Person
Barker, George Herbert (1880 - 1965)
- Born
- 21 January 1880
Hunter's Hill, New South Wales, Australia - Died
- 25 June 1965
Windsor, Queensland, Australia - Occupation
- Business executive and Ornithologist
Summary
George Barker was proprietor of Barkers Book Store in Brisbane, which he had originally started with his father in 1907, until his retirement in 1954. Because ornithology was one of his major interests the shop became a focal point for ornithology in Queensland. He was also a keen camper and organised several of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union campouts. Barker was a keen member of the Field Naturalists' Club of Queensland and its successor, the Queensland Naturalists' Club, serving several term as President, almost continuously on council from 1921 to 1955, and ten years as excursion secretary.
Details
Born Hunter's Hill, New South Wales, 21 January 1880. Died Windsor, Queensland, 25 June 1965. Educated Fort Street Model School. Angus and Robertson's bookshop 1897-1907; started Barker's Book Store with his father 1907 and worked there till he retired in 1954. The bookshop became a focal point for ornithology in Queensland. Secretary, Queensland branch, Royal Australasian Ornithologists' Union 1922-56; foundation member (1924) and sometime president, Queensland Booksellers' Association; instrumental in forming Australian Booksellers' Association, president 1949-51; president, Field Naturalists' Club of Queensland 1920-21, Queensland Naturalists' Club 1935-36 and 1947-48; foundation treasurer, Queensland National Parks Association 1930-46; president, Royal Australasian Ornithologists' Union 1940-41.
Chronology
- 1920 - 1921
- Career position - President, Field Naturalists' Club of Queensland
- 1922 - 1956
- Career position - Secretary, Queensland Branch, Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union
- 1930 - 1946
- Career position - Foundation Treasurer, Queensland National Parks Association
- 1935 - 1936
- Career position - President, Queensland Naturalists' Club
- 1940 - 1941
- Career position - President, Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union
- 1947 - 1948
- Career position - President, Queensland Naturalists' Club
Related entries
Published resources
Books
- Doolan, Ken, A Commanding Presence: the Life of G.H. Barker, Bookseller, Naturalist and Ornithologist (Canberra: Ginninderra Press, 2002), 206 pp. Details
Book Sections
- Zerner, M. E., 'Barker, George Herbert (1880--1965), bookseller and naturalist' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 13: 1940 - 1980 A-De, John Ritchie, ed. (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1993), p. 112. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A130135b.htm. Details
Journal Articles
- 'In Memoriam: George Herbert Barker', Queensland Naturalist, 18 (1/2) (1966), 1-4. Details
Resources
- Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q21538159. Details
- VIAF - Virtual International Authority File, OCLC, https://viaf.org/viaf/65862144. Details
- 'Barker, George Herbert (1880-1965)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1466970. Details
See also
Rosanne Walker and Helen Cohn
Created: 5 November 1999, Last modified: 24 May 2022
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