Alfred Barry (15 January 1826 – 1 April 1910) was the third Bishop of Sydney serving 1884–1889. Over the course of his career, Barry served as headmaster of independent schools, Principal of King's College London university and founded Anglican schools such as Shore School. He officiated at the funeral of Charles Darwin in 1882.


Alfred Barry
Bishop of Sydney
Photograph of Barry, c. 1890, by Elliott & Fry
Barry, c. 1890, by Elliott & Fry
ChurchChurch of England
DioceseSydney
In office1884–1889
PredecessorFrederic Barker
SuccessorSaumarez Smith
Other post(s)
Orders
Ordination1850 (as deacon)
by Thomas Turton
1853 (as priest)
by Samuel Wilberforce
Consecration1 January 1884
by Edward White Benson
Personal details
Born(1826-01-15)15 January 1826
Ely Place, Holborn, London
Died1 April 1910(1910-04-01) (aged 84)
Windsor
BuriedWorcester Cathedral
DenominationAnglican
Parents
Spouse
Louisa Victoria Hughes
(m. 1851)
Children4
EducationKing's College School
Alma materTrinity College, Cambridge
Coat of armsCoat of arms of Alfred Barry
Barry's grave in the Worcester Cathedral cloisters

Life edit

He was born in Ely Place, Holborn in London,[1] the son of the eminent architect, Sir Charles Barry and Sarah Rowsell, and had four brothers; Charles Barry (junior), Edward Middleton Barry, John Wolfe-Barry and Godfrey Barry.[2]

From King's College School, he went to Trinity College, Cambridge (B.A., 1848; M.A., 1851), where his performance as 4th Wrangler (aeq.) and 7th Classic won him a minor fellowship and a Smith's prize.[3] In 1850 he became a major fellow and was made deacon in the Church of England by Bishop Thomas Turton of Ely; Bishop Wilberforce of Oxford ordained him priest in 1853. He continued with divinity studies (B.D., 1860; D.D., 1866). Oxford gave him an honorary DCL in 1870, as did Durham in 1888.[4]

He was consecrated in Westminster Abbey on 1 January 1884 by the Archbishop of Canterbury, assisted by the Bishops of London, Durham, Lincoln, Rochester, Dover and Bishop Perry. On 24 April, he was enthroned in St. Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney, installed as Bishop of Sydney and recognised as metropolitan of New South Wales and Primate of Australia and Tasmania.[2]

Barry returned to England in 1889 and was appointed an Assistant Bishop of Rochester. In 1891 he was appointed Canon of the eleventh stall at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, a position he held until 1910.[5] He was installed there on 13 January 1891;[6] and in October–December 1891 he provided cover for Edward Bickersteth (Bishop of Exeter) while the latter was away in Japan.[7]

Remaining a Canon of Windsor, he was also appointed Rector of St James's, Piccadilly, in 1895 (taking up the post after Michaelmas)[8] and beginning to give episcopal assistance to the Bishop of London; he was (additionally) commissioned an Assistant Bishop of London in April 1897,[9] which general commission he retained until his death.

Alfred Earle, suffragan Bishop of Marlborough, was often in ill-health during this period, and Barry (whose parish was within Marlborough's area) frequently deputised for him; when Earle resigned his responsibilities for West London in June 1900, Barry took these up (but not the See of Marlborough).[10] Barry himself then resigned those responsibilities (for the rural deaneries of Westminster, Hampton, and Uxbridge) on medical advice in February 1903 and retired to the cloisters at Windsor Castle.[11] He died at Windsor and his body lies in the cloisters of Worcester Cathedral. He was survived by his wife Louisa Victoria, daughter of Canon Hughes of Peterborough, whom he had married on 13 August 1851, and by two sons and a daughter. Another daughter, Mary Louisa (1862–1880) died young and was buried beneath the cloisters of his burial place.

Brief history edit

Sermons & other writings edit

  • Lectures on Christianity and Socialism (London, 1890)
  • He had written a well-informed biography of his father in 1867 and defended his designs for the Palace of Westminster against the supporters of Augustus Welby Pugin in 1868.
  • In 1881 he edited the architectural lectures of his eldest brother, Edward Middleton.
  • As late as 1908 he published four lectures for St George's Chapel entitled Do we Believe?
  • Published Introduction to the Old Testament, Notes on the Gospels; Notes on the Catechism; The Teacher's Prayer Book as well as various volumes of Sermons. Contributed to Smith's Dictionary of the Bible.

References edit

  1. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 September 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ a b Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Barry, Sir Charles s.v. Alfred Barry" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 3 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 444.
  3. ^ "Barry, Alfred (BRY843A)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  4. ^ Alfred Barry Biography
  5. ^ Fasti Wyndesorienses, May 1950. S.L. Ollard. Published by the Dean and Canons of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.
  6. ^ "Church news". Church Times. No. 1460. 16 January 1891. p. 59. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 19 September 2020 – via UK Press Online archives.
  7. ^ "Church news". Church Times. No. 1498. 9 October 1891. p. 959. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 19 September 2020 – via UK Press Online archives.
  8. ^ "Church news". Church Times. No. 1700. 23 August 1895. p. 186. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 19 September 2020 – via UK Press Online archives.
  9. ^ "Church news". Church Times. No. 1784. 2 April 1897. p. 387. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 19 September 2020 – via UK Press Online archives.
  10. ^ "Church news". Church Times. No. 1951. 15 June 1900. p. 690. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 19 September 2020 – via UK Press Online archives.
  11. ^ "Church news". Church Times. No. 2089. 6 February 1903. p. 170. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 19 September 2020 – via UK Press Online archives.
  12. ^ "Church News (col. 2)". Church Times. No. 1784. 2 April 1897. p. 387. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 27 May 2019 – via UK Press Online archives.
  13. ^ "in memoriam: Bishop Barry". Church Times. No. 2463. 8 April 1910. p. 476. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 27 May 2019 – via UK Press Online archives.

Further reading edit

External links edit

  Media related to Alfred Barry at Wikimedia Commons

Academic offices
Preceded by Principal of King's College London
1868–1883
Succeeded by
Anglican Communion titles
Preceded by Bishop of Sydney
1884 to 1889
Succeeded byas Archbishop of Sydney
Preceded by Primate of the Church of England in Australia and Tasmania
1884 to 1889
Succeeded by