She was born in 1866 in Peasenhall, Suffolk, England, the daughter of Louis (a wheelwright) and Martha (née Gibbs) Barber.

[1] Barber, who initially went to China as an Anglican, became an independent missionary with informal ties to the Plymouth Brethren.

[2] Along the south China coast (in Fuzhou), she and others regularly taught a Bible class at "White Teeth Rock".

Barber referred him to books by J. N. Darby, Madam Jeanne Guyon, Jessie Penn-Lewis, D. M. Panton, T. Austin Sparks, and of others, which had been of help to her.

She remained at home in Great Britain until years later the chairman of the mission board became aware of the case against her and that it was misrepresented.

She returned to China in 1909 along with Miss Ballord another congregant member of Surrey Chapel not in connection with any mission, settling in a suburb of Fuzhou, with the spiritual support of Panton and the Surrey Chapel Mission Band, Norwich, where Panton ministered.

She was not guaranteed regular funds from the Surrey Chapel Mission Band and had no outward means of support.

These compositions demonstrate her striving to live "in the Lord’s presence," as well as her eager anticipation of Christ's coming back.