Frank Barker

Frank Barker and his wife Caroline travelled from England to Townsville in North Queensland c.1883. He had a letter of introduction to the Government Geologist, Professor Jack. Frank and Caroline Barker stayed in North Queensland for approximately four months before travelling to Warwick. Unfortunately, there was no work there for him, so they moved on to Ipswich.

He worked for Arthur Knight for about three years and later went into partnership with Thomas Henry Holmes, who he worked with for about six years. After the 1893 floods Frank Barker was dairying at Raceview, but he returned to contracting with Thomas Jackson.

In 1905, he purchased the Live and let Live Slaughter Yards, and five years later he was dairying once again.

Frank Barker became an Alderman for the East Ward of Ipswich in 1912 and was elected mayor in 1918.