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A draper, Colonel John Barker was mayor in 1634-35 and 1644-45, in the latter term being allowed to hold the post simultaneously with the city's governorship. Barker was related to the Jessons, and with Simon Norton gave £1,000 towards a parliamentary loan in Nov., 1640; he promised £50 for the city's defence in 1642; with Thomas Basnett, he seized a magazine from the beseiging royalists. Barker becamer mayor for the second time because George Monk was thought to be too royalist. In 1645 Barker was granted by the corporation the Priory's dyehouse and grounds to build a street of houses to the value of £500 - the street was New Buildings. Barker represented Coventry in Charles I's Long Parliament but was excluded by the 1648 purge; he was readmitted to the Rump in Oct., 1649 and was working in his native city in 1652; he was refused readmission to the Rump when it reassembled in May, 1659 but was still considered to be an M.P. early the next year. See BA/H/Q/A79/212. See also T.W. Whitley: "The Parliamentary Representation of the City of Coventry" pp. 78-99 passim (searchroom library reference 324.4248). Barker was a Bablake School feoffee in 1635 (see PA101/1147/5), for Jesson's Charity in 1638 (see PA101/140/3) and for Wheatley's Charity in 1650 (see PA101/138/2). He was a sheriff in 1623, in which year he was a St. Michael's churchwarden. Barker was concerned in a Chancery dispute (1639-41) about Pinley land (see PA150). Described as "junior" when a city warden and chamberlain in 1620 and 1625 respectively. A feoffee of Caludon tithes (BA/B/F/34/3,4), Keresley tithes (PA56/12/6), Alderford Mill (BA/B/P/432/7-11), Scott's Lands (BA/B/Q/3/1; BA/B/Q/9/8-12: BA/D/G/11/2), Wheatley's Charity (BA/D/H/7/3), Bond's Hospital (BA/D/D/26/5,6; BA/D/D/35/1; BA/D/D/64/4), Wheate's Exhibition (BA/D/N/2/1), Coxon's Charity (BA/D/AG/4/2), Jesson's Charity (BA/D/K/5/1) and Swillington's Charity (BA/D/BE/9/7), Barker removed to Worcester. He leased St. Michael's parish tithes (BA/B/F/40/1) and had property at Much Park St. (BA/H/H/332/22: PA2560/1/13(a)), beyond Little Park St. Gate (BA/C/L/1/5), at Great Pudding Croft (BA/A/B/45/1), Dead Lane (originally as the mortgagee - see BA/A/B/12/5-11) and Biggin (BA/D/A/18/4,5; BA/D/A/56/9). Active on the corporation, 1632-41, 1643-46, 1649, 1652. Barker was a Drapers' Company feoffee in 1662 - see PA409/1/1.IX. Whilst living at Worcester, in 1654 Barker could still act as a Bond's Hospital feoffee (see PA54/18/1). For Coxon's Charity feoffeeship, see PA54/333/8-10. He was also a feoffee of Roger Clarke's Charity (1636 - PA54/342/1). CCA/2/3/107/1: PA54/339/11 show that Barker had land north of Jordan Well. Qua Wheatley's Charity feoffee, see BA/D/H/23/6. Barker was appointed a Bond's Hospital feoffee in 1629 (see PA500/5/2,3). Qua Coxon's Charity feoffee, see PA500/64/1. Qua Wheatley's Charity feoffee, see PA526/645/1. Married Richard Clarke (q.v.)'s widow - see PA55/34/1: cf. PA2398/2/3/2: PA194/30/1. Barker was apprenticed to his namesake father in 1605 - see PA468/2/3/36. He was a Drapers' Company warden in 1633 (PA468/2/3/49) and master in 1645 (PA468/2/3/59) and 1652 (PA468/2/3/66); he was a feoffee from 1637 (PA468/5/1/6,7; PA468/5/3/25/16,17; PA468/5/3/28/7,8; PA468/5/3/43/22,23; PA468/5/3/47/1; PA468/5/3/51/1). This member of the important local family of drapers left 18/4 rentcharge, for an obit in Holy Trinity, which the Drapers' Company obtained in 1660 - see PA468/5/3/69/8.