Barrie Baker

Barrie Baker was the principal historian for the Mount Lawley Society and an active volunteer for over 30 years with the Society, starting in 1979. 

Barrie emigrated with his parents to Perth from the UK in 1949. He was brought up in Mount Hawthorn and began attending Perth Modern School in 1954. Barrie studied at the University of Western Australia attaining Honours in Mathematics, and became a teacher/lecturer in mathematics and computing. He taught at Hale School, Mount Lawley Senior High School, Leederville Technical College and Mount Lawley Technical College, before moving into senior education administration within TAFE and retiring in 2000. After moving to Mount Lawley in 1978, he joined the Mount Lawley Society in the same year. Barrie was the Society’s Patron from April 1990 until his death. He was an incredible historian, researching the history of Mount Lawley and the surrounding areas, being the leader of a very active Historical Subcommittee in the late 1990s, and the main leader and consultant for the Design Control draft which eventually led to the City of Stirling’s Character Retention Guidelines.

Barrie excelled in educating others about the suburb’s history, authoring many articles in the Society’s newsletter about local families and houses. He also wrote books on "How Mt Lawley Came To Be" in 2005 and “Hill View Road. The First 80 Years 1916-1996. A History of One of Mount Lawley’s Loveliest Streets” published in 2002, for which he spoke to almost 200 families who had lived in the street over the years. Barrie organised an innovative Society bus tour of Mount Lawley in 1981 and a tram tour in 2008. He then instigated, designed and conducted the 2013 and 2014 Leadlight tours. In addition, he was the Society’s Membership secretary for many years. Barrie was recognised for his efforts in promoting and conserving local heritage by receiving the City of Stirling’s Gold Certificate Community Service Award in 1996, the 2011 WA Heritage Council Award for the individual making the greatest contribution to heritage in Western Australia, and having the City of Stirling introduce a Heritage Award category, the “Barrie Baker Special Recognition Award”, in his honour in 2014.

Barrie Baker passed away on 6 February 2025.