Barrington's photos of nude or semi-nude men appeared widely in British and American physique magazines, sometimes under the pseudonym John Paignton.
[1] Barrington published many of his own physique magazines, including Male Model Monthly, the first in Britain.
[6] According to his biographer, Barrington saw his same-sex relations as being purely for the pursuit of physical pleasure, and he sought to distance himself from the stereotypical figure of the "queen", which he reviled.
Barrington's continued sexual encounters with men were the source of some friction between him and his wife, but the two remained married until his death, and had children and grandchildren.
"[7] After being diagnosed with leukaemia, Barrington came into contact with writer Rupert Smith and sought his help in writing his life story, and the two agreed to collaborate.
The book, Physique: The Life of John S. Barrington, was completed by Smith and published in 1997 by Serpent's Tail.