James Barker first appears in the 1901 Census and is living in Bearpark in Durham. His father, Thomas, was originally from Helmington Row, a small village between Crook and Willington. The Barkers from Helmington were a large family. Thomas’ brother, William, and his family were living in 1 Pond Row in 1911. Thomas married Rachel Hannah Nightingale in 1890.
The family in 1901 consisted of Edith (8), James (7) and Phyllis (1). 1911 would see them add Robert and William. The family were living in Willington at the time.
Edith married James Richardson and moved to Bishop Auckland. She and her husband were to endure personal loss when their own son, also James, was killed aboard HMS Registan on 27.5.1941. Phyllis married Charles Seymour. Another daughter (presumably living elsewhere in the 1901 Census) was Rhoda. She married Arthur Clark and, like her sister, was living in Bishop Auckland in 1939 with her husband and children.
James Barker married Sarah Laverick just three months before he was killed in the flying accident at Driffield.
James Barker was Second Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force. He was flying a SE5a bi-plane at the time of the accident. He is buried in St. Mary’s Churchyard in Shincliffe and is also commemorated on the Bowburn Miners’ Plaque.
Thomas and Rachel, his parents, were living in Love Street in Shincliffe in the 1939 Register.
Further tragedy was to strike the Barker family in 1940. On the 15th
August, Luftwaffe planes, fleeing from fighting the RAF over the skies of Kent in the Battle of Britain, found their way heading north before veering right to return to Germany. They dropped bombs on Easington and Thomas Barker (30), James’ cousin, was one of the victims. The Luftwaffe pilots, however, were faced with unexpected crews from Usworth, near Washington, and other northern airfields. Never again did they conduct daylight raids over the north.
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