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Colonel Barker - Valerie Smith
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Colonel Barker - Valerie Smith
Page from The Graphic reporting on the case of Colonel Barker (aka John Hill and Geoffrey Norton), who was born Lilias Irma Valerie Barker in 1895. Barker married and had children but later lived life as a man and as an ex-army officer. Date: 1929
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Media ID 23400176
© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans
Barker Colonel Dressing Gender Geoffrey Holloway Identity Irma Norton Nov20 Prison Scandal Scandalous Swap Valerie 1929 Lgbt Lgbtq Smith Transgender
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EDITORS COMMENTS
Colonel Barker, the enigmatic figure once known as Valerie Smith, born Lilias Irma Barker in 1895, poses confidently for this photograph, concealing the extraordinary secrets of his past. The image, published in The Graphic on November 20, 1929, captures Barker as 'Colonel Geoffrey Norton, ex-army officer and retired businessman.' However, this was far from the truth. Barker had lived a double life, first as a woman and wife, then as a man and an army officer. Born as Valerie, she married and had children, but in later years, she began to live as a man, adopting the identities of John Hill and later, Geoffrey Norton. Her gender swap was a closely guarded secret, known only to a select few. The deception came crashing down in 1929 when Barker was arrested and sent to Holloway Prison. The sensational case made headlines, with the press reporting on the scandalous details of her past. The public was shocked and fascinated by the story of the woman who had lived as a man, and the man who had been a woman. Despite the scandal, Barker continued to live as a man, maintaining the façade of a retired army officer and businessman. The photograph, taken during this period, shows a man who exudes an air of authority and confidence, a stark contrast to the woman she once was. The image serves as a poignant reminder of the complexities of identity and the lengths some people will go to live authentically. It also highlights the societal attitudes towards gender and sexuality during the late 1920s, an era when such stories were considered scandalous and taboo.
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