 Anna Maria (née Denman).Educated at Leighton Park School in Reading, he initially worked in his father's hugely successful Far Eastern Trading business before standing as a Liberal candidate for Northwich in 1929, moving to the National Liberal Party and being elected for Eddisbury in 1945.After unsuccessfully contesting Walsall in the 1950 election, Barlow was elected at the 1951 general election as Member of Parliament (MP) for Middleton and Prestwich, succeeding the Conservative Ernest Everard Gates.