William Ewart Berry, 1st Viscount Camrose, DL (23 June 1879 – 15 June 1954) was a British peer and

newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...

publisher.

Life and career

Berry was born in

Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil () is the main town in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, Wales, administered by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. It is about north of Cardiff. Often called just Merthyr, it is said to be named after Tydfil, daughter of K ...

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

, the second of three sons of Mary Ann (Rowe) and John Mathias Berry. Berry started his working life as a

journalist A journalist is a person who gathers information in the form of text, audio or pictures, processes it into a newsworthy form and disseminates it to the public. This is called journalism. Roles Journalists can work in broadcast, print, advertis ...

and established his own paper, '' Advertising World'', in 1901. Berry made his fortune with the publication of the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

magazine '' The War Illustrated'', which at its peak had a circulation of 750,000. In partnership with his younger brother, Gomer Berry, 1st Viscount Kemsley (the elder brother was Seymour Berry, 1st Baron Buckland), he purchased ''

The Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British Sunday newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of N ...

'' in 1915 and was its

editor-in-chief An editor-in-chief (EIC), also known as lead editor or chief editor, is a publication's editorial leader who has final responsibility for its operations and policies. The editor-in-chief heads all departments of the organization and is held accoun ...

until 1937. In 1919 the pair also purchased the ''

Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and also published digitally that focuses on business and economic Current affairs (news format), current affairs. Based in London, the paper is owned by a Jap ...

''. In 1924 the Berry brothers and Sir Edward Iliffe set up Allied Newspapers and purchased the '' Daily Dispatch'', the '' Manchester Evening Chronicle'', the '' Sunday Chronicle'', the '' Sunday News'', and the '' Sunday Graphic'', as well as a string of other newspapers across the country. In

Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

they merged four newspapers into the '' Western Mail''. In 1927 they purchased ''

The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was found ...

'' from the 2nd Harry Levy-Lawson, 1st Viscount Burnham, with William Berry becoming its editor-in-chief. In 1937 they purchased its rival, '' The Morning Post''. In 1926, the Berry brothers/Allied Newspapers purchased Amalgamated Press (AP),"Amalgamated Press,"
''Grace's Guide to British Industrial History''. Retrieved 19 Apr. 2021. which had been started by Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe, in 1901 (Harmsworth had died in 1922). Berry bought out his partners in 1937 and amalgamated ''The Morning Post'' with ''The Daily Telegraph'', with himself as chairman and editor-in-chief. His sons Seymour, the 2nd Viscount, and subsequently

Michael Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * he He ..., a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name * Michael (bishop elect)">Michael (surname)">he He ..., a given nam ...

, continued to run the newspaper until 1986; in addition, Seymour was Vice Chairman of Amalgamated Press from 1942 to 1959 (when AP was acquired by the

Mirror Group Reach plc (known as Trinity Mirror between 1999 and 2018) is a British newspaper, magazine and internet journalism, digital publisher. It is one of the UK's biggest newspaper groups, publishing 240 regional papers in addition to the national ' ...

). He provided financial assistance to Sir

Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 (Winston Churchill in the Second World War, ...

after the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. He and ten other wealthy well-wishers each donated £5,000 to the Churchills, allowing them to keep their home,

Chartwell Chartwell is a English country house, country house near Westerham, Kent, in South East England. For over forty years, it was the home of Sir Winston Churchill. He bought the property in September 1922 and lived there until shortly before his ...

, on the condition that it would be presented to the nation upon their deaths.

Honours

Berry was created a

baronet A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th ...

in the 1921 Birthday Honours. He was raised to the peerage as Baron Camrose, of Long Cross in the County of

Surrey Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...

, on 19 June 1929, and advanced to Viscount Camrose, of Hackwood Park in the

County of Southampton Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants.) is a ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Berkshire to the north, Surrey and West Sussex to the east, the Isle of Wight across the Solent to the south, Dorset to the west, and Wilt ...

, on 20 January 1941.

Family

Berry married Mary Agnes Corns in 1905. They had eight children together: * Hon. Mary Cecilia Berry (1906 – 24 June 1996) * (John) Seymour Berry, 2nd Viscount Camrose (12 July 1909 – 15 February 1995) * (William) Michael Berry, Baron Hartwell, 3rd Viscount Camrose (18 May 1911 – 3 April 2001) * Hon. Sheila Berry (1913–1992) * Hon. Molly Patricia Berry (1915 – 31 August 1995) * Hon. Rodney Mathias Berry (29 April 1917 – 10 March 1963) * Lt Col. Hon. Julian Berry (24 May 1920 – 1988) * Hon. Diana Phyllis Berry (1924 – March 1995) Berry died in 1954 and was succeeded in the viscountcy, barony and baronetcy by his eldest son, Seymour. Berry's great-grandson is actor Joshua Sasse.Mendick, Robert
"Revealed: the Tragic Past of Kylie Minogue's Lover,"
''The Telegraph'' (18 December 2015).

Arms

References

*Biography, ''

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from History of the British Isles, British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') ...

'' * ''The House the Berrys Built'' by Duff Hart-Davis. Concerns the history of the ''

Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was foun ...

'' from its inception to 1990. * ''William Camrose: Giant of Fleet Street'' by his son Lord Hartwell. Illustrated biography with black-and-white photographic plates and includes an index.
"William Berry (Lord Camrose) 1879 – 1954,"
''Cynon Culture''

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Camrose, William Berry, 1st Viscount Berry, William Welsh male journalists 20th-century Welsh businesspeople British newspaper editors British newspaper publishers (people) British magazine founders Conservative Party (UK) hereditary peers Deputy lieutenants of Hampshire 1 1879 births 1954 deaths William Berry Barons created by George V Viscounts created by George VI