Barr, (Sarah) Venie (1875–1947), political and community activist, was born 3 October 1875 in Abbeyleix, Queen's Co. (Laois), daughter of James Moyles , trader, and Eliza Jane Moyles (née Pratt). Active in unionist organisations, she was an original member of the Ulster Women's Unionist Council (UWUC), founded 1911 as a female auxiliary to the Ulster Unionist Council; she was a member of the standing committee and was appointed first chief of the Post House Staff of the Ulster Volunteer Force (1914). On the outbreak of the first world war, at a meeting of the South Belfast Women's Association (of which she was sometime hon. secretary), she proposed that a fund be organised for sending gifts to soldiers, and subsequently founded and served as secretary of the Ulster Women's Gift Fund for War Hospital Supplies, which provided food, medicine, and books for army and navy units, hospitals, and prisoners of war; by November 1918 it had raised £119,481. She was awarded a CBE (1920). Having been a trustee of the surplus funds in 1918, she became hon. treasurer of the Ulster Gift Fund during the second world war.
A fluent and convincing speaker, she was chosen as delegate of the UWUC to the UUC (1919–47) and subsequently served as assistant hon. treasurer (1920–30), hon. treasurer (1930–47), and vice-chairman (1923–5, 1935–47), and also as chairman of St Anne's Women's Unionist Association (1918–47). Interested in youth welfare, she was hon. treasurer of the Girl Guides Association, and as hon. secretary of the Belfast Council of Social Welfare she visited Canada (1930) to supervise the employment of Ulster female emigrants. She was also president of Toc H Women Helpers (Belfast Branch). She lived at Ravenna, Malone Rd, Belfast, and died 1 November 1947 in Belfast. In 1948 the UWUC instituted the Barr memorial cup, which since 1963 has been awarded to the branch enjoying the highest percentage of female voters on its registers – a fitting tribute, since she had been vocal in her support of universal franchise. She married (1901) Ainsworth Barr, stockbroker and international rugby half-back. They had at least two sons.