Pauline Priano has submitted the following:
Thomas Leslie Barkas was one of 3 children, offspring of Thomas Cook Barkas O.B.E. and Sarah Pearson, born January 13th 1863 in the district of Chester le Street, County Durham, who was the daughter of pawnbroker and auctioneer, Joseph Bland Pearson and Elizabeth Phyllis Shields, natives of County Durham.
Thomas Cook Barkas was the son of Thomas Barkas a native of Newcastle upon Tyne and Sarah Ann Craggs of Houghton le Spring, County Durham, who were married at Barnstaple in 1862 where Thomas Cook Barkas was born October 26th 1863. At the age of 18 years in the census of 1881 he is listed as a student at Cleveland College, Darlington, County Durham. Principal of the college was the local Methodist Preacher, Henry Brooks, he was assisted by his son, teacher and army Lieutenant John Henry Brooks.
May 8th 1881 Thomas Cook Barkas was attending Durham University studying medicine, he was married to Sarah in the district of Houghton le Spring, County Durham in 1887 and continued his studied in Arts at Glasgow University, commencing March 1890.
Their son John Charles Pearson Barkas was born, December 25th 1890 at Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne, where the family resided at 29, Meldon Terrace. Thomas Leslie Barkas, May 3rd 1894, at the same address, their only daughter Elizabeth Ann born in 1896 sadly died in 1897 not yet 1 year old.
By 1901 Thomas had transferred his family to 1, Jesmond Vale Terrace, South Heaton, consisting of 12 rooms and was working as a qualified medical practitioner for his own account, to assist his wife at home he employed two housemaid/domestic servants.
In 1911 whilst Thomas Leslie (16) was at grammar school in Houghton le Spring and a boarder at 6, Almshouses, the property of Frederick Lyon Goul, the school’s headmaster, his brother John was still living at home in Newcastle and studying dentistry where in 1912 he joined the Officers Training Corps. Both he and his brother matriculated at Durham University.
The future of both young men was interrupted when Britain declared a state of war existed with Germany, August 4th 1914. Thomas’ brother was offered a commission as Lieutenant John Charles Pearson Barkas with the Durham Light Infantry and sadly was killed in action, September 15th 1916 on the Somme.
Thomas Leslie Barkas was mobilised in 1914 and sent to the Army Special Reserve until he was posted to the 2nd East Yorkshire Regiment with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant, May 1915. He served in France as of May 3rd 1915 and after his promotion to Lieutenant, May 22nd 1916, transferred to the Machine Gun Corps then returned to the East Yorkshire Regiment until the end of the war. Captain T. L. Barkas applied for his medals consisting of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal, November 20th 1919.
After the war Thomas Leslie was married during the 3rd quarter (Jul/Aug/Sep) 1919 in the district of Castle Ward, Northumberland to Phyllis Hannah Kingston, who was born at Low Fell, Gateshead, historically in County Durham, June 12th 1897. Her father Frederick Kingston originated from the village of Pottspury, Northamptonshire, her mother Jean Jane Williams was born in Ulverston, Lancaster. In 1911 the Kingston family were living at 20, The Grove, Gosforth, on the outskirts of Newcastle upon Tyne, her father was employed by a coal exporter as manager.
Thomas and Phyllis’ son Anthony Charles Kingston Barkas was born, October 8th 1920 at Newcastle upon Tyne. In 1939 Phyllis was living with her in laws, Thomas and Sarah Barkas at Middleton Hall Mental Hospital, Darlington, where Thomas Cook Barkas was superintendent of the institution. Her husband, who had remained post-war with the Colours, was serving as Lieutenant-Colonel in command of a battalion of the King’s African Rifles, in South Africa, their son upon the outbreak of WW2 served as of December 31st 1939 as Lieutenant A.C.K. Barkas with a battalion of the regular army, Durham Light Infantry and 5th King’s African Rifles.
Thomas Leslie Barkas remained in the army in South Africa until his retirement. May 11th 1941 he was promoted to Acting Colonel, November 11th 1941 Temporary Colonel, May 2nd 1942, Acting Brigadier, February 11th then Temporary Brigadier and upon his retirement February 20th 1947 was granted the honorary rank of Brigadier. King George VI in the Birthday Honours of June 1945 had also bestowed upon him the Order of the British Empire.
At the time of his retirement, his father Thomas Cook Barkas was in South Africa. His mother Sarah Barkas nee Pearson of the Hawthorns, Carmel Road South, Darlington, had died October 2nd 1943, Her effects in the sum of £3985 10 shillings 7 pence were assigned to her widower Thomas Cook Barkas, physician and surgeon and their son Thomas Leslie Barkas, Brigadier H. M. Army, May 3rd 1944.
Thomas Cook Barkas returned to England from Mombasa aboard the S.S. Mantola of the British India Steam Navigation Company Ltd., Steamship Line, arriving in England, March 1st 1947, taking up temporary residence at the Cleveland Hotel, Southsea, Portsmouth.
Thomas Cook Barkas O.B.E. (1918), M.B., B.S. (Dunelm), formally of Middleton Hall, Middleton St. George, County Durham, now living at Lilburn House, Houghton le Spring, County Durham, died suddenly, July 30th 1947 at City General Hospital, York, aged 84 years. Administration with Will, March 20th 1948 to Robert Alan Branson, chartered accountant and attorney of Thomas Leslie Barkas. Effects in the sum of £17212 17 shillings.
Honorary Brigadier Thomas Leslie Barkas O.B.E., died in South Africa in 1966, as reported by the Transvaal Estate Deaths Index, Supreme Court, Pretoria. Details as regards Phyllis Hannah Barkas nee Kingston as yet unknown. Their son Major Anthony Charles Kingston Barkas died February 3rd 2009 at Nanyuki Cottage Hospital, Kenya.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
