A Belfast News Letter advertisement of 5 August 1768 states: 'John Perry from Dublin, regularily bred to the making of guitars and violins, at his shop in High Street, Belfast'. This could be John Perry (i) (father of Thomas Perry), but it could also be John Perry, brother of Thomas: there is a tradition that he was an instrument maker, although there is no documentary evidence to support this.

A Miss Perry married a Mr Eyre, both of Anglesea Street, in November 1784 (Rice). Since Thomas Perry's four daughters had other married names, this may have been a daughter of this John Perry, returned from Belfast.

John Perry is, with Thomas, mentioned in the will of their father John (i) who died in 1787 (Registry of Deeds Memorial, 410063: 604/416, cited in Rice). A John Perry, presumably the same, witnessed a lease in 1793 made by his brother Thomas.