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Thomas John Barker (1855-1925)
Red Gum
by Robyn Buchanan
People researching the history of Ipswich today still find assistance and inspiration in the writings of Queensland Times journalist Tom Barker.
Tom loved his home town and in the 1890s, he started to record its history as he remembered it. He interview pioneers and wrote many articles about the early days, adopting the pen name “Red Gum”.
He wrote about major events but he also recorded the additional tiny details of life which can make history so fascinating.
Tom was born in Ipswich on March 29 1855, the son of a carpenter. He attended the Church of England Day School and later John Scott’s school, then at the age of 13, joined the Queensland Times as an apprentice.
In 1878, he went to Sydney for a year and on his return, took charge of the printing section of the Ipswich Observer. From 1880 to 1890, he travelled: Brisbane, Mackay, Brisbane again, Cooktown, Cairns and Townsville.
He finally returned to Ipswich as foreman at the Queensland Times, then when type-setting machines arrived, he became a reporter. He is now best-known for his history articles and for sports articles written as “Old Sport”.
His grand-daughter Sybil Patrick remembers him clearly.
She said her grandparents lived in Darling Street. The Queensland Times building at that time was on the corner of Brisbane and Ellenborough Streets, and Tom Barker walked to work every day, coming home again for lunch.
“He looked very elegant when he walked up the road at dinner time, always in a grey suit and grey felt hat and walking stick,” Mrs Patrick said.
She remembers that he spent a lot of time just talking to people along the street – that was how he found out what was happening in Ipswich.
He was obviously popular and his name was often mentioned at local events – from formal dinners to a riverside picnic for school teachers. When Ipswich was totally isolated during the 1893 Floods, he was part of the QT group which went on a dangerous trip to find out what was happening.
Tom’s office was on the upper floor of the QT building, accessed by a steep flight of stairs. He always wrote with an old-fashioned pen and ink and it was only on his 70th birthday in 1925 that the QT staff presented him with an inscribed fountain pen.
On that day, many tributes were paid to him:
“He has been the means of fostering a very real pride in the part the city has played in the history of the state. In the field of sport, he has been a source of encouragement to the younger generation,” his fellow workers said.
SEVENTY, NOT OUT.
THE RECORD OF "OLD SPORT."
PRESENTATION TO MR. T. J. BARKER
On Sunday, March 29, Mr. Thomas J. Barker, a member of the "Queensland Times" literary staff, known to a very wide circle of readers as "Old Sport," attained his 70th birthday. Hearty congratulations will be extended to him from many quarters. After a varied experience, ranging over a wide field , in the newspaper sphere of Queensland as compositor, publisher, reporter, sporting writer, editor, and proprietor, he has won the esteem of all with whom he came in contact, and today, because of a straightforward and honourable career, Tom Barker, as he is affectionately known, is able to look back on a veritable host of friends who admire him for his many excellent and manly qualities.
Mr. Barker is the eldest son of the late Mr. and Mrs. T. R. Barker, who came to Queensland from Cambridge, England, in the sailing ship General Hewitt, and spent their first Christmas in Australia in 1854. His father was a carpenter and joiner. "Old Sport" was horn in Nicholas-street. Ipswich, in 1855, and attended the old Church of England Day School (under the late Mr. Hugh Stowell) and the Primary School, East Ipswich, conducted by the late Mr. John Scott. At an early age he entered the employ of the "Queensland Times" 'as an apprentice. In '78 he left Ipswich for Sydney, returning the following year to take charge of the publishing department of the "Ipswich Observer," afterwards the first daily (evening) newspaper to be published in this city. In 1880 he supervised the removal of the "Observer" plant to Brisbane, where he remained for some time. His next move was to Mackay in charge of the "Free Press." After six months he return-ed to Brisbane, and entered the Government Printing Office. The wanderlust again impelled him North, and in Cooktown, Cairns, and Townsville he was occupied in different' branches of newspaper work for 10 years. He returned to the "Queensland Times" in May, 1890, as foreman. With the arrival of type setting machines he was transferred to the literary staff of the "Times," and has since remained in that capacity, his contributions to its columns under the pen names of "Red Gum" and "Old Sport' being long familiar with and greatly appreciated by our readers.
A PROMINENT FIGURE.
Mr. Barker had been a prominent figure in outdoor sports in Ipswich, particularly cricket, on which he is an accepted local authority. As a boxer as a young man he had no mean reputation, and today, at three score years and ten, the athletic achievements of his youth have left their impress in his deportment. He was an active member for a number of years of the State Military Forces, and upon his retirement held the rank of Staff Sergeant. In Defence matters he has ever been a keen enthusiast, and he has to his credit that throughout the Great War he never missed an opportunity of attending at the Ipswich railway station to welcome our returning soldiery, whilst he was a camp visitor on the day of embarkation for service overseas of all troops that left for the Boer War as well as for the Great War. He is a member of the Returned Sailors and Soldiers' Fathers' Association, of which body he has also been President, and he is Past-president of the Navy and Army Veterans' Brigade.
Amongst his many activities as a citizen he initiated the "Reunion of Ipswich Natives" movement, and has acted as Secretary in this connection on three occasions. Mr. Barker has made a very valuable contribution to the best traditions of Ipswich citizenship, having kept alive the early history of the community by this Press work, featuring all that was best in the public activity of our earlier residents. In no small measure has be been the means of fostering in the minds of Ipswich natives a very real pride in the part that the city has played in the history of the State. In the field of sport he has been a source of encouragement to the younger generation to excel along the best lines of manly conduct and endeavour, and as far as the turf is concerned, his pen has never flagged in an effort to keep "the game" clean, pointing to a higher plane in the conduct of meetings, and urging a more careful selection of sires towards a general betterment.
Three score years and ten is a long. lease, but Tom Barker has borne the heat and burden of the day in such a manner that is still an active and particularly useful .member of society, retaining an affection and esteem that comes only to the manly man with a fearless and broadminded outlook. A long list of acquaintances in the four corners of the State and Ipswich and his brothers of the pen, wherever they may be, will wish him many more years yet of health and happiness. The Sydney "Referee" was amongst the first to do so. "Old Sport" still plays the game, and plays it as ardently and as strictly to rules as ever he did. Seventy not out. 'Tis a fine score. An occasional "life" has been given him , perhaps ; but still his wickets stand.
PRESENTATION.
The members of the "Queensland Times" staff in all departments last night gathered round "the stone" in the composing room to congratulate Mr, Barker on reaching his 79th birth-. day, and to afford him some tangible evidence of the esteem in which he is held by them. Mr. W. E. Lingard (General Manager) spoke in appreciative terms of Mr. Barker's Journalistic services, referring, in addition, to his earlier and pleasant associations of over 30 years ago, when Mr. Barker was foreman of the printing department. In sympathetic terms he expressed the sincere regard that was. felt for their guest by all those who had subscribed to the presentation, and said, at a later stage, that it afforded, him very much pleasure in handing to him, on their behalf, a gold-mounted inscribed fountain pen, a handsome clock bearing the inscription : ''To 'Old Sport,' T. J.' Barker, from the 'Q.T.' staff as a token" of esteem on his 70th birthday- 29/3/ '25." and a cash donation. Messrs. F. J. Meacham (associate editor), K. S. McGill. (sub-editor), and W. Baker (of the literary staff), Mr. W. McDermott (reading room), and H. Shapcott (clerical staff) ,also spoke in con-gratulatory terms. The Mayor ( AId. A. T. Stephenson) voiced the appreciation of the directors, handing to Mr. Barker, on their behalf a wallet of notes, at the same time expressing the hope that he would long be spared to continue as a member of the "QT" staff. Mr. Barker responded in happy vein. the function was a complete surprise to him, and he deeply appreciated the expressions of good-will.
'Seventy, Not Out', Queensland Times, Tuesday 31 March 1925, p. 4
Death registration: 1925/C/2192
Birth registration: 1854/BBP/1129
Tom had a daughter and four sons.Reference for Family (offline)Queensland Births, Deaths, Marriages
Death registration: 1925/C/2192
Went to Sydney in 1878, returned the following year, taking over the Ipswich Observer newspaper. Over the next few years, worked for newspapers in Brisbane, Mackay, Cooktown, Cairns, and Townsville.
Returned to the Queensland Times, as foreman, by May 1890. When type-setting machines arrived, he was transferred to the literary staff and continued working as a journalist for the paper until his death in 1925.