Edward Elhanan Berry (1861-1931) was the son of Edward Berry (1817-1875), lawyer and owner, and of Ada Bicknell (1831-1911) sister of

Clarence Bicknell Clarence Bicknell (27 August 1842 – 17 July 1918) was a British vicar, amateur archaeologist, botanist, artist, Esperantist, author and philanthropist. He founded the Bicknell Museum in Bordighera, Italy. Also named after him is a street in Bor ...

Biography

Edward was born on May 10, 1861, in Kingston, Canada. Little is known about his childhood, we know only that he returned to

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

still as a child. He graduated around 1880, it is unknown exactly in which faculty he enrolled, probably a scientific one, because he was later a member of the "Royal Society of Chemistry." In 1891, aged 30, he decided to move to

Bordighera Bordighera (; lij, A Bordighea, locally ) is a town and ''comune'' in the Province of Imperia, Liguria (Italy). Geography Bordighera is located from the land border between Italy and France, and it is possible to see the French coast with a nak ...

where his maternal uncle

lived and he founded the "Bank Berry", located on the corner of the current Corso Italia and via Vittorio Emanuele. The bank prospered, but Berry decided to become an agent for the travel agency "Thomas Cook's." In 1892 Edward created a service agency for the British residents, which took care of buying and selling homes, lease, freight or luggage, etc. In 1897, Berry became vice-British Consul in Bordighera and the following year he married Margaret Serocold (1867-1957). Probably the two knew each other for a long time since Margaret had come for the first time in Bordighera already in 1886. The couple had no children and created a very profound relationship with Clarence Bicknell, much admired and appreciated by both. The Berry collaborated and helped Bicknell in all its initiatives such as the creation of

Bicknell Museum The Clarence Bicknell Museum is a small concealed building at 39 Via Romana in Bordighera. This is often referred to as its official address, but the large villa is the seat of the International Institute of Ligurian Studies. To the right of the ...

, the botanical and archaeological research on Mount Bego, the construction of the Fontanalba house etc. On the death of his uncle in 1918, the Berry spouses saved the museum from neglect. Their home, Villa Monte Verde, built in 1904, became the cultural core of Bordighera, as was Villa Rosa in the days of Bicknell. The Villa Monte Verde still exists and is located in Via Mostaccini, but unfortunately has been converted into an apartment building. Edward shared with his wife and his uncle a passion for history, traditions, art and architecture. In 1931, shortly after the death of Edward, Margaret published the book that she had prepared patiently with her husband, "At the western gate of Italy" which became a reference for all those who visited the west coast. Edward died suddenly in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

, where he was buried in the Protestant cemetery in the city, and Margaret continued to live until 1935 in Bordighera. The advancing years and the arrival of fascism led to the sale of Villa Monte Verde and her move to

Taplow Taplow is a village and civil parish in the Unitary Authority of Buckinghamshire, England. It sits on the left bank of the River Thames, facing Maidenhead in the neighbouring county of Berkshire, with Cippenham and Burnham to the east. It is th ...

, in the county of

Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (), abbreviated Bucks, is a ceremonial county in South East England that borders Greater London to the south-east, Berkshire to the south, Oxfordshire to the west, Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-ea ...

where lived her sister Caroline Packe. There she lived for another twenty-two years and died in 1957 aged 90.

Photo gallery

File:Museo Bicknell facciata.jpg, Bicknell Museum, facade File:Villa Monteverde parco.jpg, Park Villa Monte Verde, the private residence of Edward and Margaret Berry File:Villa Monteverde entrata.jpg, Villa Monteverde entry

External links

Bicknell Museum

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Berry, Edward Elhanan 1861 births 1931 deaths British bankers British diplomats English expatriates in Italy