Milne Barbour

Sir John Milne Barbour, 1st Baronet PC (NI) JP, DL, usually known as Sir Milne Barbour (4 January 1868 – 3 October 1951) was a Northern Irish politician and baronet.

Background and education Milne Barbour was the son of John Doherty Barbour, a mill owner, and Elizabeth Law Milne. He was born at The Fort in Lisburn, County Antrim, and was educated at Elstree School, Harrow School, Brasenose College, Oxford, and Darmstadt, Germany. The members of his family were wealthy linen manufacturers, owners of William Barbour Linen Thread Company of Hilden – the largest linen thread manufacturers in the world. In business he was chairman of the family company, which exists today in the same factory as Barbour Campbell Threads.

Career In politics, he served as a member of parliament for County Antrim from 1921 to 1929 and then for South Antrim from 1929 until his death in 1951. In 1921, he was appointed Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, and then entered Craigavon's Cabinet as Minister of Commerce in 1937 (where he was perceived as "wrong, inept and palsied" ) and was promoted, aged 72, to Minister of Finance. and as High Sheriff of Down in 1907. He also served as President of the Belfast Chamber of Commerce in 1911, as a member of Belfast Harbour Commissioners from 1914 to 1950, as President of the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast and as president of the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society from 1925 to 1930 and from 1931 until his death. He also sat on the Senate of Queen's University, Belfast. in 1910. ) who would fly home at the weekends from the Barbour factory in Glasgow, where he worked during the week.

Barbour's sister, Helen, married Thomas Andrews, architect of the Titanic. A deeply religious man throughout his life, he served as a Member of the General Synod of the Church of Ireland

The baronetcy became extinct upon his death, Barbour having been predeceased by his son. A prize cup at the boat club of Queen's University, Belfast is also named in his honour.

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