BARR, JAMES (1820-85) was born in Glasgow and had a careful upbringing in the Scots and Presbyterian tradition. Arriving in Otago by the Mariner (1849), he and a brother farmed for some years at Halfway Bush. Finding this occupation not sufficiently profitable, he left in 1851 for Sydney, where he spent five years. He took a great interest in the social aspect of early Otago and was secretary of the committee which promoted winter lectures. He floated some of the early building societies. Barr was in business for many years in Walker Street and Stafford Street and finally at the Phoenix Bond. He took little part in politics, except in the days of the Otago convention, which was established to protest against the abolition of the provincial system (1875). Barr had a pleasant literary turn and published many articles on the early life of the province, as well as a volume entitled The Old Identities (1879). He was the first secretary of the Old History Society of Otago. Barr died on 4 Apr 1885.

Barr, op. cit.; Hocken, Bibliog. and Otago; Otago Daily Times, 24 Apr 1885.

Reference: Volume 1, page 37

🌳 Further sources