William Ewart Berry (12 October 1897 – 24 April 1949) was an English

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...

er who played for

Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lord_ ...

in one match in 1926. Until the publication of a book on Somerset cricketers in 2017, Berry was believed to be "Wilfred Ernest Berry", born in

Hertford Hertford ( ) is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. The parish had a population of 26,783 at the 2011 census. The town grew around a ford on the River Lea, ne ...

on the same date and with an unknown date of death in 1951. He was in fact born in

Bridgwater Bridgwater is a large historic market town and civil parish in Somerset, England. Its population currently stands at around 41,276 as of 2022. Bridgwater is at the edge of the Somerset Levels, in level and well-wooded country. The town lies alon ...

, where he also died. Berry made one first-class appearance for Somerset during the 1926 season, playing against

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...

at the United Services Recreation Ground in

Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council. Portsmouth is the most dens ...

. In the only innings in which he batted, as a tailender, he scored one run, and finished the innings

not out In cricket, a batter is not out if they come out to bat in an innings and have not been dismissed by the end of an innings. The batter is also ''not out'' while their innings is still in progress. Occurrence At least one batter is not out at t ...

. Berry bowled a total of four overs in the match, conceding 34 runs.

Life and career

One of five sons of a Bridgwater grocer, Berry was educated at

West Buckland School West Buckland School is an independent school in West Buckland, Devon in the English public school tradition. It comprises a senior school, preparatory school, and a nursery. It is a relatively high performing school in Devon. It was one of e ...

and followed his father into the grocery business. He played club cricket for Bridgwater Cricket Club as a "googly bowler". His twin brother John Henry Berry also played cricket for Bridgwater. A diabetic, he killed himself at his place of business in 1949 when facing a worsening of his condition.

References

1897 births 1949 suicides English cricketers Somerset cricketers People from Bridgwater Suicides in England {{England-cricket-bio-1890s-stub