Rowland Barran was born in 1858, the youngest son of
Sir John Barran, a pioneer in clothing manufacture and
Member of Parliament for
Leeds and
Otley. Following the death of
Frances Lupton in 1892, Rowland lived near
Leeds at Frances's
Beechwood Estate which had been
entailed to her eldest son and fellow
Liberal politician,
Francis Martineau Lupton. Barran remained at Beechwood until War. Lupton and his family also owned the
Newton Park Estate (North Leeds), the constituency of which Barran was M.P. from 1902–1918. Barran bred
Shorthorn livestock during his residency at Beechwood. Barran became chairman of the family firm in 1918, succeeding his brother, Charles, who had succeeded their father in this post in 1903. He was a member of the Leeds City Council alongside
Alderman Francis Martineau Lupton, and served on the Leeds School Board before his election to parliament. and served until the
General Election of 14 December 1918. ==Family==