• Name: Barry, James
• Gender: Male
• Birth Date: 11  October  1741
• Death Date: 22  February  1806
• Occupation: painter
• Occupation: printmaker
• Occupation: author

James Barry was a historical painter of great repute who was eventually elected professor of painting by the Royal Academy in 1782.

There is a problem in distinguishing between James Barry and Colonel Henry Barry . Although Godwin often uses Henry Barry's rank (Colonel and Major) in the diary, it is clear from a reference in Holcroft's diary that on at least one occasion, Godwin uses plain Barry to refer to Henry rather than James (p. 181-2), and we cannot assume that this is an isolated incident. Moreover, many plain Barry entries are linked to Debrett's, and while it is clear that Henry Barry attends Debrett's, we have no evidence that James Barry does and there is no J Barry recorded at Debrett's. (Also, given James Barry's connections with Edmund Burke (his patron) it might be unlikely he would attend this centre for Foxite whigs).

We have observed the following rule of thumb in coding the entries. Where there is an initial or prefix we code accordingly. Where these are lacking and there is no contexct, we assume James Barry. Where the context links to the Hollis circles and dissent, we have coded for James Barry; where there are links to Holcroft, since we are aware that he is associated with both, we have coded entries as James in domestic and literary settings and Henry in political ones; where the entries link to whig politics and Debrett's, we have coded the Barry entries as Henry. Following this makes most sense when the entries without an initial are compared to the distribution of entries with an initial. However, this may still not be wholly accurate and further evidence is required to confirm these decisions.

In some years (e.g. 1799) Godwin notes a 'J Barry' and a 'Jas Barry' . They have all been coded as the painter James Barry.

• MS. Abinger c. 54, fol. 42: 10 September 1797
• MS. Abinger c. 22, fol. 38: 10 September 1797
• DNB
• Thomas Holcroft, The life of Thomas Holcroft, continued by William Hazlitt, ed. by Elbridge Colby, 2 vols (London: Constable & Co., 1925)
• John Barrell, ‘Reform and Revolution: James Barry’s Writings in the 1790s’, in James Barry, 1741 – 1806: History Painter ed Tom Dunne and William Pressly (London: Ashgate, 2010

This table lists the people this person is most frequently noted with in the diary.