Frederick Barlee

Who was Frederick Barlee?

Sir Frederick Palgrave Barlee KCMG was Colonial Secretary of Western Australia from 1855 to 1875; Lieutenant-Governor of the British Honduras from 1877 to 1882; and Administrator of Trinidad in 1884.

Frederick Barlee was born in Worlingworth, Suffolk, England on 6 February 1827. He was educated privately and at local schools, and in 1845 he entered the public service as a clerk to the Ordnance Department in Chatham and Woolwich. In 1851, Barlee married Jane Oseland. Later that year he was posted to Sierra Leone, where he served initially as a barrack-master and storekeeper. In 1853 he became clerk to the Executive and Legislative Councils, and private secretary to the Governor of Sierra Leone Arthur Edward Kennedy.

In 1855, Kennedy was appointed Governor of Western Australia, and he arranged for Barlee to be appointed Colonial Secretary. Both men arrived in Western Australia in June 1855, and commenced work the following month. As colonial secretary, Barlee became a nominated member of the Western Australian Legislative Council. Kennedy immediately embarked on a range of reforms, with Barlee largely responsible for their implementation. Kennedy's reforms were unpopular, and Barlee made numerous enemies during this time. However by 1856 Barlee and Kennedy had fallen out; after this, Barlee often opposed Kennedy on important issues, and his influence declined.