Peter
Thats very interesting information. If I'm not mistaken I believe that EPGA was the precursor to the PGA. The PGA was more or less founded by the founding members of the EPGA - mostly Brits. Britain had already formed a PGA, and they wanted to form a similar organiztion.
The part about his playing career pretty much matches what Verdant Greene wrote.
As far going back and becoming Amateur, that really doesn't surprise me. Amateur golf in Britain was by far the more prestigious. The best amateurs in Britain had a priveleged lifestyle. Barker had a tasted of it early on. He was on the fast track to being one Britain's elite amateur golfers, following men like HG Hutchinson (who captained the English International team he was on in 1907), Mure Fergusson, Low, Colt, Fowler, Darwin, Laidlay, Ball, Paton, Hilton, Alison, Hutchison, Campbell, Maxwell, the Blackwells, the Fairlies, etc.
These men basically ran the game of golf, they held all the key postions in the R&A, they were the most prominent writers on the game, and they were taking over golf architecture. Through their connections I bet they maximized their incomes as well, especially in comparison to the average pro.
I found this blurb from British Golf Illustrated in 1935, the columnist had inquired in a previous issue whatever became of HH Barker, a pro in Yorkshire wrote in:
"It was with interest I read your article in last week's GI, and especially the remarks and photographs of HH Barker, and I am sorry to say that he passed away about ten years ago.
He did well financially in America as professional, but only lived a few years after his return to Huddersfield. About twelve years ago I was drawn against him when we played a county match with the amateurs he was trying to be reinstated as an amateur at that time. I remember I beat him, and it gave me some pleasure, for when I was a lad at school HH Barker was quite an idol in Yorkshire golf."