Career
Born in Little River, New Zealand in 1914, he received his education at the Christchurch Technical College. Barclay was on home service during WW2. He was a trustee of the Trustee Savings Bank Bank from 1958, and was the bank"s president in 1963 and 1974.
He represented the Taranaki electorate of New Plymouth in the House of Representatives from 1966 to 1975, having stood unsuccessfully in 1963.
He served as Senior Government Whip in Norman Kirk"s 1972–1975 Government, and Freer said he was an outstanding whip. He was the first Deputy Chairman of Committees (1975).
He was defeated in the swing againdst Labour in the 1975 election. Subsequently, he served as a New Plymouth city councillor from 1977 to 1989, including three years as deputy mayor.
Barclay died in New Plymouth on 29 April 2003 and his ashes were buried in Awanui Cemetery.
Ron Barclay Drive in the New Plymouth coastal suburb of Fitzroy was named in his honour in 2004.
