He selected the next rank of Festival organizers, giving preference to young architects and designers who had collaborated on exhibitions for the wartime Ministry of Information.
[1] Born in Surbiton, Barry studied at Marlborough College, and planned to continue his education at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, but instead joined the Royal Flying Corps then, on its establishment, the Royal Air Force.
He resigned in 1930, refusing an order from the board of directors to support the United Empire Party.
The following year, he was appointed director-general of the Festival of Britain, with responsibility for selecting and leading the team which organised the event.
After the festival, Barry served on a variety of quangos, and in 1959 took charge of educational programming for Granada Television.