No Rector of St Peter's has been so anxious to give an account of his life and views as William Barry. He was born in London in1849 and described himself as "of Irish stock (Co. Cork) with Norman connections". The family came to England due to the potato famine. He remained fiercely proud of his Irish background to the extent of declaring he had not "a single English relationship". During his early education in London the eminent Fr Faber said "that boy ought to become a priest". It was in fact the only calling he ever felt. At the time, only the Midland District offered scholarships, and so he began his training in 1863 at Sedgley Park near Wolverhampton. There he became not only, in his own words, "top of the class", but also a very keen critic of all his masters. Because of his success he was transferred to Oscott College in 1865.

His insatiable desire to know about everything and his phenomenal memory marked him out, in the words of another learned priest, as "one of the greatest intellectuals in the history of the Diocese." By 1868 he was high on the honours list of London University, and then won a scholarship at the Gregorian University in Rome, where he witnessed the opening ceremonies and subsequent "stormy career" of the First Vatican Council.

He was ordained priest in Rome in 1873 and on his return was appointed by Bishop Ullathorne as Vice Rector of the new diocesan seminary at Olton. The Rector was Fr Ilsley (soon to become Bishop) and who remained a life-long friend. Here he was able to spend time on writing and travel, also developing a wide range of influential friendships.

In 1875 he was appointed lecturer in divinity at Oscott College, a position of great authority, and which gave even greater freedom to develop his wide interests. It was here he composed the address of welcome to the newly-appointed Cardinal Newman on his return from Rome in 1879, whom he described as his great literary idol, followed by George Eliot.

Early in 1881, he spent 6 fruitful months in Harvington Hall, and was then appointed a senior assistant to SS Mary and John, Wolverhampton. In 1883 he moved to Dorchester where his proximity to Oxford and London provided even greater opportunity to extend his influence. Around this time his father died and his mother was seriously ill. He had been greatly influenced by their efforts to establish the Irish community in London on a respectable basis; and described himself as a "total abstainer, nor can imagine what is the fascination of tobacco, and with a hatred of betting that has ever been invincible." It was probably these characteristics, along with his outstanding intellectual gifts, that caused many priests to be in awe of him, whilst he himself shunned large gatherings and could be ill at ease in strange company. Yet despite his reputation the presbytery was described as a very relaxed and happy place, by his curates and all who were invited to it.

In 1907 he felt the need for change and as Canon Greaney was by now seriously ill he was promised Leamington, but as the latter appeared to recover, he therefore accepted the appointment to St Catherine's, Birmingham, an equally large parish. A few months later, on the death of Canon Greaney, he reapplied for Leamington and so became its new Rector in January 1908. It was to be an outstanding ministry yet, like his previous life, also to be divided between outside interests and parish matters.

Shortly before his arrival, he was appointed as Canon and soon took charge of the school and societies in the parish. Athough quite at home amongst the well-off and intelligentsia of Leamington, he retained a great social concern for the poor. On one occasion, in front of the leading persons of the area he publicly expressed his dismay that in Leamington there existed, side by side, the greatest elegance and the most deprived slums, which were a blot on the character of the town.

Because of his close relationship with the Bishop he had great authority in the parish, almost being able to appoint his own curates! As a result, he was able to continue to pursue his outside interests and frequent travels. At the same time, his boundless energy had a great impact on St Peter's. He had a special concern for separated Christians and developed many close relationships with them. "If there are many branches, there is only one tree." Deeply affected by the World War he remembered long afterwards its fallen heroes, and at the same time offered St Peter's School as a home for the many Belgian refugees. He could be fiercely controversial, and amongst other things was impatient with "rallies, congresses and pilgrimages, here, there and everywhere", observing "the only way is to take a light and face whatever there is".

It had been his hope to continue in the active ministry to the end, and then "like a soldier, be buried where he fell", but by 1928 his health had seriously declined and he had to retire. He died in 1930 in Oxford and was buried there.

On his death a former curate wrote that "his fame was probably greater in Europe than in England, and his name better known in London than his own diocese".

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