James Barnet

James Barnet
James Barnet, circa 1888
Born	James Johnstone Barnet 1827
Died	16 December 1904 (aged 77 years) Forest Lodge, New South Wales
Resting place	Rookwood Cemetery
Nationality	Scottish
Occupation	Colonial Architect, New South Wales
Years active	1862 – 1890
Known for	Design of Italianate, Gothic Revival, and Neoclassical public buildings with heavily worked façades, made typically with sandstone and brick, constructed in Sydney and throughout New South Wales
Spouse(s)	Rosa Barnet

James Johnstone Barnet (1827 in Almericlose, Arbroath, Scotland – 16 December 1904 in Forest Lodge, Sydney, New South Wales) was the Colonial Architect for Colonial New South Wales, serving from 1862 to 1890.

The list of Barnet's work includes 169 post and telegraph offices, 130 courthouses, 155 police stations, 110 lock-ups and 20 lighthouses. His major works include the General Post Office building in Sydney, Callan Park Lunatic Asylum, the Australian Museum, the Colonial Secretary's building, Lands Department building, and the Anderson Stuart Building at Sydney University.

Born the son of a builder, Barnet was educated at the local high school. In 1843, at the age of sixteen, Barnet moved to London, where he became a builder's apprentice, studying drawing under William Dyce RA and architecture with CJ Richardson FRIBA. He then became of clerk of works with the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers. In 1854 he married and sailed for Sydney, Australia, with his new wife, Rosa. In Sydney, he worked first as a builder for Edmund Blacket, then became Clerk of Works at the University of Sydney.

In 1860, he joined the Colonial Architect's Office. In 1862, he was acting head of the office; in 1865, he was promoted to the post of Colonial Architect. He held that position for twenty-five years until the Office was reorganised in 1890.