Francis David (Frank) Barclay was born in Launceston on 11 Mar 1875, the eldest child of James Francis Oliver Barclay (1841-1926) and his wife Sarah Elizabeth Sherwin (1844-1921). He attended the Launceston High School and was the 47th enrolment in 1884. On leaving school he joined his father in the family business of ironmongers on the corner of Brisbane and St John streets. David married Emily Christian at St George's Church, Malvern, Victoria, on 15 Nov 1905. They had seven children between 1907 and 1917: Thomas, Mary, Frances, David, Graham and Neil (twins) and Robert.
Frank was a great nature lover and walked or rode a pennyfarthing bicycle all over the countryside. He served in the 12th Battalion in World War I as a lieutenant-colonel. He was on the Launceston Homeopathic Hospital Board and on the committee of management of Newnham Hall (High School Hostel). In 1918 when his father retired, Frank left the family business and developed a dairy in West Launceston called the Myoora Model Dairy. He was involved in many charitable, church and community organisations. Frank died on 4 Dec 1957 aged 82. See The Examiner, 25 Nov 2006, page 31.
Francis' parents James and Sarah, his sisters Lilian and Jessie, and his brother Charles are also in the Album.
Angela Prosser-Green & Frances Hay Apr 2006