J.G. "Gib" Barrett
John Gibbon Barrett (known as "Gib"), was born in Schnapper Point in 1863, the son of John and Elizabeth (Gibbon) Barrett.
John Barrett Snr had arrived in the town in 1855, and he built a General Store with a dwelling above, at No.1 Main Street Mornington. He realised that with the growth of the town, land would become more valuable and he invested in many blocks and became a large landowner.
John Barrett Snr donated the land for the building of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in the early 1860’s. Gib Barrett was educated at the small school in Barkly Street run by Miss Ashton and her sister Mrs Stamp.
"Arran", cnr. Albert and Alfred Streets,
Mornington
When he was seventeen, the family returned to England, but on the death of his parents ten years later he returned to Mornington to his old friends, only to lose some in the Football Disaster.
Having inherited many blocks of land from his father, he became a successful Estate Agent – he sold Glen Bank, after Rev Caldwell’s death.
Gib married Elizabeth Cook, daughter of Archibald Cook, they eventually built a new home, ‘Arran’, on the corner of Alfred and Albert Street.
Gib was a Shire Councillor for 27 years, and was Shire President five times - in 1900, 1903, 1908, 1911, and 1921.
He was also a member of the Progress Association, on the Foreshore Committee and was one of the first directors of the Mornington Butter Factory that was established in 1897.
Their eldest daughter, Nell, married the then vicar of St. Andrew’s, Reverend Swan. Another daughter, Mabel, donated the land beside the church for the building of a hall, and the land at the side of that is known as Barrett’s Lane.
Barrett’s paddock is now known as Memorial Park.
Gib Barrett’s generosity in providing an area of two acres adjoining Foster’s store in Main St, for the very low cost of £200, allowed the Bush Nursing Hospital to be built there, in 1937.
John Gibbon Barrett gave a lifetime of service to the community of Mornington, and died in 1943, aged 79 years.
