Rectors

William Barker was the Rector of St Marylebone from 1882 – 1908. William was born in London on 1st December 1838. William was educated at Worcester College, Oxford and ordained in 1862.

He began his ecclesiastical career as Curate of Hanover Chapel, Regent Street after which he was the Chaplain to the Royal Ophthalmic Hospital, Moorfields. He was Vicar of St Mary’s, West Cowes from 1873 to 1882 and an Honorary Chaplain to the Queen. From 1882 to 1888 he was a member of the London School Board, representing Marylebone.

He was Rector of St Marylebone from 1882 until his elevation to the Deanery of Carlisle in 1908. It was under Barker’s direction that the parish church was enlarged and completely reordered achieving the internal appearance that it mostly retains to this day. See here for more of the history of the building. Barker died on 28 January 1917 and is buried in Carlisle Cathedral.