Alfred Barden, Esquire, J.P.
"Again
and again we find that great fortunes are made by self-made men, who have
won their way by taking advantage of all that Fortune offers. In Australia
more than in older countries, has the character of the individual forced itself
to be acknowledged, and has so affected its environment that it has changed
all things to be of service to itself. In this work can be found the life
histories of many who have raised themselves to this position, and gained
the possession of wealth, by force of character alone.
Among them may be placed in a prominent place the subject of this sketch. Mr. Alfred Barden is a native of England, having been born in Winchelsea, Sussex in the year 1828. His early years were spent in his native land, and when but a boy of the age of fourteen years he came to New South Wales. At that early time he saw the first life of the Colony, as it was then that the colonists began to show that they were alive to their growing importance, and to the fact that they were not to remain longer as a Crown colony, maintained chiefly for the use of convicts. It may be said that when these ideas began to take definite shape in the minds of the colonists, the life of Australia may also be said to have begun.
The first experience that Mr. Barden gained of life was in the employment of a butcher, at CookÕs River, where he remained for several years, learning his trade, and also acquiring a knowledge of the manners and general life of the colony. After some time he was able to engage in business for himself, and for some years he did so well that he was enabled. in 1862, to engage in pastoral pursuits, in which he saw that a fortune was to be made by a man who was not afraid of work.
In that year he became a squatter on the Castlereagh River, where he met with much success. Since that time he has been the proprietor of several stations throughout the colony, and is the owner at present of "Yalcogrin" and "Tooloomogo" Stations, on the Castlereagh. These stations contain about 64,000 acres of land, and are conducted by his sons, who reside thereon.
Mr. Barden has been a resident of Hurstville for thirty years. He was created a Justice of Peace several years ago, and for five years sat on the bench at the Central Police Court. For some years he was engaged in woolbroking. In 1848 he married Miss Green of Ireland, and in 1886 he married for the second time. His family consists of nine children.
During his active life Mr. Barden has been most industrious, and in his various undertakings he has been a large employer of labour."