Neville Barwick was born in 1916 and educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. His career in the Nigerian Administrative Service began in 1948 as a cadet in the Resident's Office, Umuahia, Eastern Region, where he spent two years. From Umuahia he moved to Lagos where he was Assistant Establishment Officer in the Civil Service Commission between 1950 and 1952. Barwick was then posted to Special Duties within the Secretariat, where he took charge of arrangements for the Nigerian representatives at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and for Nigeria's own coronation celebrations. He then spent 3 years as a District Officer in the Aba and Orlu Divisions of the Eastern Region before moving to Enugu where he served briefly as Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Welfare, and Acting Principal Assistant Secretary (Political) until May 1957. His last posting was in Umuahia as Senior District Officer in Charge, equivalent to the position of the former Resident, which he held until his retirement in October 1958.