Alfred Barry

Bishop Alfred Barry

Worcester Cathedral, grave of Bishop Alfred Barry in the Cathedral Cloisters

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

Life

He was born in Ely Place, Holborn in London, 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.

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. 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 D.C.L. in 1870, as did Durham in 1888.

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 recognized as metropolitan of New South Wales and Primate of Australia and Tasmania.

In 1891 he was appointed Canon of the eleventh stall at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, a position he held until 1910. 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

• Sub-warden of Trinity College, Glenalmond from 1849 to 1854.
• Headmaster of Leeds Grammar School from 1854 to 1862.
• Headmaster of Cheltenham College from 1862 to 1868.
• Principal of King's College London, from 1868 to 1883.
• Member of the Metaphysical Society.
• Residentiary canon of Worcester in 1871, and of Westminster in 1881.
• Honorary chaplain to the Queen in 1875.
• Third Bishop of Sydney 1884–1889.
• Founded St Andrew's Cathedral School Sydney, 1885. The Bishop Barry Centre (BBC) was opened on July 1991 in Druitt St, Sydney and dedicated to his contributions in founding the school.
• Founded Sydney Church of England Grammar School Sydney, 1889.
• Assistant bishop in the diocese of Rochester, 1889 to 1891.
• Canon of St George's Chapel in 1891.
• Rector of St James, Piccadilly, 1895 to 1900.
• Assistant bishop in West London from 1897 to death.

Sermons & other writings

• 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.

Further reading

• Mennell, Philip (1892). "Barry, Right Rev. Alfred" . The Dictionary of Australasian Biography. London: Hutchinson & Co – via Wikisource.
• Dant, Charles (1902) Distinguished Churchmen, Chapter 3: The Right Rev. Alfred Barry D.D.
  • (see Wikisource:Page:Distinguished Churchmen.djvu/79 and succeeding pages)