Background
He was a son of John Barnard of London, a Quaker merchant, and his wife Sarah, daughter of Robert Payne of Play Hatch in Sonning on the border of Berkshire and Oxfordshire.
He was a son of John Barnard of London, a Quaker merchant, and his wife Sarah, daughter of Robert Payne of Play Hatch in Sonning on the border of Berkshire and Oxfordshire.
He was a Sheriff of London in 1736 and elected Lord Mayor of London for 1737. He held the seat for nearly 40 years, until the 1761 general election. In 1734 he successfully promoted an Acting of Parliament "to prevent the infamous practice of Stock-Jobbing".
This Acting, which was renewed in 1737, was known as "Sir John Barnard"s Acting".
Barnard was an opposition Whig, opposed to the administration of Sir Robert Walpole. In a speech in March 1738 Barnard said:
Barnard gained a positive reputation as a "hammer of the Spaniards" and at Lord Cobham"s country house at Stowe, who predeceased Barnard, an ornate bust commissioned of Barnard was included in its Temple of British Worthies, along with Elizabeth I and Sir Francis Drake.
11th Parliament of Great Britain. 6th Parliament of Great Britain. 7th Parliament of Great Britain.
8th Parliament of Great Britain.
9th Parliament of Great Britain. 10th Parliament of Great Britain]
He was elected at the 1722 general election as one of the four Members of Parliament (MPs) for the City of London.