Mr. T. J. BARKER.
The death occurred on Sunday night of Mr. Thomas John Barker, an old and respected resident of Ipswich. He was 70 years of age on March 29 last, and was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. T. R. Barker, who came to Queensland from Cambridge, England, in the sailing ship General Hewitt, arriving here in 1854. Born in Ipswich in 1855, he attended the old Church of England Day-School and the primary school at East Ipswich. In 1879 Mr. Barker took charge of the publishing department of the Ipswich "Observer," In 1880 he came to Brisbane, and later went to Mackay. After six months in the north he returned to Brisbane and entered the Government Printing Office. Later he again left for the north, and spent 10 years in newspaper work in Cooktown, Cairns, and Townsville. In 1890 Mr. Barker returned to Ipswich, and took up a position in on the "Queensland Times". Later he was transferred to the literary staff, and his contributions to that journal under the pen name of "Blue Gum" and "Old Sport" were well known. Mr. Barker was a prominent figure in outdoor sport, and in his younger days was a keen cricketer. As a boxer in his young days he had no mean reputation. He was a keen enthusiast of defence matters, and was a member of the Returned Sailors' and Soldiers' Fathers' Association. He was also a past president of the Army and Navy Veterans' Association, leaves a widow, one daughter (Mrs. W. H. Gilliver, of Lidcombe, New South Wales), and four sons, Messrs. T. R. Barker (Brisbane), Edgar Barker, Harry Barker, and Victor Barker, of Ipswich. He is survived by two sisters and three brothers. The funeral will take place at Ipswich this morning.
(The Daily Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1903; 1916 - 1926) Tue 2 Jun 1925 Page 10)
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Birth registration: Thomas John Barker
Birth date: 29/03/1855
Mother's name: Mary Elizabeth -
Father/parent's name: Richard
Registration details: 1854/BBP/1129

Death registration: Thomas John Barker
Death date: 31/05/1925
Mother's name: Mary Elizabeth Gibbons
Father/parent's name: Richard Barker
Registration details: 1925/C/2192