Jean Campbell-Harris was born on 23 October 1922, the daughter of Arthur Edward Campbell-Harris, MC and Doris Marie Robson. She was educated privately in England and France and in 1954 married William Alan Barker (d 1988), having one son.

She served in naval intelligence at Bletchley Park during World War II, and also as a Land Girl to David Lloyd George, 1940–41, before working at the European Central Inland Transportation Organisation, 1945-49, and as secretary to Lord Hinchingbrooke, 1950-52. She was a Conservative Councillor on Cambridge City Council, 1963-73, Mayor of Cambridge, 1971-72 and Conservative County Councillor, 1973-75. Appointed to the Lords in 1980 she served as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the DHSS, 1985-87, and at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, 1987-89, becoming Minister of State from 1989-92. She was made an Extra Baroness in Waiting to the Queen in 1998.

Baroness Trumpington died on 26 November 2018.