Born in London in 1875 the son of Richard Barwell FRCS, surgeon to Charing Cross Hospital, and Mary Diana Shuttleworth his wife, he was educated at Temple Grove and Westminster School, where he was Bishop Williams exhibitioner, and at St George's, where he held resident posts. Deciding to specialise as a laryngologist, he became senior clinical assistant at the Golden Square Hospital. After taking the Fellowship in 1901 he was elected to the staff of the Metropolitan Ear Nose and Throat Hospital, laryngologist to Mount Vernon Hospital, and otolaryngologist surgeon to Hampstead General Hospital, and finally surgeon to St George's throat and ear department. He was President of the Laryngological Section of the Royal Society of Medicine. He was a frequent contributor to the specialist literature and published a successful textbook on *Diseases of the larynx* in 1907, which reached a third edition in 1928. Barwell gave up his hospital appointments while still comparatively young, but continued in private practice at 39 Queen Anne Street. He retained his youthful vigour and was an excellent tennis player. Barwell married in 1907 Evelyn, daughter of James Foster Palmer MRCS. Their two sons Alan and Claud distinguished themselves in the medical profession, the latter becoming Professor of Bacteriology at the London Hospital. He died on 27 May 1959 at Fincham End, Crowthorne, Berkshire aged 83, and Mrs Barwell died on 4 August 1964.