Singer's Patent Compass by Francis Barker, London, c.1880.A Singer's patent pocket compass by Francis Barker & Sons, London, c. 1880. F. Barker & Sons (1820 Dec. 15, 1875) is a British company founded by Francis Barker in London in 1846. Two years later, in 1848, he set up a second company, Groves and Barker Mariners' Compass and Sundial Makers with his friend and former co apprentice Richard Groves and they traded from 16 Market Street, Clerkenwell, London. Richard died in 1864 and about one year after his