Barritt was born in Hazeleigh, near Maldon, Essex, and emigrated to South Australia on the Anna Robertson in 1839 with an introduction to John Barton Hack, a fellow Quaker for whom he ran a farm.
He was for several years partner with Walter Duffield in a 10,000 acres (4,000 ha) pastoral lease adjacent to the Burra Special Survey.
In November 1862 he was elected to the House of Assembly, as Duffield's associate for the seat of Barossa, but retired after little more than one year,[2] owing to rapidly deteriorating eyesight,[3] and became almost totally blind.
He married Mary Ann Harrison (c.1815 – 5 April 1848) on 7 March 1843, the first Quaker marriage in South Australia.
[6] He married again, to Hanna Sophia May (c.1819 – 27 June 1881) whose father, Joseph May (1787 – 11 March 1878), was a prominent Mount Barker Quaker, on 12 May 1853.