Walter Barrett
July 1833 — 11 December 1907
Walter Barrett (1‑31‑7/8)
Walter Barrett was born in July 1833 in Taunton, Somerset, son of a veterinary surgeon. He married Matilda Webber on 30 March 1864 and set sail for Australia. He established his undertaking business in 1875 and bought a tiny six and a half perches block two doors down from the Hotel Orient which was designated the number 550 Queen Street.
He took over the business of the late George Barney Petrie in 1878 and traded as the Petrie’s Undertaking Establishment. Walter Barrett sold the business in 1884 to William Hancock and John Corbett who continued using the name occasionally supplemented with their own.
Walter Barrett then went to Sandgate where he became an alderman and served as mayor for the year of 1891. He died at Eagle Junction on 11 December 1907 aged 74 after a long and painful illness.