Roderick Barker of Barkly West/Barker Family

[Mac11767]

Roderick Barker is my gr/gr/grandfather and was born in Wiklow.  He went to South Africa apparently at the age of 16 and fought is the then called "kaffir" wars.  He went as a military person and was apparently decorated.  I found some evidence that he was born in Wiklow (thats all I have), and he died in Kimberley in 1910.  I have 2 independent pieces of information corroborating birth of approx 1825.  He was referenced in a 1917 book called ""Romance and reality of the Vaal diamond diggings""
He seemed to settle in Barkly West, Cape Province and was a Diamond Digger.  Roderick married Jula Clery (birth, marriage details not known).
He had 14 children.  I know of , Gertrude my Gr Grandmother) (born 1862) and Patrick (b 1960) and have a few other names I am working on too.
Does anyone have any further information on the Barker family (siblings/baptisms/marriages) in/originating in the the Barkly West and Kimberley area?
Thanks
Steven

[pampoen]

I found this.
DEPOT     KAB                                                                   
SOURCE    CSC                                                                   
TYPE      LEER                                                                 
VOLUME_NO 2/6/1/85                                                             
SYSTEM    01                                                                   
REFERENCE 88                                                                   
PART      1                                                                     
DESCRIPTION          MOTION. IN THE MATTER OF RODERICK BARKER AND JULIA BARKER VERSUS THE 
           QUEEN IN RE APPEAL AGAINST JUDGMENT OF THE SPECIAL COURT, KIMBERLEY.
STARTING  18820000                                                             
ENDING    18820000     
     DEPOT     TAB                                                                   
SOURCE    ZTPD                                                                 
TYPE      LEER                                                                 
VOLUME_NO 5/361                                                                 
SYSTEM    01                                                                   
REFERENCE 2780/1894                                                             
PART      1                                                                     
DESCRIPTION          ILLIQUID CASE. DIVORCE. MAGDALENA JOHANNA BARKER (BORN WHITE) VERSUS 
           RODERICK.                                                           
STARTING  18940000                                                             
ENDING    18940000     
     DEPOT     VAB                                                                   
SOURCE    DLS                                                                   
TYPE      LEER                                                                 
VOLUME_NO 181                                                                   
SYSTEM    01                                                                   
REFERENCE B268                                                                 
PART      1                                                                     
DESCRIPTION          RE RODERICK BARKER OF KLIPDAM KIMBERLEY APPLICATION FOR A GRANT OF   
           LAND.                                                               
STARTING  19020000                                                             
ENDING    19060000                                                                                                                                                                     

[mknz]

Greetings Mac11767


I see that you are  a decendant  of Roderick Barker.

I am not sure when you made this post and you may have found a lot of information since you did.

I know Kevin Barker  (his great great grand son) quite well  - he is still a diamond digger in the Kimberley area of South Africa.

Although I live in new Zealand I travel to South Africa quite regularly and on the last trip (November 2019) whilst i was in Kimberley I dug out some files on Roderick Barker at the Kimberley Library but as yet have not gone through what I have found. I intend to do that some time before I travel back to South Africa - probably mid 2020.

The person who gathered most information on Roderick Barker was George Beet -  a historian on early Kimberley (and who was the nephew of Roderick Barker). He published two books - "Romance and Reality of the Vaal Diamond Diggings" published in Kimberley in 1917 and "The Grand Old Days of the Diamond Filelds"  published in Cape Town - no date given but also around 1917.

There is a very large box of information and stories of the diggings gathered by George Beet in the Kimberley Library and in 1996 the Friends of the Library published a limited edition book based chiefly on George Beets notes called "Knights of the Shovel" edited by Febe van Niekerk. This book has two pages dedicated to Roderick Barker and his role on the Vaal diamond Diggings.

I have copies of all three of these books.

If you would like more information please contact me and if you are interested I could ask Kevin Barker whether he would like to make contact.

Regards


Martin Kay

NB. I am no relation to the Barker family at all but I worked with Kevin when I was working in the diamond industry.

[Mac11767]

Hi Martin

I was so excited to get you message, and then I was quite lame in getting back to you, partly because I wanted to spend a bit of time in my response.I see that you are  a decendant  of Roderick Barker.

I am indeed researching the Barker family.  His Daughter Gertrude married my Grandfarther.  I have gathered much information including church baptisms and marriages to piece together the church.  Where I need the main help is on Roderick's past and his wife's Judith Cleary.  I have heard that some folks have done research namely Kevin.  I am in touch with some relatives in the USA who menioned his name.

I have seen extracts seen some extracts from the book but have not yet got copies of them. 

I would dearly love to make contact with Kevin.  Happy to share what I know, although likely Kevin knows a lot more.

All the best
Steven (McClure)

[R-F]

Dear Martin Kay (and hello to the Barker descendants on this thread!),

I am also researching Roderick Barker, on behalf of a descendant of his daughter Gertrude. If possible I would love to know more about the files you mention in the Kimberley Library? It would be brilliant to know what they reveal about Roderick if at all possible?

I look forward to hearing from you.

With thanks,
Rebecca

Greetings Mac11767


I see that you are  a decendant  of Roderick Barker.

I am not sure when you made this post and you may have found a lot of information since you did.

I know Kevin Barker  (his great great grand son) quite well  - he is still a diamond digger in the Kimberley area of South Africa.

Although I live in new Zealand I travel to South Africa quite regularly and on the last trip (November 2019) whilst i was in Kimberley I dug out some files on Roderick Barker at the Kimberley Library but as yet have not gone through what I have found. I intend to do that some time before I travel back to South Africa - probably mid 2020.

The person who gathered most information on Roderick Barker was George Beet -  a historian on early Kimberley (and who was the nephew of Roderick Barker). He published two books - "Romance and Reality of the Vaal Diamond Diggings" published in Kimberley in 1917 and "The Grand Old Days of the Diamond Filelds"  published in Cape Town - no date given but also around 1917.

There is a very large box of information and stories of the diggings gathered by George Beet in the Kimberley Library and in 1996 the Friends of the Library published a limited edition book based chiefly on George Beets notes called "Knights of the Shovel" edited by Febe van Niekerk. This book has two pages dedicated to Roderick Barker and his role on the Vaal diamond Diggings.

I have copies of all three of these books.

If you would like more information please contact me and if you are interested I could ask Kevin Barker whether he would like to make contact.

Regards


Martin Kay

NB. I am no relation to the Barker family at all but I worked with Kevin when I was working in the diamond industry.

[Littlenicky]

Good day to all Roderick Barker descendants,I have family in Boston America a gr/gr aunt Patsy Powell who was Roderick's gran daughter she was the daughter of Micheal Barker ,I'm not sure if she is still alive,I live in South Africa,I plan on making a trip to Ireland in the future and would like to visit the church were he was baptized in Wicklow,any help would be appreciated.