Sir George Digby Barker | |
|---|---|
_photo_in_1906_Suffolk_Leaders_(cropped).jpg) Barkerc. 1906 or earlier | |
| Born | 9 October 1833 Clare, Suffolk, England |
| Died | 15 April 1914(1914-04-15) (aged 80) Risbridge, Suffolk, United Kingdom |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  British Army |
| Rank | General |
| Commands | Commander of British Troops in China and Hong Kong General Officer Commanding (or Commander-in-Chief) Bermuda |
| Battles / wars | Anglo-Persian War Indian Mutiny |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath[1] |
GeneralSir George Digby BarkerGCB (Chinese Translated Name: 白加; 9 October 1833 – 15 April 1914) was aBritish soldier and colonial administrator.[2]
Barker wascommissioned into the78th Regiment of Foot in 1853.[3] He served inAnglo-Persian War of 1856 and in theIndian Mutiny of 1857 and was present atSiege of Lucknow.[4]
He went on to becomeadjutant of his regiment in 1859.[5] He was then made assistant adjutant and quartermaster-general in 1884.[6] Then in 1874 he was made a Professor at theStaff College[7] and in 1877 Assistant Director of Military Education at Headquarters.[8]
He becameCommander of British Troops in China and Hong Kong in 1890.[9] Under his command, the size of the garrison increased by 50 per cent in response to GovernorDes Voeux's concerns about the defence of the colony.[10]
Barker was briefly the acting administrator of Hong Kong between May and December 1891.[11] UponSir William Robinson's arrival to serve as Governor in December 1891, Barker recommended an extension of Hong Kong's northern frontier. The proposed new frontier would extend from Deep Bay to Mirs Bay, and encompass offshore islands within three miles of Hong Kong.[10] This new frontier would eventually be realised in the 1898Second Convention of Peking in which Britain leased the New Territories.
Barker was then appointedGovernor andGeneral Officer Commanding of theImperial fortresscolony ofBermuda, with its largegarrison, in 1896[12] and retired in 1902.[13]
He wascolonel of theNorth Staffordshire Regiment from 1905 to 1911 and of theSeaforth Highlanders from 1911 to 1914.[14]
In retirement he lived atClare Priory inSuffolk.[15]
Barker Road, where the Residence of theChief Secretary is located (Victoria House – 15 Barker Road), onThe Peak was named after him.[16][17]
Barker married twice.[4] 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 1891Francis Henry May, who would becomeGovernor of Hong Kong from 1912 to 1919.The Helena May Institute was named after her.[18]General Barker remarried on 30 September 1902 Katherine Weston Elwes, daughter of Edward Golding Elwes, of London.[19]
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Commander of British Troops in China and Hong Kong 1890–1895 | Succeeded by |
| Government offices | ||
| Preceded by | Administrator of Hong Kong May 1891 – December 1891 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
