The Hound of the Baskervilles · Character

Mrs. Barrymore

The Hall's housekeeper, whose red-eyed grief and nervous watchfulness betray a sorrow she and her husband are desperate to hide.

supporting

Also known as Barrymore

First appearance: Baskerville Hall

As a supporting figure in The Hound of the Baskervilles, Mrs. Barrymore is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

The butler who discovered Sir Charles's body and sent for Dr.

In the storyThe Curse of the BaskervillesOpen this moment free

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Quiet and dutiful in the household, she is visibly undone by something Watson cannot name, weeping when she believes herself unobserved. Her distress is bound up with her husband's nocturnal errands, and the two of them…

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See Mrs. Barrymore in Baskerville Hall

Character Web

16 connections

A slice of how Mrs. Barrymore sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Professional
Social
Other

Character groups

Main Cast and Suspects
Protagonist

+11 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This excerpt marks the dramatic climax because Dr. Watson reaches his psychological breaking point, openly adm…

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Relationships

Sir Henry Baskerville
professional · ambivalent
Sir Charles Baskerville
professional · positive
Dr. James Mortimer
social · positive
Sir Henry Baskerville
professional · ambivalent
Sir Henry Baskerville
professional · ambivalent
Dr. James Mortimer
social · positive
Sir Charles Baskerville
professional · positive

Sir Henry Baskerville
Mrs. Barrymore is the housekeeper at Baskerville Hall, serving Sir Henry with a mix of loyalty and hidden distress.
Sir Charles Baskerville
Mrs. Barrymore served Sir Charles as housekeeper, and her husband was his butler, both loyal to the family.
Dr. James Mortimer
Mortimer knows Mrs. Barrymore as the housekeeper at Baskerville Hall, interacting with her during his visits.
Sir Henry Baskerville
Mrs. Barrymore is the housekeeper at Baskerville Hall, serving Sir Henry with a mix of loyalty and hidden distress.
Sir Henry Baskerville
Mrs. Barrymore is the housekeeper at Baskerville Hall, serving Sir Henry with a mix of loyalty and hidden distress.
Dr. James Mortimer
Mortimer knows Mrs. Barrymore as the housekeeper at Baskerville Hall, interacting with her during his visits.
Sir Charles Baskerville
Mrs. Barrymore served Sir Charles as housekeeper, and her husband was his butler, both loyal to the family.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Mrs. Barrymore in Baskerville Hall

In the story

Mrs. Barrymore appears across 12 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

The Curse of the Baskervilles
The butler who discovered Sir Charles's body and sent for Dr. Mortimer.
Three Broken Threads
Mentioned as the butler with a full black beard; he and his wife each received five hundred pounds from Sir Charles's will; a telegram confirms he is at the Hall.
Baskerville Hall
Greets the party at Baskerville Hall; mentions Sir Charles's generosity and plans to start a business.
VII: The Stapletons of Merripit House
Denies that his wife could have been sobbing; his pallor and lie raise suspicion about his involvement in Sir Charles's death.
VII: The Stapletons of Merripit House
Seen with red, swollen eyes, confirming she was the one sobbing; her distress adds to the mystery.
VIII: First Report of Dr. Watson
Questioned about the telegram; later seen signaling from the tower at night, which Watson and Sir Henry investigate.
VIII: First Report of Dr. Watson
Heavy, solid, puritanical; observed sobbing bitterly and showing traces of tears.
IX: Second Report of Dr. Watson
Caught signaling from the window; reveals he is signaling to the convict Selden, his wife's brother.
IX: Second Report of Dr. Watson
Mentioned as tear-stained and connected to the secret; her brother is the convict Selden.
X: Extract from the Diary of Dr. Watson
Reveals to Watson that there is a second man hiding on the moor, and expresses his unease about the goings-on.
XIII: Fixing the Nets
Informed of Selden's death; feels relief but his wife weeps.
XIII: Fixing the Nets
Weeps bitterly upon learning of Selden's death.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Mrs. Barrymore unlock in the free preview.

See Mrs. Barrymore in Baskerville Hall

See Mrs. Barrymore in The Curse of the Baskervilles