|
Sir Robert Barrie (5 May 1774 – 7 June 1841) son of Dr. Robert Barrie, a surgeon's mate with the 31st Foot. His father died when Robert was an infant and his mother then married George Clayton, a wealthy textile manufacturer. Robert entered the Royal navy in 1888 and was a midshipman on the Discovery under Captain George Vancouver during his explorations in the Pacific. On return to England in 1995 Robert was promoted to lieutenant and in 1800 he was appointed commander of the sloop Calypso. In 1801 he was gazetted captain. Barrie commanded the frigate Pomone from 1809 to 1811 when it sank. His next command was Dragon which was very active off the American cost. After the end of the war in 1815, Barrie was placed on half pay and the next year he married Julia Wharton Ingilby. They had one son and four daughters. The couple lived in France until he was appointed commissioner of the dockyard at Kingston in Upper Canada in 1819. This made him the senior naval officer in the Canadas. In 1827 he was promoted to commodore first class and in June 1834 after returning to England he was knighted. He was promoted rear-admiral in 1837, and in 1840 was created KCB. Barrie's command in the Canadas was independent of Halifax and included the inland waterways of the Canadas and the port of Quebec. The Atlantic provinces were all separate from the Canadas at this time. The city of Barrie, Ontario is named in his honour. So are Barrie Point and Barrie Reach, B.C., the village of Barriefield near Kingston and Barrie Island in Lake Huron. In 1833, Julia, Barrie's wife wrote of her attraction to the newly laid out town of Barrie for retirement, but her husband could not be inspired "with any of my mind." |