BARRY, Alfred (1826-1910)

Anglican bishop of Sydney

second son of Sir Charles Barry, architect of the houses of parliament, London, was born at London on 15 January 1826. Educated at King's College, London, and Trinity College, Cambridge, he had a distinguished academic career, being fourth wrangler and seventh classic. He was ordained deacon in 1850 and priest in 1853, and was successively headmaster of Leeds Grammar School, principal of Cheltenham College, and principal of King's College, London. He was a canon of Worcester from 1871 and of Westminster Abbey from 1881. In 1883 he was appointed third bishop of Sydney and was consecrated on 1 January 1884. He was bishop of Sydney for just over five years but much of his time was spent in England. Resigning early in 1889 he returned to England and was assistant bishop at Rochester for two years, was made a canon of Windsor in 1891, was Bampton lecturer in 1892, and Hulsean lecturer at Cambridge in 1895. He was rector of St James, Westminster, from 1895 to 1900, and assistant bishop' at London from 1896 to 1900, He died at Windsor on 1 April 1910. He married in 1851, Louisa, daughter of Canon T. S. Hughes, who survived him with two sons.

Barry was a man of fine intellect, shrewd, sagacious, a hard worker, and an excellent preacher. Yet his episcopate at Sydney was not a success, partly because in spite of his many gifts, he suffered from a reserved manner and a want of personal magnetism. He was a voluminous writer, the British Museum Catalogue lists about 60 books and pamphlets. These are largely lectures and sermons, and include First Words in Australia, a collection of sermons preached in April and May 1884 and published at Sydney in the same year. His most popular book was The Teacher's Prayer-Book; being the Book of Common Prayer with Introduction and Notes. This ran into many editions. His Life and Works of Sir Charles Barry was published in 1867.

The Times, 2 April 1910; Crockford's Clerical Directory, 1910; P. Mennell, The Dictionary of Australasian Biography.