The youngest of the three children of Augustus Barker, a surgeon practising in Westminster, who married Sarah Anne Wilder at St Anne’s Church, Westminster, on May 8th, 1806. His father was the Rev W H Barker, of Carmarthen. W R H Barker was born on October 17th, 1810, and, his parents dying whilst he was young, he was brought up by his uncle, the Rev Mr Barker, Vicar of Carmarthen, and was educated at a school in the town. He entered St George’s Hospital and was afterwards associated with Dr Duncan, who was in attendance at Kensington Palace, where Barker often acted as his substitute. Failing health caused him to leave London about 1835, and he settled at Wantage, where he did a considerable practice and was especially interested in surgery. He took an active part in the local affairs of the town and held several offices. He was a fine horseman, and such spare time as he had was devoted to farming. He joined the Royal Berkshire Volunteers as early as 1857, and held the rank of Surgeon Major. He married: (1) Martha Dene, by whom he had one son, who was educated at King’s College, and entered the medical profession; (2) Henrietta Jennings Hayward, by whom he had two sons and four daughters. He died at Wantage, on November 28th, 1889.