Thomas Holliday Barker | |
|---|---|
 Portrait fromFifty Years of Food Reform (1898) | |
| Born | 6 July 1818 Peterborough, England |
| Died | 26 June 1889 (1889-06-27) (aged 70) Fallowfield, England |
| Occupation(s) | Temperance andvegetarianism advocate |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 4 |
Thomas Holliday Barker (6 July 1818 – 26 June 1889) was an Englishtemperance andvegetarianism advocate. He was a founding member of theUnited Kingdom Alliance (UKA).
Thomas Holliday Barker was born inPeterborough on 6 July 1818.[1][2] As a young man he was employed as a clerk for a wine merchant. He worked for Wood & Westhead warehousemen inManchester from 1844 to 1851.[3] He then became an accountant and commission agent at an office onPrincess Street, Manchester.[4][3] Barker suffered from poor health and became ateetotaller.[4] In 1837, he signed an abstinence pledge and became secretary of the Spalding Temperance Society.[2]
In 1843, Barker refused to drink the fermented wine at Wesleyan chapel inLincoln. This generated controversy, and he was disciplined by the church. As a result, he severed his connection with them.[2] He appealed for support fromFrederic Richard Lees.[4]
Barker was a founding member of theUnited Kingdom Alliance (UKA) and its secretary from 1853 to 1883.[4] He was paid £500 a year and became a well known temperance leader in Britain.[4] He married Millicent Bates in 1844 and they had four sons.[4]
Barker communicated with American temperance advocates such asEdward C. Delavan andNeal Dow.[4] He was a founder of the Union and Emancipation Society. Barker was a vegetarian. In the 1850s, he served in the committee of the Manchester and Salford Vegetarian Association. He authored the vegetarian book,Thoughts, Facts and Hints on Human Dietetics.[4] Barker was influential in convertingFrancis William Newman to vegetarianism.[4] He was an early member of theVegetarian Society.[5] He also served as vice-president of the Society.[6]
Barker died inFallowfield on 26 June 1889.[3]
