IN MEMORIAM

HENRY FORD BARCLAY, chairman of the Becontree Bench of Magistrates, and County Alderman, died at his residence, Monkhams, Woodford, on November 12th, aged sixty-five.

Mr. Barclay was born on September 9th, 1826, at Tooting, Surrey. He bore a name notable in the Society of Friends, as he was a direct descendant of the famous author of the Apology. His father was Mr. Ford Barclay, of Grove House, Walthamstow, and his mother, Esther, daughter of William Foster Reynolds, of Carshalton. Mr. Barclay was educated at the Forest School, Walthamstow, and thence sent to the Quaker school at Tottenham. From an early age he was passionately fond of the study of mechanics, and when he was only fifteen he wrote and printed a small work on the steam engine. As a young man, and till middle life, he never was happier than when he was engaged with his turning lathe and carving tools; he turned out many efficient clocks and model steam engines.

Soon after Mr. Barclay attained his majority, he married Richenda Louisa, the youngest daughter of Mr. Samuel Gurney, of Ham House, Upton Park; her death occurred in 1888, leaving a family of eight sons and daughters. In 1890, Mr. Barclay married Hannah Edith, daughter of Mr. Abel Chapman, of Woodford, who survives him.

After leaving the Tottenham school, young Barclay was placed in the house of Messrs. Gregson, merchants, in the City, and subsequently entered the firm of Messrs. Corry, colonial brokers, as a partner. Soon after this he became a partner in the gutta-percha works, Wharf Road; this suited his mechanical ability, and the demand for submarine cables then springing up, this business rapidly developed; and in 1864, the subject of this notice having realised an ample fortune therefrom, it was acquired by the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company, who still carry it on with conspicuous success. Shortly after this, in 1865, from his connection with the Gurney family and his own business capacity, Mr. Barclay was invited to join the board of directors of Messrs. Overend, Gurney & Co., then converted into a limited company. There is no need to dwell on the disastrous failure of Black Friday, 1866; it and its results are still but too vividly within the recollection of many. Although Mr. Barclay had taken but little part, and that for a short time, in the management of the bank, the intense anxiety caused by the prosecution of the directors, notwithstanding their final complete vindication from legal and moral wrong, and the grief for the losses which had been caused to others, were very great, although known only to his intimate friends. His own losses were very large, but he became a partner in Gurney's bank at Norwich and elsewhere, and so continued to his death, although he never took any very active part in the routine management.

On June 30th, 1857, when only thirty years of age, Mr. Barclay qualified as a County Justice, and a few years afterwards he was appointed deputy-chairman of the Becontree Bench, and we have it upon the best authority that it soon got to be known that he was more than half a lawyer. He brought to bear on the many questions coming before him the most painstaking and conscientious care and attention, coupled with a clear judgement and absolute impartiality. In 1872, upon the death of his relative, Mr. John Gurney Fry, he was elected chairman in his place, which post he held for the remainder of his life. The deep regret at his death caused among the deceased gentleman's colleagues on the bench was evidenced by the full attendance and the sympathetic utterances, especially the words of Mr. Andrew Johnston, at the Friday and Saturday courts at the Stratford Petty Sessions.

Mr. Barclay was a fairly regular attendant at Quarter Sessions, and gave especial attention to the business of the Finance Committee. In the criminal and other judicial work of Quarter Sessions he took much interest in his early days, and when the chairmanship of the court was vacated by Mr. Wingfield Baker in 1879, he would certainly have been elected to that post had he been willing to accept it. He was High Sheriff of the county in 1886.

After the passing of the Local Government Act, 1888, Mr. Barclay showed his great interest in county business by consenting to represent the Woodford Division in the new County Council. As might be expected from his past services, he was returned without a contest in January, 1889, and upon the first meeting of the new Council on January 24th, he was one of the four councillors who were elected to the aldermanic bench. Increasing ill-health has prevented his attendance and work, consequently his being known as a prominent member of the new governing body.

Mr. Barclay's work on the Epping Forest Commision must not be passed over in silence. The large enclosures which took place in the sixties properly aroused the indignation of the public, and a Royal Commission was appointed; of this Mr. Barclay was a member. It sat for three years, and heard an enormous amount of evidence and argument; subsequently presenting an exhaustive report, on which was modelled the Great Charter of the Forest, the Act of 1878. The importance of the good work done by this Commission was somewhat overshadowed in the public mind by the case of the Commission of Sewers v. Glasse, and the well known decision of Sir George Jessel, the Master of the Rolls. The Commission contributed much, however, to the happy result that was achieved, and those who knew the history of the Free Forest must be thankful for Mr. Barclay's labours in that direction.

Monkhams was a delightful place, and a near relative and neighbour has put it on record that it would be difficult to find a home where old-fashioned English family life was more perfectly exemplified. His house, his neighbourhood, and his county will sadly miss his long-familiar and much-respected presence. As was truly said by the Rev. N. R. Fitzpatrick, vicar of All Saints', Woodford Wells, where he was a constant attendant, his history was fully reflected in the words, "He died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour." He was buried in Ilford Cemetery on November 17th, with every mark of sincere respect and affection; nearly fifty carriages followed the funeral car, and the concourse of spectators was very large and sympathetic.