A graduate of Jesus College, Cambridge, he trained at Cuddesden. Before coming to Newbold when he was in his late 30s, he worked in Plymouth and at two missions, at Poplar and Kennington in South East London. After his four years in Newbold he returned to London.
It was during Barrett’s incumbency that Newbold had its first curate, another Cambridge graduate : Llewellyn Charles Cutlack