Born at Lamb Close House, Eastwood, on 17 October 1881, William Barber was educated at Eton where he was in the XI as a good wicket-keeper and right-hand batsman in 1900. He was one of the XXII Colts in April 1900 and played in one First-Class match for Notts v Lancashire in August 1904, when he scored 7, caught one and stumped one. Colonel Barber’s career in club cricket spanned a long time and he represented the Army on many occasions. Almost 20 years after his First-Class debut, Col Barber played his second and final First-Class match for the Army v Oxford University at Oxford in June 1924; he scored 4 and 2 and caught one.
Amongst the clubs he appeared for were MCC, I Zingari, Free Foresters, Green Jackets, Eton Ramblers, Stragglers of Asia, Army of the Rhine, Aldershot Command and Catterick Garrison.
He was a professional soldier with the King’s Royal Rifle Corps and was awarded the Military Cross in 1916. He resided at Ranby Hall near Retford where he died on 26 April 1971 aged 89 years.
His nephew was Sir William Francis Barber, a mining engineer who also attended Eton, and whose son, Thomas David Barber, played two First-Class matches for Notts in 1960.
May 2020
Nottinghamshire First-Class Number: 287