Mrs. Barrymore in The Hound of the Baskervilles

Who is Mrs. Barrymore?

Mrs. Barrymore is the housekeeper at Baskerville Hall who keeps the household running and presents a proper, guarded front to visitors. From her first appearance she appears watchful and emotionally strained; Watson notices reddened eyes and later hears a muffled sob in the house. Her main secret is family loyalty: she and her husband hide and provision Selden, the escaped convict, by signaling him with a candle at the western window. When confronted, she breaks down and reveals Selden is her brother and explains their motive to allow him a chance to escape quietly. Under pressure from Holmes and Watson she reacts emotionally but ultimately cooperates; at supper after Holmes’s return she bursts into tears when told the whole truth and Barrymore answers with stoicism. Mrs. Barrymore’s actions—her signals, her tears, and her admissions—both complicate and clarify the investigation, supplying crucial leads (the candle, Selden’s presence, and the clue about the burned letter) that help Watson and Holmes piece together events on the moor.

In the book: When we first meet her at Baskerville Hall, Mrs. Barrymore is the housekeeper—reserved, proper, and fiercely loyal to her husband. She keeps the great house running smoothly, but there’s a strained, watchful air about her that makes Watson feel something is being quietly managed out of sight.

Personality

Loyal

She and her husband secretly provision Selden because he is her brother, admitting the candle signal to Watson and Sir Henry (Chapters 9–10).

Reserved

On arrival she gives a proper, controlled reception, yet Watson notices a watchful, strained air and later hears a muffled sob (Chapters 6–7).

Emotional

When Holmes exposes the full investigation she bursts into tears, revealing how deeply affected she is by the secret they have kept (Chapter 13).

Secret-keeper

She conceals the presence of the convict and the signaling system until Watson and Sir Henry observe and confront Barrymore (Chapters 8–9).

Character arc

Mrs. Barrymore appears initially as a stoic, discreet housekeeper whose private grief and watchfulness unsettle Watson. Early on Watson hears an unexplained sob and notes her reddened eyes, suggesting private distress; she continues to maintain a proper, closed demeanour when the newcomers arrive. The turning point comes when Watson and Sir Henry catch Mr. Barrymore at the western window and confront the couple: Mrs. Barrymore then admits the truth—Selden is her brother and the candle was a signal for food. This confession changes her role from an enigmatic background figure to a sympathetic, morally conflicted actor caught between loyalty to family and legal/moral obligation. Later, when Holmes returns and reveals the broader manipulation and the stakes of the case, Mrs. Barrymore reacts emotionally and openly weeps; she no longer conceals the secret but submits to the truth being known. She does not undergo a radical transformation of principles—she remains devoted to family—but she moves from concealment to reluctant cooperation with the investigators, allowing the case to progress.

Relationships

• Mr. Barrymore Her husband and co-conspirator in concealing and feeding Selden; he acts stoically while she shows emotional strain.
• Selden Her brother, the escaped convict whom she and her husband secretly provision and signal with a candle on the moor.
• Dr. John Watson The investigator who notices her sobs, follows her movements, and confronts her to learn the truth about Selden.
• Sir Henry Baskerville The new master of Baskerville Hall whom she serves and whose safety is affected by the household’s secret.
• Sherlock Holmes The detective whose return forces her full confession and emotional reaction when the wider investigation is revealed.

Quotes by Mrs. Barrymore

“The light is a signal to him that food is ready for him, and his light out yonder is to show the spot to which to bring it.”

Chapter 9Mrs. Barrymore explains the window-light: it is a benign but illicit signal to her escaped brother, Selden, clearing up the Barrymores' secretive behavior.

Why Mrs. Barrymore matters

Mrs. Barrymore embodies the tension between private loyalty and public duty that runs through the novel. Her secrecy—rooted in family ties—creates complications for justice and for the investigation into the Baskerville curse, showing how personal bonds can obscure the truth. At the same time, her eventual confession and emotional collapse humanize the household’s mystery, converting an ominous domestic detail (the sob, the candle) into a morally complex explanation rather than supernatural causation. She helps shift the narrative from legend to human motive, reinforcing the theme that fear, loyalty, and deception among ordinary people drive the moor’s tragedies as much as any supposed curse.

Chapters with Mrs. Barrymore

• Chapter 2
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7
• Chapter 8
• Chapter 9
• Chapter 10
• Chapter 11
• Chapter 12
• Chapter 13
• Chapter 14
• Chapter 15

More The Hound of the Baskervilles characters

• Dr. John WatsonNarrator
• SSherlock HolmesProtagonist
• Sir Henry BaskervilleProtagonist
• Dr. James MortimerMajor character
• Sir Charles BaskervilleMinor character
• Jack StapletonAntagonist
• Mr. BarrymoreMajor character
• Beryl StapletonMajor character