Obituary Notices

I First Knew Culver Barker and his wife Mary when, with H. G. Baynes, we formed the original tiny nucleus of English analytical psychologists: there were others who were interested, but they were on the periphery. At that time, behind a rather quiet and retiring facade, Barker hid a vigorous pioneering spirit. It had made him go out to Zürich for training, it started him conducting psychotherapy in the observation ward of St. Peter's Hospital, Whitechapel, it led him to launch out in private practice at a time when it was difficult to make ends meet, and it made him start using ‘shock therapy’ for his depressed patients as soon as he heard of it.

He took an active part in the formation of the Society of Analytical Psychology, was a founder member, and one of its early chairmen (1947-48). It was fortunate, and a pleasure for me to know, that I helped him foster his interest in child therapy at the London Child Guidance Clinic, for it was this, as it turned out, that contributed to his making an individual contribution to analytical psychology.

In his later years he became much more self-assertive and vocal. He never failed to contribute to discussions at meetings of Jungian societies. He said what he thought, regardless of others. He fought loyally and consistently in support of what he thought essential to Jung's work, and at times of controversy his voice could be heard proclaiming uncompromisingly the need for a return to the principles which Jung had formulated. In spite of his down-right pronouncements he also filled a valuable mediating role in time of acute conflict and he became a chairman of the professional (training) committee of the London Society.

He was, however, most at home in the Analytical Psychology Club, of which he was President. There would appear a poetic side of his nature which must have depended on the need for him to incarnate the old wise man, which he also did with skill and charm when his 75th birthday was celebrated. But fo