| Admin_History | George Harold Barrett was born of non-Catholic parents at Newcastle-Upon-Tyne on 5 December 1879. He appears to have lost his mother while young, becoming very devoted to his father and only brother.
Barrett came to London for schooling - at Dame Alice Owen's School, Islington, belonging to the Worshipful Company of Brewers.
He was received into the Church at St Mary Moorfields, and entered the English Province of the Society of Jesus on 7 September 1898. After his first vows he did three years' philosophy at St Mary's Hall and then studied two years for a Science degree at London University, eventually graduating B.Sc. and A.R.C.Sc. His teaching was done partly at Mount St Mary's (1907-1909) and partly at Liverpool (1909-1911).
In 1911 Barrett went to Milltown Park, Dublin, for theology, and he was ordained there on 26 July 1914. Tertianship at Tullabeg followed and then a short spell of teaching at Stonyhurst. In April 1917 he was appointed a Military Chaplain and served in France until February 1919, when he returned to England for demobilization.
After the First World War, he returned to teaching Mathematics and Physics, at Stonyhurst for a few months, and then at St Aloysius' College, Glasgow.
In October 1924, he sailed for South Africa and was superior of the Jesuit church at Bulawayo for a year (1924-1925), returning to England a year later following the Superior's decision.
From 1926-1931 he was on the church staff at Stamford Hill, and then became an Excurrens or Missioner with headquarters at Stamford Hill. In 1940 he was appointed Superior of the Mission Band with headquarters at Mount Street.
The last ten years of Fr Barrett's life were spent quietly at 114 Mount Street, and in spite of poor health he continued hearing confessions and instructing converts. In September 1961 he had a slight stroke and was taken to hospital. Although he was able to return home after a few weeks, he could no longer go down to the church but was able to go to the parlour and refectory. Just a year later he had another stroke, followed by heart-attacks, and was anointed. He was again in hospital. On 3 October 1962 he suffered a severe thrombosis and died the following day. |