Researching Edward Barnett

Barnett grew up in Birmingham, Alabama and attended the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. He served in France during World War I. He remained in Europe after the war. As an accomplished fencer with the épée, he competed in the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam for the United States, but won only one match.

Barnett became acquainted with art photographer Man Ray while living in Paris' Montparnasse district. Through him, Barnett joined an artistic circle that included Ford Madox Ford, Gertrude Stein, Guy Pene du Bois and Marcel Duchamp.

Barnett's skills as an art photographer were recognized by the Photographic Society of America and the Federation Internationale d'Art Photographique. His prints have been acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, as well as by the Birmingham Museum of Art in his home state and the Kodak Camera Club's permanent picture collection.

Barnett founded the Alabama Museum of Photography and the Alabama International Exhibition of Photography.

Barnett made his first-class debut for The Bs against the Marylebone Cricket Club at Lord's in 1837. In 1841, he made his first-class debut for Sussex against the Marylebone Cricket Club at Lord's. He made two further first-class appearances for the county in that season, against Kent at the Old County Ground, West Malling, and a return fixture against the Marylebone Cricket Club at the Royal New Ground, Brighton. In that same season he also made a single first-class appearance for the Slow Bowlers against the Fast Bowlers at Lord's, indicating that although his exact bowling style is unknown, he was likely a slow bowler. It is however possible that he was a given man. In total, he made five first-class appearances, scoring 42 runs at an average of 4.20, with a high score of 9.

He died at Blean, Kent, sometime in 1899.

Barnett was born in London, England, to Amelia (née Stewart) and John Barnett. His parents moved to Victoria when he was a small child, and after leaving school worked for a merchant firm in Kingower. Barnett moved to Western Australia in 1881, and began working as a storekeeper in Jarrahdale. He relocated to Albany in 1886, where he had his own merchant firm and later opened branches in Denmark and Hopetoun. Barnett became president of the local chamber of commerce, and also served three terms on the Albany Municipal Council (1893 to 1899, 1901 to 1903, and 1904 to 1905). He entered parliament at the 1905 state election, defeating the sitting member, Charles Keyser. Both he and Keyser were members of the Ministerialist faction. Barnett was re-elected at the 1908 election with an increased majority, but resigned in August 1909 in order to take an extended business trip to England. He retired to the eastern states in 1913, and died in Melbourne in May 1922, aged 67. He was unmarried.