Ernest Thomas Barker was born at 57 Charlotte Street in Islington, Middlesex, England on 12 October 1871.

He was the son of Thomas Barker (b. 1834 in St Brides), a publican, and the former Isabella Wilgress Haward (b. 1846 in Paddington), both Middlesex-natives who had married in Holy Trinity Church, Haverstock Hill, Camden, London on 13 March 1870.

He had three known siblings: Constance Florence (b. 1873, later Mrs William Frederick Ellis) and twins Beatrice Maud and John Richard (b. 26 March 1875). Beatrice died on Christmas Eve 1875 aged just 9 months.

On the 1871 census, taken only months before Ernest's birth, his parents were living at 57 Charlotte Street, Islington and the family would still be here on the 1881 census. That particular address was the Golden Lion public house which his father ran. Ernest appears on no further census records.

His mother died on 9 August 1885 and his father never remarried, later living with his daughter Constance Ellis in Tottenham and later dying on 4 April 1903. When his father passed on his estate worth £438, 10s was split between his three surviving children and Ernest was then indicated to be a public house manager.

When he signed-on to the Titanic, on 6 April 1912, Ernest gave his address as 4 Grand Parade, Haringey, (London), the home of his sister Constance Florence Ellis Pirie and her family. As a first class steward he received monthly wages of £3, 15s. His last ship had been the Olympic.

Barker died in the sinking. His body was later recovered by the Mackay-Bennett (#159) and buried at sea on 24 April 1912.

His last known surviving sibling was his brother John, an electrician, married to Veronica Frances Alice Wilson (1878-1960). John lived out his life in Harringay, Middlesex where he died on 8 May 1949.

Ernest is remembered on the family headstone in Highgate Cemetery, Islington. The grave lay unnoticed and unattended for many years until in April 2012 the monument was discovered and repaired and a commemoration service was later held in Ernest's honour.