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Reverend Charles McClelland Barker, date unknown,
sourced from Camden Theological Library
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This is a piece I wrote for 'Descent' a genealogical magazine
A METHODIST MINISTER’S LIFE ON CIRCUIT (early 20th Century)
Reverend Charles Mclelland Barker, my great grandfather, was a well-loved Methodist Minister rotating on the country circuits in NSW at the beginning of the twentieth century. A few years into his ministry at West Wyalong, Reverend Barker had a close brush with death when he experienced a serious horse riding accident. Fortunately he recovered and went onto marry and have a family. However, only a few years later, while on circuit in Young, Reverend Barker became sick with pneumonia and died at only 37 years of age. At the time of his death, his wife Edith was pregnant with my grandfather , CHARLES MCLELLAND BARKER and had two young children.
The Reverend Charles Mclelland Barker was born in 1870 at McArthur St, Parramatta, the only son of John and Eliza Barker. John Charles Barker was the first Town Clerk of Parramatta elected in 1861 but at only age 32 John died of Tuberculosis. His young wife Eliza was a left to bring up her two year old son along with three little daughters, ages seven, five and four. Amy Eliza (1865-1935), Nina Watkin (1867-1875) and Amelia Helen McClelland (1868-1953). Sadly Nina died at the young age of eight. Eliza was remembered as ‘an upright small stern woman’1 credited with making ‘affectionate and courageous provision’ for her son. Both John and Eliza came from Wesleyan Methodist families and Eliza’s own father had and grandfather had been Methodist Ministers in New Zealand. It was no surprise that Charles too entered the ministry.
As a provisional minister Charles was already put on circuit, posted to Nyngan and then Wyalong where he fell off a horse while travelling to one of the small towns in his area. The Cumberland and Fruitgrowers Advocate3 describe the incident stating that his ‘mettlesome steed’ threw him to the ground and, his foot stuck in the stirrup, the reverend was dragged along the ground and found unconscious. He was hospitalised with his injuries and he eventually recovered, taking several months before he could return to work. He was relocated to the Coolamon Circuit. Perhaps he stayed away from horses as, in Tumut, he met my great grandmother Edith Bax on a train and their courtship began.
He was ordained in March 1900 and the following year he married Edith at the Wesleyan Church in Petersham, Sydney on 10 July, 1901. The couple holidayed in Stanwell Park and then Charles left Coolamon to take up the Casino Circuit. The Coolamon community presented him with a ‘gold Albert chain with a pendant suitably inscribed.’ and honoured him as having ‘a great knack of getting over difficulties which ministers in country circuits so often have to contend with.’
While in Casino their son Harold was born in 1903. In 1905 Edith fell pregnant with her second child . As Charles was moving on to the Young circuit, Edith went to stay with her parents in Sydney. Charles wrote to his wife that his mother, ‘will be bitterly disappointed if the baby’s name is not Charles or John. She sends no love to the baby until she knows what his name will be.’ Eliza was miffed that they had given their first born the name ‘Harold’ and not either of her husband’s names. However child number two was a girl, Kathleen, born in Woollahra in May 1906.
The following year, 1907, Edith was pregnant again and late in her confinement went to stay with her parents again in Woollahra. It wasn’t long before she received the terrible news that her husband had fallen seriously ill with pneumonia.
Edith’s mother Emma and Charles’ mother Eliza and sister Amy travelled to Young to be by his side. He died on December 6th, 1907 age only 37. Fortunately he had rallied three days earlier to write a will leaving everything to Edith.. My Grandfather Charles McClelland Barker was born on 18 January 1908, six weeks after his father’s death. When Eliza died in 1914, she was buried alongside her son in Waverley Cemetery. Her headstone is inscribed ‘In loving memory of Eliza White Barker, mother of the Rev. C. McClelland Barker.’ There is no mention of her husband or her three daughters as though Charles McClelland was all that mattered to her. ‘In death they are not divided.’ the verse reads.
A METHODIST MINISTER’S LIFE ON CIRCUIT (early 20th Century)
Reverend Charles Mclelland Barker, my great grandfather, was a well-loved Methodist Minister rotating on the country circuits in NSW at the beginning of the twentieth century. A few years into his ministry at West Wyalong, Reverend Barker had a close brush with death when he experienced a serious horse riding accident. Fortunately he recovered and went onto marry and have a family. However, only a few years later, while on circuit in Young, Reverend Barker became sick with pneumonia and died at only 37 years of age. At the time of his death, his wife Edith was pregnant with my grandfather , CHARLES MCLELLAND BARKER and had two young children.
The Reverend Charles Mclelland Barker was born in 1870 at McArthur St, Parramatta, the only son of John and Eliza Barker. John Charles Barker was the first Town Clerk of Parramatta elected in 1861 but at only age 32 John died of Tuberculosis. His young wife Eliza was a left to bring up her two year old son along with three little daughters, ages seven, five and four. Amy Eliza (1865-1935), Nina Watkin (1867-1875) and Amelia Helen McClelland (1868-1953). Sadly Nina died at the young age of eight. Eliza was remembered as ‘an upright small stern woman’1 credited with making ‘affectionate and courageous provision’ for her son. Both John and Eliza came from Wesleyan Methodist families and Eliza’s own father had and grandfather had been Methodist Ministers in New Zealand. It was no surprise that Charles too entered the ministry.
As a provisional minister Charles was already put on circuit, posted to Nyngan and then Wyalong where he fell off a horse while travelling to one of the small towns in his area. The Cumberland and Fruitgrowers Advocate3 describe the incident stating that his ‘mettlesome steed’ threw him to the ground and, his foot stuck in the stirrup, the reverend was dragged along the ground and found unconscious. He was hospitalised with his injuries and he eventually recovered, taking several months before he could return to work. He was relocated to the Coolamon Circuit. Perhaps he stayed away from horses as, in Tumut, he met my great grandmother Edith Bax on a train and their courtship began.
He was ordained in March 1900 and the following year he married Edith at the Wesleyan Church in Petersham, Sydney on 10 July, 1901. The couple holidayed in Stanwell Park and then Charles left Coolamon to take up the Casino Circuit. The Coolamon community presented him with a ‘gold Albert chain with a pendant suitably inscribed.’ and honoured him as having ‘a great knack of getting over difficulties which ministers in country circuits so often have to contend with.’
While in Casino their son Harold was born in 1903. In 1905 Edith fell pregnant with her second child . As Charles was moving on to the Young circuit, Edith went to stay with her parents in Sydney. Charles wrote to his wife that his mother, ‘will be bitterly disappointed if the baby’s name is not Charles or John. She sends no love to the baby until she knows what his name will be.’ Eliza was miffed that they had given their first born the name ‘Harold’ and not either of her husband’s names. However child number two was a girl, Kathleen, born in Woollahra in May 1906.
The following year, 1907, Edith was pregnant again and late in her confinement went to stay with her parents again in Woollahra. It wasn’t long before she received the terrible news that her husband had fallen seriously ill with pneumonia.
Edith’s mother Emma and Charles’ mother Eliza and sister Amy travelled to Young to be by his side. He died on December 6th, 1907 age only 37. Fortunately he had rallied three days earlier to write a will leaving everything to Edith.. My Grandfather Charles McClelland Barker was born on 18 January 1908, six weeks after his father’s death. When Eliza died in 1914, she was buried alongside her son in Waverley Cemetery. Her headstone is inscribed ‘In loving memory of Eliza White Barker, mother of the Rev. C. McClelland Barker.’ There is no mention of her husband or her three daughters as though Charles McClelland was all that mattered to her. ‘In death they are not divided.’ the verse reads.
Methodist (Sydney, NSW : 1892 - 1954), Saturday 20 April 1901, page 10
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Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate (Parramatta, NSW : 1888 - 1950), Saturday 7 December 1907
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1. Lynette Degotardi, “Barker Consanguinity” privately published c. 2000, 11. 2. “Death of Rev. C. McLelland Barker”, The Burrangong Argus (NSW), 7 December 1907, 2. 3. “Accident to Rev C Barker”, Cumberland Argus and Fruit Growers Advocate (Parramatta, NSW), 7 January 1899, 4. 4. “Wedding Barker-Bax”, Wagga Wagga Advertiser (NSW) 30 July 1901, 2. 5. “Rev. C. Mc. Barker”, Methodist (Sydney, NSW), 20 April 1901, 108. 6. Degotardi, “Barker Consanguinity”, 11. 7. “Will of Charles McLelland Barker”, 25 March 1908, accessed www.familysearch.org. 8. Waverley Cemetery, Bronte NSW W-16-GE-SL-3958. References Lynette Degotardi, “Barker Consanguinity” privately published
