This armoury, Colonel JR Barber Armoury, is named in honour of Colonel John Roaf Barber, ED, CD.
John Roaf Barber was born in Georgetown, Upper Canada, in July 1841. Barber was educated in Georgetown and planned to attend the Royal Military College in England, but remained in Georgetown to help run the family-owned paper-milling business which he took over in 1880. But Barber was also an integral member of his community. Between 1861 and 1905, he served in the militia, first in the Georgetown Volunteer Militia Infantry Company and then in the 20th (Halton) Battalion (the Lorne Rifles). He saw active service in 1866, at Ridgeway against the Fenians. He achieved the rank of major in 1876 and for many years was paymaster of the 20th Battalion, eventually becoming the Regiment’s 8th Commanding Officer. His community involvement led him as well into the political arena: he sat on the local council and was reeve of Georgetown from January 1867 to December 1876 and again in 1882, when he also served as warden of Halton County. From 1898 to 1904 he was the Liberal MPP for Halton. He died in Georgetown in March, 1917.