DEATH OF CAPTAIN' WILLIAM JACKSON BARRY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13889, 29 April 1907, Page 2 (Supplement)

DEATH OF CAPTAIN' WILLIAM JACKSON BARRY.

A Press Association telegram notifies Iho death at Christohmch on tho 24th April of Captain William Jackson Barry, an exMayor of Cromwell, whoso recitals of his life-history on platform and through the prees have named for his memory a. placo in tho historr of Now Zealand celebrities.

At tho time of his death Captain Barry had reached tho golden ago of 83 years. He was born in England, at tho village of Melbourn, Cambridgeshire, and, according to the published narrative, of hie adventurous career, at tho ago of nine years lie had visited nearly all tho-principal counties in England. At this juvenile age he undertook a voyage round the world with Sir John Alcock in tho Rod Rover, his fellowpassengers for Sydney, Now South Wales, being 250 persons, the majority of whom wero free emigrants. This vessel, after an adventurous voyage, readied Sydney in January, 1829, where young Barry, not desiring to go to Buenos Ayrcs with his benefactor and employer, ■ ran away, and afterwards acoopted employment with a friend of his father's in Sydney. Young Barry's impression of convict life in New South Wales, his prowess as a swimmer, adventttres among tho Australian blacks* and hairbreadth escapes in a multitude of other directions form -sensational reading. At the ago of 16 tho dccoaseil left his employment in New South Wales and joined a .whaler, and after adventures in Victoria ho and a companion who had rah away from the whaler wore seized, placed in ii'dm, and taken 011 a whaling cruise to New Zealand. Another desertion from tho whaler found Mr Barry again in Sydney, and ho afterwards left for Melbourne. Visits to New Zealand, ihe Jlalay Archipelago, Calcutta, arid Adelaide, all punctuated with personal experiences of an exciting character, fill in n. few mop years of an adventurous career, and whaling cruises and exciting incidents form a further series of interesting chapters in a life-story. Visits to Honolulu, 'Western Australia, California, and 'San Francisco, adventures with American Indians, aiid expefriftnees of tho'Eureka. Stockade follow, and other whaling adventures and tricling experiences fill in another part of a lifetime, and ultimately Now Zealand is reached. The deceased gentleman resided in Dunedin in the early days, and also visited < Gabriel's. His experiences and adventures included a' swim across tho Cluthii, gold prospecting, butchering at Cromwell, hotelkoeping at Queenstown, a trip to London, aikl voturn to New Zealand.

Captain William Jackson Barry received but little education, but, what lie lacked in this direction was made up by a strong personality and much self-confidence, closo observation; a kindly disposition, good oral descriptive powers, and a. stylo of writing which was peculiarly characteristic of the man. Tho news of his death will be road with regret by many residents of the colony, and also by mam; in the Commonwealth, who wero_ brought in. contact with Mr Barry in his ca\ly end later years.