Ron Barclay

Ronald Morrison Barclay (2 September 1914 – 29 April 2003) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.

Early life and family Born in Little River, New Zealand in 1914, he received his education at the Christchurch Technical College. When he was 12 his father died and the burden of financial provision for his family fell to him at an early age which curtailed his aspiration of training to be a teacher which in later life he admitted still causing him to feel embittered.

He came from a deeply political family with his father, Morrison Barclay, being a Liberal Party member and his uncle John was a Reform Party member. Barclay's other uncle Jim Barclay represented the electorate for the Labour Party from until his defeat in 1943. His cousin Bruce Barclay represented Christchurch Central for the Labour Party from until his death in 1979. He himself joined the Labour Party and in 1933 he was a campaign committee member for Dan Sullivan's mayoral campaign in Christchurch. Likewise in he was a campaign committee member for Tim Armstrong in . Barclay was on home service during World War II. Following the war he became a farmer, purchasing land in Kaiwaka. In 1955 he and his family moved to New Plymouth and took over ownership of a shoe store at the suggestion of mayor Everard Gilmour. He was the first Deputy Chairman of Committees (1975). He was unexpectedly defeated in the swing against Labour in the .

He declined the offer to stand for New Plymouth in and subsequently he entered local politics serving as a New Plymouth city councillor from 1977 to 1989, including three years as deputy mayor. In the 1986 New Year Honours, he was made a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for public services. In 1990, Barclay was awarded the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.

Death and legacy Barclay died in New Plymouth on 29 April 2003 He was survived by his wife Joy. Ron Barclay Drive in the New Plymouth coastal suburb of Fitzroy was named in his honour in 2004.