George Digby Barker
| Sir George Digby Barker | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1833 |
| Died | 15 April 1914 (aged 80 or 81) |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
 British Army |
| Rank | General |
| Commands held |
Commander of British Troops in China and Hong Kong Governor of Bermuda |
| Battles/wars |
Anglo-Persian War Indian Mutiny |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath |
General Sir George Digby Barker GCB (Chinese Translated Name: 白加) (1833 – 15 April 1914) was a British soldier and colonial administrator.
Military career
Barker was commissioned into the 78th Regiment of Foot in 1853.[1] He served in Anglo-Persian War of 1856 and in the Indian Mutiny of 1857 and was present at Siege of Lucknow.[2]
He went on to become Adjutant of his Regiment in 1859.[3] He was then made Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster-General in 1884.[4] Then in 1874 he was made a Professor at the Staff College[5] and in 1877 Assistant Director of Military Education at Headquarters.[6]
He became Commander of British Troops in China and Hong Kong in 1890.[7] He was briefly the acting administrator of Hong Kong between May and December 1891.[8]
He was then appointed Governor of Bermuda in 1896[9] and retired in 1902.[10]
He was also Colonel of the Seaforth Highlanders.[11]
In retirement he lived at Clare Priory in Suffolk.[12]
Honours
Barker Road, where the Residence of the Chief Secretary is located (Victoria House - 15 Barker Road), on The Peak was named after him.[13][14]
Family
In 1862 he married Frances Isabella Murray and then in 1902 he married Katherine Weston Elwes with whom he had a son and two daughters.[2] One of his daughters, Helena Barker, married Francis Henry May in 1891, who would become Governor of Hong Kong from 1912 to 1919. The Helena May Institute was named after her.[15]
References
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 21404. p. 164. 21 January 1853. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
- 1 2 Armorial families : a directory of gentlemen of coat-armour
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 22222. p. 262. 25 January 1859. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 25402. p. 4373. 7 October 1884. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 24090. p. 2297. 28 April 1874. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 24477. p. 3899. 29 June 1877. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 26044. p. 2339. 22 April 1890. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
- ↑ Sarton Chair
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 26732. p. 2388. 21 April 1896. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 27417. p. 1885. 18 March 1902. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 28530. p. 6731. 12 September 1911. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
- ↑ Clare Suffolk Book III Clare Priory
- ↑ Yanne, Andrew; Heller, Gillis (2009). Signs of a Colonial Era. Hong Kong University Press. p. 58. ISBN 978-962-209-944-9.
- ↑ The Peak of Hong Kong
- ↑ Yanne, Andrew; Heller, Gillis (2009). Signs of a Colonial Era. Hong Kong University Press. pp. 62–63. ISBN 978-962-209-944-9.
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sir James Edwards |
Commander of British Troops in China and Hong Kong 1890–1895 |
Succeeded by Sir Wilsone Black |
| Government offices | ||
| Preceded by Sir William Des Vœux |
Administrator of Hong Kong May 1891 – December 1891 |
Succeeded by William Robinson |
|