Barker, Thomas, 1799 – 1875

Thomas Barker (1799-1875), flour manufacturer, pastoralist and parliamentarian, was born in London the son of James Barker and his wife Mary, nee Shuldham. He was trained in England as an engineer and in 1813 arrived in NSW, where he worked as an engineer and millwright. He established a flour milling business in about 1826. At later times he operated a cloth-mill, a woollen-mill and returned to flour milling with his brother, operating as Barker & Co. until 1860. Thomas Barker had extensive rural land holdings. He was a nominated member of the old Legislative Council (1853-1856) and an elected member of the NSW Legislative Council for the seat of Gloucester and Macquarie (1856-1857).