Name: Charles Knowles Barber

Date of Birth: c1863

Birth Location: Stalybridge, Cheshire, England

Also Known As:

Date of Death: 29 February 1932

Age: 69 years

Death Location: St John of God Hospital, Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia.

Date of Burial: 1 March 1932

Denomination: Congregational & Presbyterian

Row/Grave: Row 3. Grave # 29

Grave Transcription:

IN

LOVING MEMORY

OF

CHARLES BARBER

DIED 29TH FEBRUARY 1932

AGED 69 YEARS

AT REST

Father: Josiah Knowles Barber. Born c1830 at Matlock, Derbyshire, England. Died 2 July 1890 at Stalybridge, Cheshire, England.

Mother: Martha Bennett. Born c1823 at Glossop, Derbyshire, England. Died 11 March 1897 at Stalybridge, Cheshire, England.

Grandparents (father): Unknown

Grandparents (mother): James Bennett. Born c1777 at Glossop, Derbyshire, England. Died 15 October 1849 at Glossop, Derbyshire, England and Hannah Newton. Born 26 January 1783 at Hadfield, Derbyshire, England. Died 15 October 1849 at Glossop, Derbyshire, England.

Siblings:

Hannah Bennett Knowles. 1854 – 1919

Alice Knowles. 1858 – 1923

James Knowles Barber 1859 – 1943

Elizabeth Knowles Barber c1866 – 1934

Spouse:

Elizabeth Atkinson. Born c1859 at Cheshire, England. Died 26 March 1934 at Capel, Western Australia.

Children:

Loretta Barber. Born 1890 in Merewether, New South Wales, Australia. Died 8 May 1947 in Bunbury, Western Australia. Married Ernest Waddingham in Capel, Western Australia, in 1913.

Charles Barber Wells. Born 7 February 1929 at Capel, Western Australia. Died 24 April 2003 at Capel, Western Australia. Mother Kitty Lillian Wells.

Occupation: Farmer

Military Service:

Their Story 

Charles died at St John of God Hospital, Bunbury, aged 69 years. His obituary on 02 March 1932 gives some background about his life. He was born around 1836 in Cheshire England, arriving in Australia about 1886. He worked in New South Wales for eight years before coming west, arriving in WA about 1894. He took up land in Elgin ‘Hope Farm’ not long after he arrived in WA, sometime between 1894 and 1896. He is described in his obituary as having farmed there for over thirty years and was considered to be a successful dairyman.

His wife, Elizabeth is buried with her husband at the Capel cemetery. Elizabeth died on 26 March 1934, age 75, two years after her husband. It is likely she is the Elizth Atkinson who, records show, married Charles Barber in Merewether, NSW, in 1889. Additional evidence linking this Elizth and Charles to the NSW couple are records showing their female child Loretta, was born in Merewether.

Charles held the ‘Hope Farm’ land at up until his death. This is confirmed both by his will and by newspaper reports. These reports, dating from 1913, show wool sales listed under the brand CB/Hope Farm, and also in 1925.

In his will Charles left the farm to his son, Charles Barber Wells (Jim), who was a minor at the time, aged three.

Death notice South Western Times Wednesday 2 March 1932

Obituary notice West Australian Monday 7 March 1932

Story written by Annette Carter for the Capel District Cemeteries Project website.

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© Capel District Cemeteries Project 08/09/2025