 After graduating from Trinity College, Cambridge University, Barton joined Jardines in 1933 as a tea taster and climbing the ranks to become Tai-pan in 1953 at just 42 years old.Barton was assigned to several key areas throughout Asia spending most of his time in Shanghai before returning to Hong Kong in 1949 when the group's assets fell under the new Communist regime.Barton served with the Irish Guards and fought in the Second World War.