarried, male, 18 [1852/3], Articled Clerk to Solicitors, b. London
   Zilia Barker, daughter, unmarried, female, 11 [1859/60], b. Paris, France
   Helen B. Barker, daughter, unmarried, female, 7 [1863/4], b. London
   Leon H. Barker, son, unmarried, male, 6 [1864/5], b. London
   Nina N. Barker, daughter, unmarried, female, 1 [1869/70], b. London
   Noeima J. Hoffman, governess, unmarried, female, 29 [1841/2], Governess, b. Paris
   Eliza Holder, servant, unmarried, female, 30 [1840/1], Cook, b. London
   Ellen Gray, servant, unmarried, female, 24 [1846/7], Parlour Maid, b. Taunton
   Jane Sills, servant, unmarried, female, 18 [1852/3], Housemaid, b. London
   Kate Mayall, servant, unmarried, female, 20 [1850/1], Kitchen Maid, b. Surrey
   Ernestine Mousse, servant, unmarried, female, 16 [1854/5], Nurse, b. Paris

5. ↑ England. 1881 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands: . (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG11; Piece 805; Folio 74; Page 68, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: Stonehall, Oxted, Surrey
   George Barker, head, married, male, 66 [1814/15], Banker (Spirit Merchant), b. London, Middlesex
   Mary A.K. Barker, wife, married, female, 51 [1829/30], b. London, Middlesex
   Ada M. Charlton, daughter, widow, female, 29 [1851/2], b. London, Middlesex
   Robert Barker, visitor, unmarried, male, 28 [1852/3], Captain in Navy, b. Walpole, Norfolk
   Julia A. Barker, daughter, unmarried, female, 21 [1859/60], b. Paris (British Subject)
   Nina N. Barker, daughter, unmarried, female, 11 [1869/70], b. Oxted, Surrey
   George Charlton, grandson, male, 7 [1873/4], b. Worsley, Lancashire
   Alice M. Charlton, granddaughter, female, 6 [1874/5], b. Worsley, Lancashire
   Alfred Barker, son, unmarried, male, 28 [1852/3], Solicitor, b. London, Middlesex
   Noemi Hoffman, governess, unmarried, female, 40 [1840/1], Governess, b. Algiers (French Subject)
   Edith A. Dawkins, servant, unmarried, female, 22 [1858/9], Parlor Maid (Domestic Servant), b. Binham[?], Essex
   Caroline Dissin, servant, unmarried, female, 36 [1844/5], Housemaid (Domestic Servant), b. London, Middlesex
   Charlotte Jones, servant, unmarried, female, 27 [1853/4], Cook (Domestic Servant), b. Southwark, Surrey
   Henee Ledordre[?], servant, unmarried, female, 25 [1855/6], Nurse (Domestic Servant), b. France (French Subject)
   Honor M. Brown, servant, unmarried, female, 20 [1860/1], Kitchenmaid (Domestic Servant), b. Bodham, Norfolk

6. ↑ England. 1891 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG12; Piece 82; Folio 150; Page 18, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 37 Queens Mansions, Victoria Street, Westminster (St Margaret & St John), London
   George Barker, head, married, male, 78 [1812/13], Merchant & Banker, employer, b. City of London, Middlesex
   Mary Ann K. Barker, wife, married, female, 60 [1830/1], b. City of London, Middlesex
   George F. Charlton, grandson, single, male, 19 [1871/2], Electric Engineer, employed, b. Worsley, Manchester
   Mary A. Chaplin, servant, single, female, 28 [1862/3], General Servant, b. Bramford, Suffolk
   Helen Stuart, servant, single, female, 30 [1860/1], General Servant, b. London, Middlesex

7. ↑ Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   d. George BARKER, March Quarter 1899, Paddington Registration District, Volume 1a, page 55, aged 84 [1814/15]

8. ↑ Morning Post, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
   Page 1, 16 Feb 1899.

   DEATHS.
   BARKER. - On the 13th inst., at 84, Gloucester-terrace, Hyde-park, George Barker, aged eighty-four.

9. ↑ Nunhead Cemetery Registers (Southwark London Borough Council / deceasedonline.com).

   bur. 17 Feb 1899: George Barker, aged 84

10.   St James’s Gazette, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
    Page 7, 10 Dec 1892.

    MESSRS. BARKER AND CO.'S FAILURE.
    THE PUBLIC EXAMINATION.
    At the London Bankruptcy Court yesterday, the public examination of Messrs. Barker and Co., merchants and bankers, of Mark-lane and elsewhere, was resumed before Mr. Registrar Giffard.
    MR. H.C. BARKER'S EVIDENCE.
    Mr. H.C. Barker was again called and further examined by Mr. Cooper Willis, Q.C., his counsel. He said that the assets of the firm other than those shown in the balance-sheet of 1887 were estimated at £115,000; his father's separate estate being valued for realization at £160,000. Up to about June 19 he believed that the assets of the firm were more than sufficient to meet all liabilities, although their securities could not be realized in time to meet a sudden run on the bank should this occur. The sums paid by the firm as interest on deposits had amounted to about £40,000 a year. So far as the bankrupt was concerned, the result of the failure had been utter ruin, as he had not only lost his interest in the business, but the expectation which he had always had from his father's estate.
    MR. GEORGE BARKER EXAMINED.
    Mr. George Barker, the senior partner, was then called. The bankrupt, who is seventy-seven years of age and very deaf, was accommodated with a seat during his examination. In answer to Mr. Lyttleton for the Official Receiver, he said that in 1863 he took over a business of bankers and merchants from the representatives of a firm which was then in liquidation. In 1877 the witness took his two sons into partnership. He himself had not taken any active part in the management of the business: for many years resided chiefly in Paris. He was not consulted as to the starting of the various companies in which the firm were interested. In 1887 he had an income of about £4,000 a year from the rental of house-property in London and elsewhere. In January, 1891, he took his son George Ernest Barker into partnership in the distillery and wine and spirit business.
    By Mr. A.J. Benjamin: A sum of £20,000 was obtained in August, 1891, from the trustees of his marriage settlement on mortgage of the Oxted property. He believed £8,000 of the money went to the distillery as extra capital, and £12,000 to the bank. He could not recollect the particular channel through which the money was paid, and objected to being asked twaddling questions. He denied, however, that the money was advanced on current account to Barker and Co. as bankers. His property in Madrid was acquired many years ago in respect of advances, amounting to £20,000 or £30,000, which he had made to a Spanish railway. The distillery in Holborn was sold about twelve months ago for £16,000. His son Hilton Barker was one of the trustees under the settlement referred to.
    Mr. H.C. Barker was recalled and questioned by Mr. Benjamin as to the advance made to the bank by his father in August, 1891. He entirely denied that the money was required because the bank was in difficulty at the time, though he might have told his father that things just then were rather fishy in the money market. The trust funds were invested in railway and other securities, and were never lodged with Barker's Bank.
    Mr. William Barker was then called, and, in answer to Mr. Lyttleton, said that he agreed generally with the evidence given by his partner.
    Ultimately the examination was adjourned till March the 10th.