Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 04.djvu/400

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Berry
396
Berry

1866, p. 171, gives William Berry of Warminster as the pastor who resigned Camberwell Green, from ill-health, in 1812). Rev. John Berry left four sons, John (d. 8 Nov. 1867, æt. 88); Joseph, an independent minister (d. 2 Aug. 1864, æt. 82); Charles; and Cornelius, for fifty-three years independent minister at Hatfield Heath, Essex (d. 8 Sept. 1864, æt. 76). Charles was educated for the independent ministry at Homerton, entering in 1799, at the time when Dr. Pye Smith succeeded John Berry as classical tutor. He acted as assistant to Pye Smith in a course of chemical experiments. In 1802 some of the students, including Charles Berry, developed heretical views. Berry left Homerton, and in 1803, at the age of twenty, became minister of the Great Meeting, Leicester, in succession to Robert Jacomb. Here he ministered till 1869, having Rev. Charles Clement Coe, F.R.G.S., as colleague from 1865. In 1808 he opened a school which he maintained for over thirty years. To him Dr. Parr addressed, 19 Dec. 1819, his famous letter on the methods of classical training (Parr's Works, ed. Johnston, 1828, viii. 481–6). His pupils included many who afterwards distinguished themselves in public life. In 1810 he married Ann (d. 24 May 1870, æt. 90), daughter of Thomas Paget. He was one of the founders of the Leicester Literary and Philosophical Society, and of the Leicester Town Museum. A ripe scholar and mathematician, as a preacher he dealt with topics of common life in language pithy but studiously simple. His Christology was humanitarian; early in his ministry he had a pulpit controversy on the subject with Robert Hall, then baptist minister at Haney Lane, Leicester, with whom he maintained an unbroken friendship. He died 4 May 1877 in the house of his son-in-law, near Liverpool. He published several sermons, including: 1. 'The Duty of National Thanksgiving,' 1812. 2. 'Funeral Sermon for Queen Caroline,' 1821. 3. 'Remarks on Popery and the present Anti-papal Agitation,' 1851.

[Chn. Reformer, 1817, p. 323; Chn. Life, 1877, p. 230; Remembrance of Rev. C. B., 1877, by J. C. (James Clephan).]

A. G.


BERRY, Sir EDWARD (1768–1831), rear-admiral, was one of a large family left in straitened circumstances by the early death of his father, a merchant in London. Lord Mulgrave had been a pupil of his uncle, the Rev. Titus Berry of Norwich, and through him, then one of the lords of the admiralty, the boy was in 1779 appointed as a volunteer to the Burford, 70 guns, with Captain Rainier, then sailing for the East Indies, where she remained till after the conclusion of the war in 1783. He was made lieutenant on 20 Jan. 1794, as a reward, it is said, for his gallantry in boarding a French ship of war; he is said also, in a vague way, to have distinguished himself on the First of June; but the first distinct mention of him is on his appointment to the Agamemnon with Captam Nelson in May 1796. He quickly won Nelson's esteem (Nelson Despatches, ii. 175), followed him to the Captain (11 June), and whilst Nelson was on shore conducting the siege of Porto Ferrajo, Berry, then first lieutenant, commanded the ship in such a manner as to call forth an official expression of his captain's 'fullest approbation' (ib. ii. 209, 272). This special service won for him his commander's rank, 12 Nov. 1796; but whilst waiting for an appointment, he remained as a volunteer on board the Captain, and was thus present in the battle of Cape St. Vincent: when the order was given to board the San Nicolas, 'The first man,' wrote Nelson, 'who jumped into the enemy's mizen chains was Captain Berry, late my first lieutenant; he was supported from our spritsail-yard, which hooked in the mizen-rigging' (ib. ii. 342). Captain Berry afterwards assisted Nelson into the main chains of the San Josef. Berry was posted on 6 March, and, being in England in October, was taken to court by Nelson, who, on the king remarking on the loss of his right arm, promptly presented Berry as his right hand (ib. ii. 448 n.) It was agreed between them that, when Nelson hoisted his flag, Berry was to go as his flag-captain; and on 8 Dec. Nelson wrote to him: 'If you mean to marry, I would recommend your doing it speedily, or the to-be Mrs. Berry will have very little of your company, for I am well, and you may expect to be called for every hour' (ib. ii. 456). On 12 Dec. Berry was married to his cousin Louisa, daughter of the Rev. Dr. Forster of Norwich. On 19 Dec. he was appointed to the Vanguard, but the ship did not leave England till 10 April 1798. In the battle of the Nile Berry as captain of the flag-ship, had his full share, and when Nelson was wounded caught him in his arms and saved him from falling (ib. iii. 55). He afterwards published anonymously 'An authentic Narrative of the Proceedings of his Majesty's Squadron under the command of Rear-admiral Sir Horatio Nelson, from its sailing from Gibraltar to the Conclusion of the glorious Battle of the Nile, drawn up from the Minutes of an Officer of Rank in the Squadron' (reprinted from the 'True Briton' and the 'Sun' newspapers, with additions, 8vo, 1798), a pamphlet which, under the special circum-