James Johnstone Barnet (abt. 1827 - 1904)

Born about 1827 in Almericlose, Angus, Scotland

Husband of Amy (Gosling) Barnet — married 22 Jul 1854 in London, Mdx, UK

Descendants

Died 16 Dec 1904 at about age 77 in Forest Lodge, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

James Barnet is Notable.

James was in the NSW Dept of Public Works from 1862 to 1890. He was the Colonial Architect and responsible for many of NSW finest buildings including the Sydney GPO and Lands Dept. His only important private commission was the St George's Presbyterian Church in Chalmers Street, Sydney.

There were more than 1,400 Barnet projects including many Lighthouses, Post Offices and Courthouses in provincial NSW. Significant among them are:- the Australian Museum in College St (1864); the Sydney GPO (1866-1890) with controversial statues in Pitt St thought to be caricatures; the Supreme Court ; King St (1868); the Redfern Mortuary and Central Railway Stations (1869): the Callan Park Hospital for the Insane (1877 - stone quarried on site): the Chief Secretary’s Dept Offices (1878): the Garden Palace International Exhibition Building: the Lands Dept Offices (1880); the Sydney Customs House (1884); the University of Sydney Medical School (1885), the Balmain Post Office and Courthouse (1885). For the more important buildings Barnet chose large, flawless blocks of sandstone from the Pyrmont Quarry. David Jones built the Courthouse at Bathurst in 1880 for a cost of 47,000 pounds with the 900 tonnes of sandstone for the face being quarried in Pyrmont and hauled to Bathurst. The clock tower was added a few years later in 1883.

Obituary

The Sydney Morning Herald, Saturday 17th December 1904. ^[1] PERSONAL. Mr. James Barnet, F.R.I.B.A., died at his residence, Braeside, Forest Lodge, early yesterday morning at the age of 78. Born at Arbroath, Scotland, in 1827, Mr. Barnet was educated at the High School of his native town, and afterwards proceeded to London, where he served five years' apprenticeship to a builder. A term of instruction in drawing and design under W. Dyce, R.A., was followed by his studying architecture under C. J. Richardson, F.R.I.B.A. In 1854 Mr. Barnet arrived in Sydney, and soon afterwards was appointed clerk of works at the Sydney University, then in progress. In 1860 he joined the Colonial Architect's Department as clerk of works, and two years later he was appointed acting Colonial Architect, and in January, 1865, succeeded Mr. Alexander Dawson as Colonial Architect, a position which he retained until his retirement from the service in 1890. Amongst the buildings carried out by him were the General Post-office, the Colonial Secretary's, Public Works, and Lands buildings, the Museum, Custom-house, Public Library, medical school at the Sydney University, and numerous gaols, lighthouses (including the present Sydney lighthouse), and other buildings throughout the State. r. Barnet has left a grown-up family of sons and daughters. One son, the Rev. Donald Barnet, is stationed at Kiama; Mr. James Barnet is an architect; and another son is in the Public Works Department. Mr. Barnet was hale and hearty up to about a month ago, when he was attacked with a bronchial affection from which he had not strength to recover. Deceased was a prominent member of the Highland Society and the Zoological Society for many years.

Notices

Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Saturday 17 December 1904. ^[2] BARNET. - The Funeral of the late Mr. JAMES J. BARNET, F.R.I.B.A., late Colonial Architect, N. S. Wales, will leave his late residence, Braeside, Ross-street, Forest Lodge, THIS (SATURDAY) AFTERNOON, at 1:30 p.m., for the Presbyterian Cemetery, Necropolis. WOOD and COMPANY. Tel., 726 etc.

The Sydney Morning Herald Wednesday 6th June 1906. ^[3] ADVERTISING By order of the Trustees of the Estate late JAMES BARNET, Esq. NORTH RYDE. An IMPROVED FARM, in area 21 ACRES 2 ROODS 25 PERCHES, fronting the west side of BLENHEIM STREET, between Cox's-road and Lucknow-road, a short distance west of the Pittwater-road, bounded on the north by Mr. W. H. Whitfield's Property, and on the south by Mr. Bunn's Farm. The improvements comprise Cottage, Stabling, and out-buildings. To be sold in ONE OR FOUR FARMS, as per plan, on view at the Rooms of the Auctioneers. Suitable for Orchard, Poultry Farms, or Piggeries, RICHARDSON and WRENCH, Ltd., will sell by auction, at the Rooms, Pitt-street, on FRIDAY, 8th June at 11o'clock. PROPERTY at NORTH RYDE. (2395)

Sources

1. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/14643562
2. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/14643402
3. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/14777292

• Baptism 17 Oct 1827 - St Vigeans - Arbroath, Scotland - "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XB6R-KXX : 12 February 2020), James Johnston Barnet, 1827. - C11319-4.
• https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/lifelink/familyhistory/search
• Death - NSW BDM DC 13029/1904.
• http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/barnet-james-johnstone-2939
• Rookwood Cemetery Sect 2A Row 4 Headstone Image - https://www.austcemindex.com/inscription?id=9215300
• Link - https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L6HJ-6RZ