Edmund Barber (junior) was the son of Edmund Scott Barber (senior), the Senior Surveyor and Director of the Eastern Archipelago Company’s coal mines, who lived at Llantrissant House from 1849 onwards. On 26 September 1851, Edmund (senior) was accused of shooting a 20 year-old called Thomas Harrison who had trespassed with friends onto the fields surrounding the house in search of rabbits. It later transpired that after being chased by Mr. Barber, the youngster in trying to clamber through a hedge had picked up his gun and accidently shot himself through the side. The bullet passed through his lungs and the youngster died an hour later.
Edmund (junior) was a mainstay of the early Glamorganshire side having made his debut aged seventeen, whilst still at Clifton College, in the county’s two-day friendly against Carmarthenshire at Llanelli on 7 and 8 September 1863. Batting at number nine, Edmund made 0 and 4.
Despite his studies and work commitments as a civil engineer, he subsequently turned out on a regular basis for both Cardiff CC as well as the Glamorganshire team. He also appeared for Monmouthshire between 1868 and 1871, as well as playing for the West Gloucestershire club against Glamorganshire at the Arms Park on 30 June and 1 July, 1870.
He moved to Shropshire in 1872 and turned out for their team that summer against the Gentlemen of Worcestershire, the Gentlemen of Herefordshire and Incogniti. He and his wife Alice, who had been married in Roehampton in November 1869, were on the move again in 1873 as Edmund accepted a position in Colombo in Ceylon. It appears that the Barber’s made their home on the island as although Edmund died during a return visit to Devon in 1896, Alice remained in Ceylon as her death was recorded there on 16 February 1907.
BARBER, Edmund Scott
Born – Newport, 16 August 1846.
Died – Exmouth, 14 January 1896.