Education
Barritt attended Modern Sciences and Arts and the Saltus Grammar School in Hamilton, Bermuda.
Barritt attended Modern Sciences and Arts and the Saltus Grammar School in Hamilton, Bermuda.
He served in the House of Assembly of Bermuda from 1985 to 1989 representing Pembroke East Central, marking the only time that the United Bermuda Party (UDP) held that particular constituency. Barritt held the post of Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs during his tenure in the House of Assembly. He moved to New Brunswick, Canada, to study fine arts at Mount Allison University in Sackville.
In 1950, Barritt returned to Bermuda to take a position at his family"s ginger beer business, John Barritt & Son Limited.
However, he continued to paint, specializing in oil paintings. Many of his paintings focused on Bermuda"s Civil Rights Movement.
Barritt was one of a small group of white Bermudians who spoke out in favor of universal suffrage of the island. He joined an all-Afro-Bermudian basketball team to draw attention to desegregation efforts.
In 1985, Barritt and fellow UDP candidate, Lawson Map, were elected to the House of Assembly of Bermuda from the Pembroke East Central constituency.
The election marked the first, and only, time that the UDP held the Pembroke East Central seats in the House of Assembly. Barritt served in House of Assembly from 1985 until 1989. Barritt also served as the Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs under Premier John Swan during his tenure in the Assembly.
Robert Barritt donated three of his paintings to the Bermuda National Gallery.
His three works gifted to the National Gallery were. Theatre Boycott, Upstairs Right (1959), Two Weeks Before Christmas and Government House (1960), and Descent from the Cross (1961).
When describing his paintings in 2008, Barritt said, "I"m a painter of the three R"son Not reading, writing and arithmetic.
Rum, race and religion." Gary Phillips, Chairman of the Bermuda National Gallery, has described Barritt"s as imbued with a "sense of "equality, tolerance and peace"."
Robert Vaughn Barritt died on June 21, 2015, at the age of 88.
Premier of Bermuda Michael Dunkley and former Premier John Swan paid tribute to Barritt following his death.
Despite his involvement in social issues, Barritt remained reluctant and "unsure" about politics. He did not join the United Bermuda Party (UDP) until 1972.
Barritt was later appointed to the Senate of Bermuda as a member of the UDP. He was a member of the Barritts, a prominent Bermudian political and business family which owns Barritt"s Ginger Beer. He was later appointed as a UBP member of the Senate of Bermuda.
