Biographical History
Harold Adrian Barbour was born on 17 July 1874 and was educated at Harrow and Oxford. He came from a family of industrialists, his grandfather being the founder of a famous thread-linen works, Barbour & Sons. His father, John Barbour, was instrumental in helping a group of workers set up a consumer co-op in Lisburn in 1881. Harold, himself, became President of the Lisburn Co-operative Society in 1900. He was very active in IAOS (Irish Agricultural Organisation Society) and was a good friend of its founder, Sir Horace Plunkett. He was also active in IAWS and UAOS (Ulster Agricultural Organisation Society) and helped set up many co-operative societies around Ireland.