\biohead{John Darcy Barker}{}{}

John Darcy Barker was born on 27 February 1912 in Parkgate in Cheshire, the eldest son of \bioref{Francis_Darcy_Mead_Barker} and \bioref{Isabel_Whitehead}.\cite{BalliolRegister1931, JDBarkerBirth}

He attended Sedbergh School in Cumbria and then Balliol Collge. After graduation he joined the nascent Bacon Development Board (est.~1935).\cite{BalliolRegister1931}