Bartley was born in Liverpool, England, and was admitted an attorney of the King's Bench at the age of 19.
R. I. Stow was articled to the firm, then joined as a partner of Bartley, Bakewell & Stow, famously representing the Church of England in its unsuccessful suit against the Corporation of Adelaide, for allocation of land on Victoria Square on which to build a cathedral.
[1] He was appointed acting Crown Solicitor and Advocate-General for South Australia in January 1849, with a seat on the Legislative Council, to April or May, while William Smillie was on leave in Tasmania.
[2][3] After the passage in 1857 of the Real Property Act, Bartley was appointed Senior Solicitor to the Lands Titles Office, a position which he held until 1881, when he retired.
Sarah was a sister of Sir Charles Cooper, first Chief Justice of South Australia.