A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Barker, George (a)
BARKER. (Vice-Admiral of the Red, 1840. f-p., 27; h-p., 49.)
George Barker entered the Navy, 1 June, 1771, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Barfleur, Capt. Milbanke, bearing the flag at Portsmouth of Sir Thos. Pye; removed in 1777 to the Resolution, Capt. Sir Chaloner Ogle, stationed off the coast of Portugal; served subsequently, in the Channel and West Indies, as Midshipman of the Vengeance, Capts. Mich. Clements and Hon. Fred. Maitland, Preston, Capt. Wm. Truscott, and Montagu, Capt. John Houlton; and, on 19 March, 1782, was promoted to a Lieutenancy in the Dromedary, flag-ship in the Downs of Vice-Admiral Wm. Drake. After an interval of seven years, he next, between June, 1790, and the date of his promotion to the rank of Commander, 19 Dec. 1796, served, on the Newfoundland, Mediterranean, West India, and Home stations, in the Pegasus 28, Capts. Herbert Sawyer and Wm. Domett, and St. Albans 64, and Pompée 74, both commanded by Capt. Jas. Vashon. He then joined the Incendiary 14, in which vessel he assisted at the destruction of the French store-ship Suffrein, off Ushant, 8 Jan. 1797; and, on 8 June, 1799, was confirmed in the command of the Barfleur 98, bearing the flag in the Mediterranean of Lord Keith, whom he presently accompanied into the Queen Charlotte 100. He left the latter ship, however, on 14 July in the same year; and was subsequently appointed – 21 Feb. 1801 [errata 1], to the Severn 44, on the West India station, whence he returned in Jan. 1803 – and, 19 Feb. 1806, to the Impress service at Bristol, which he continued to regulate until 18 July, 1810. He has since been on half-pay. His advancement to the rank of Rear-Admiral took place 6 June, 1825; and to that of Vice-Admiral 12 Nov. 1840.
He married, 8 Jan. 1833, Mary Ann, daughter of J. Hunter, Esq., of Compton Terrace, Islington. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.