Charles William BARNARD (1856-1928)

Charles William Barnard (1856-1928) was Rector of Holy Trinity, Sutton Coldfield, where Mela Brown Constable worshipped when working at Southern Command Depot in Sutton Park.

Charles William Barnard was born in Manchester on 6th November 1856, the elder of two sons of George Francis Barnard, a wine spirit merchant, and his wife, Maria (née Swann).  He was educated at Oriel College, Oxford.  He married Australian-born Agnes Mary Farrar in 1884.  They had one daughter, Dorothy Frances (1890).

Charles was ordained in the Church of England.  From 1879-1882 he was Curate of St George’s, Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire; from 1882-1885 Curate of St Mary with St Nicholas, Beverley, Yorkshire; from 1885-1888 Vicar of Rowley Regis, Staffordshire; from 1888-1893 Rector of Churchill, Worcestershire; from 1893-1909 Vicar of Kings Norton, Worcestershire.  In 1909, Reverend Barnard moved to Sutton Coldfield; his was the first appointment to be made by the Bishop of Birmingham as part of the recently created Diocese of Birmingham.

Agnes Barnard died on 29th August 1913.  Reverend Barnard remained as Rector of Sutton Coldfield until 1926.  He died at Merlewood, Kenilworth Road, Leamington on 18th August 1928, aged 71, and was buried in Sutton Coldfield Cemetery beside his wife.