Edward Barrett

Edward Ivo Medhurst Barrett (22 June 1879 – 10 July 1950) was an English first-class cricketer, rugby union international, British Army officer, and colonial police officer.

His military career began in 1899 with the Lancashire Fusiliers, with Barrett serving in the Second Boer War. He later transferred to the colonial police in British Malaya, before joining the Shanghai Municipal Police. He rose to become its commissioner between 1925 and 1929. As a sportsman, he played first-class cricket, mainly for Hampshire between 1896 and 1912, with additional matches in 1920 and 1925. In rugby union, he was capped at Test level by England in 1903, while in golf he was the Japanese amateur champion in 1917.

Early life and service career The son of the cricketer Edward Barrett senior, he was born at Churt in June 1879. He was educated at Cheltenham College, where he played for and captained the college cricket team, having moderate success in inter-school matches. From there, he attended the Royal Military College at Sandhurst, graduating into the Lancashire Fusiliers as a second lieutenant in February 1899. Shortly after gaining his commission, he served in South Africa in the Second Boer War, including as part of the Ladysmith Relief Force, and was slightly wounded at the engagement at Venters Spruit on 20 January 1900, when he had to take the responsibility as lieutenant, promotion to which was later antedated to the same day. For his participation in the conflict, he gained the King's South Africa Medal.

The battalion stayed in South Africa throughout the war, which formally ended in June 1902 after the Peace of Vereeniging. Barrett joined other officers and men of the battalion who left Cape Town on the in October that year, and was stationed at Aldershot upon his return. He was promoted to captain in May 1903, and was seconded as a wing officer to the Malay States Guides the following month. He replaced K.J. McEuen as commissioner of police in Shanghai in 1925, with McEuen having been held partly responsible for The Nanjing Road Incident of May 1925, which resulted in the deaths of protesters and subsequently led to civil unrest.

Barrett was himself forced to resign on 1 October 1929, after disputes about police effectiveness and reform. He was later added to the Special List during the Second World War.

Sporting career Cricket Barrett made his debut in first-class cricket for Hampshire against Warwickshire at Southampton in the 1896 County Championship, with him playing in two further matches against Essex and Leicestershire that season. He made a further five appearances in the 1897 County Championship, followed by seven appearances in the 1898 County Championship. He did not feature for Hampshire in 1902, but did return to play two matches in the 1903 County Championship, alongside a first-class appearance for the Marylebone Cricket Club that season against Kent at Lord's. Despite his commitments in the colonial police in British Malaya, he still managed to play for Hampshire in the 1906 County Championship, making six appearances. he made three of his six career centuries in 1912. He was considered one of the finest and hardest hitters of his day, exhibiting a sound defence and good timing. He played his club rugby for Lennox.

Golf A keen golfer, Barrett won the Japan Amateur Golf Championship in 1917.

Death Barrett died as a result of a bicycling accident on 10 July 1950, at Boscombe, Hampshire. He was predeceased by his first wife, Winifred, with whom he had two children. Following her death, he married Katherine Craven in 1928, with her surviving him.