Ernest James Barry (1882 – July 1968) was a British rower and Thames Waterman, five times Sculling World Champion during the early part of the 20th century and winner of the Doggett's Coat and Badge Race in 1903.

In reality Barry regained the championship by adopting the lifestyle of his nearest foreign competitors, including accepting £2000 of sponsorship from the Daily Mail in the form of travelling expenses.

Felton stopped rowing, believing he had won on the foul, but the umpire, Bill Beach ordered the men to continue rather than making a ruling.

In October 1920 The New York Times reported: "Ernest Barry, holder of the professional sculling Championship of the World as a result of his recent victory over Felton in Australia, finds that he will be unable to do the training required to defend his title.

He was appointed the Royal Barge Master to King George VI, and later to Queen Elizabeth II until he retired from the position in 1952 because of ill health.

[1] In 1934 – 1938 he coached at Danske Studenters Roklub in Copenhagen creating great progress in that club culminating with two bronze medals at the European Championships in 1938.

While not all agreed with his style and method, there was no doubt that he considerably improved the standard of rowing in the club, and the crowning point was the success in the Maiden VIII Championships in Drogheda in 1957.

Barry lived to see the end of professional sculling but was forced to sell all but two of his trophies to support himself and his daughter Thelma, who contracted poliomyelitis.