Born in Singapore on 1 December 1920, he was a Eurasian Singaporean,[3] Barker was the son of Clarence Barker and Dorothy Evaline Paterson.
Barker was of Portuguese, German, Indonesian, Japanese, Scottish and Irish descent and was third in a family of five children. His great-great-grandfather was Thomas Owen Crane (1799–1869), an Irishman and one of the first ten Europeans to settle in Singapore and his great-great-great-grandfather was Sir (Dr) Jose D Almeida (1784–1850), a Portuguese doctor and well-known businessman in early Singapore.
Barker was educated at Serangoon English School and Raffles Institution, before enrolling into Raffles College (now the National University of Singapore) in 1940. Barker was a top athlete in his school and university days. He represented Raffles College in cricket, soccer, rugby, athletics and hockey. A talented sportsperson, Barker was selected to represent Singapore as a member of the national hockey team while he was still a schoolboy. He is also known as a guitar player.[4]
Barker practised law in Singapore from 1956 to 1964 at the law firms Braddell Brothers and Lee & Lee. He was persuaded to enter politics in 1963 by Lee Kuan Yew. Barker was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly in 1963, representing Tanglin. He continued to represent Tanglin in the Parliament of Singapore until 1988, being re-elected six times by uncontested walkovers. He also held several ministerial positions during his period of service.
Barker served as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 1963 to 1964.[6] In 1964, he was appointed as Minister for Law, and continued to hold that post until 1988. As Minister for Law, he drafted the Proclamation of Singapore in 1965, announcing Singapore's separation from Malaysia.
Barker retired from politics in 1988 after 25 years of service. Other roles Barker held included being the first President of the Singapore National Olympic Council from 1970 to 1990, President of the South-East Asia Peninsular Games Federation Council in 1973, Chairman of the Bukit Turf Club from 1989 to 1994, and Chairman of the Singapore Exchange from 1989 to 1993.
Death
Barker died on 12 A
April 2001 at 12:40 pm at the National University Hospital, after two months of intensive care following an emergency colon surgery in February 2001. He left behind his wife Gloria Hyacinth Quintal and four children.[5]
