Noel Barton

My project “Building the Wave” began in 2008 soon after I moved to the (British) Virgin Islands. Inevitably this meant that some of the people who would fall into my category of ‘builders before the wave’ were no longer available for interview because for a number of reasons. Once such person was Noel Barton who died in March, 2010 at the age of 89. He had lived on Tortola for nearly forty years (since 1970). I have endeavoured, for the sake of completeness, to include something about these people.

From: BVI Beacon, Thursday April 15th, 2010: 7.

Noel Barton, who died on 15 March 2010, was an integral part of the BVI community, and particularly financial services, for almost 40 years. He was one of the principal architects of the IBC Ordinance, which was the cornerstone of the now thriving offshore financial services industry, and he was the first Chairman (for ten years) of the Social Security Board.

He was born in London, England in July 1930 and was educated at Kings School, Canterbury which is famous for its schoolboy choir. In 1951 he married Tine Amos.

He came from an accounting family and at the age of 18 became articled to Mr. Peat of Peat, Marwick, Mitchell, one of the UK’s premier accounting firms in the heart of the City of London; and in 1954 qualified as a chartered accountant, being admitted to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Noel and Tine were attracted to the charms of Africa and Noel transferred to Peats in what was then Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia and which is now Harare, Zimbabwe. His three daughters, Paula, Diane and Lynne were born there. Following the Unilateral Declaration of Independence by the Ian Smith Government, Noel left Zimbabwe in October 1966 to take up the position of Company Secretary in the Zambia Sugar Company, a member of the Tate and Lyle Group, in the town of Lusaka.

In late 1969 Noel returned to the UK with Tate and Lyle but within nine months he agreed to take up the position of resident partner of Pannell Fitzpatrick in Tortola, arriving in September 1970. In 1973 the firm merged with Dickinson, Rawlinson and Hunter and in 1983 it became part of KPMG Peat Marwick, one of the world’s big four accounting firms.

Noel spent half of his life in the BVI – nearly 40 years. This was rather longer than he originally thought he would be here – the entry in the Governor’s Guest Book on the occasion of his first visit to Government House reads: Name – Noel Barton; Anticipated Length of Stay – eighteen months. In his time in Tortola, Noel was a dynamic member of the BVI community and gave unstintingly of his time and efforts, notably in the area of financial services. With his experience in corporate management and being an accountant by profession, Noel was in the forefront of financial activities in the days when the BVI had Income Tax and earned modest revenues from a network of beneficial double tax treaties. All that came to a swift and dramatic end, however, when first the UK and then the US terminated their treaties. Noel and the late Neville Westwood attended many meetings in Washington DC as representatives of the BVI, trying to salvage something from the treaties but to no avail. A solution had to be found and that turned out to be the IBC Ordinance which was enacted in 1984. Noel was one of the principal architects of this momentous piece of legislation which has since been copied by numerous other off-shore centres. As the cornerstone of the now thriving offshore financial services industry, it has brought significant revenues and a consequential rise in the standard of living of everyone in the BVI.

His other great achievement and lasting legacy was his ten year involvement as the first Chairman of the Social Security Board. The Social Security Board is now an essential part of the life of virtually everyone in the BVI – but this did not happen by chance. Years of dedication and hard work by Noel and his team was needed to make the Social Security Board the bulwark of BVI Society, the lifeline of the poor and needy.

Noel retired from KPMG in 1989 and went on to hold senior positions in the BVI with Havelet Trust Company, Insinger Trust and, from 2002 until his death, as Chairman of Nerine Trust Company.

These achievements are but peaks in a mountain range of public service. Noel was a member of the Rotary Club of Tortola for almost thirty years. He was the recipient of the very first Rotarian of the Year award. He was honorary treasurer, auditor or adviser for numerous organisations, including the Tortola Sports Club, St. Paul’s Church at Sea Cows Bay, where he was a regular worshipper, and the Catholic Church.

Noel was a keen and accomplished sportsman. He loved to play tennis with his regular foursome of Ernie Sorrentino, Keith Bish and Reg Langtry. The stories are legend of his famous quotes – for example when he and his partner were 40 love down Noel would be heard to remark “half way to deuce”; and on being five games to nil down, would comment “looks like a long set coming up”. Noel also enjoyed playing golf and bowls, although he did not get a chance to play much of either in the BVI. He loved cricket and was a life member of Sussex County Cricket Club in England. In later life, when most us start thinking of more sedentary pastimes Noel took up squash and played regularly with Ernie Sorrentino and Ken Adamson in the over 70s league at the Sports Club. He was a lifetime member of the BVI Philatelic Society.

He was also a gourmand – a man who knew and appreciated a good meal when he was introduced to one – and loved a good bottle of red wine.

Outside his work and play, Noel was a man with a heart of gold. He provided generous financial support to the Sports Club when it was in need and was ever willing to reach into his own pocket to help someone who was down on his luck. Many people in the BVI have reason to be grateful for Noel’s generosity.

In his private life Noel was first and foremost a family man and he and his beloved Tine were part of the fabric of the BVI; but he was never quite the same after Tine’s totally unexpected death in 2006. His three daughters lived in England. He was immensely proud of their achievements and he never missed an anniversary of any of them or his six grandchildren.

Noel’s life was filled with achievements and hard work intertwined with a sense of duty and a warm and generous heart.

A funeral service was held at St George’s Church in Road Town, Tortola. A Memorial Service will be held in England on 23 April 2010 at St James’ Church, Fulmer. Noel Barton was born on 8 July 1930 and died on 15 March 2010, aged 79.
 
 

Draft of April 20th, 2010

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