Richard Barnett

Richard Barnett
Shooting
1908 London Olympics

Richard Whieldon Barnett was born on 6th December 1863 in Forest Hill. He competed in the 1908 London Olympics in the Men's Free Rifle, 1,000 yards event, coming fourth.

After the first World War he served as a Conservative & Unionist MP for St Pancras South West in the House of Commons. His obituary was in the Belfast Newsletter of 18 October 1930.

"From his boyhood days he took a keen interest in markmanship, and at the age of 15 he was the Irish rifle champion. He was one of the twelve representatives of the UK at the Olympic Games of 1908, and finished fourth, winning the Diploma of Merit for shooting at 1000 yards. Just as in markmanship so in chess, Sir Richard Barnett distinguished himself in his early boyhood, achieving the remarkable record of being champion chess player of Ulster at the age of twelve, and of Ireland from 1886 to 1889."

He died on 17th October 1930.

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