BOWEN, BERRY, and BILBO BAGGINS
By Irene Janes
I love putting together my family tree and one day going through the microfilm of old newspapers in the central library, for something totally unconnected, the name John Moses Bowen jumped out at me – my grandfather, and it was concerning Henry Seymour Berry. I was on the first step to finding out more of the name on the statue near the bottom of the library steps I had just passed.
BOWEN
One Thursday, in June in 1897, at Merthyr Tydfil Police Court, stood an eight year old John Moses Bowen, a pupil at Abermorlais School. He was a witness for the prosecution with regards to an assault on Thomas (Tommy) Alfred Baverstock, also aged eight, which allegedly took place on Monday, 24 May, just a month before. Bowen told the court he saw the Pupil Teacher – one Henry Seymour Berry, hit Baverstock on the head with the frame of a slate. Bowen said on the Wednesday after the incident the teacher told the class to say if anyone was to ask, they were to say he (Berry) did not hit Baverstock.
Wyndham Marshall, aged nine, confirmed he saw Berry break the slate on William Joseph Foy’s head and like Bowen saw him strike Baverstock with its frame. He said a few days later, at school, Berry had asked him where was Baverstock, to which Marshall answered ‘he was home’, as Baverstock’s brother had hit him in the eye. Marshall explained to the hearing he had said this only because Berry had told him to say that the brother had caused the injury.
Elizabeth Baverstock said her son had made a complaint to her and she went to the school to show Berry her son’s eye. Berry had knelt down and asked her son “Did I do it Tommy?” The lad replied “Yes.” Berry then asked the mother to let him know every day how the boy was and once he sent down to ask.
William Joseph Foy, aged eleven, was called for the defence. He said it was not true that Berry had broken a slate on his head, like the one produced in court, or that Berry had struck Baverstock with the remnants of the slate. Alfred W Dean, aged eight, also denied seeing Berry assault Baverstock.
Mr W. N. North presiding said he was bound to state that he did not believe the evidence for the prosecution because they, Bowen and Marshall, had contradicted themselves in a very marked manner. He believed the evidence of the two boys, called by the defence, Foy and Dean, and dismissed the case.
(Information from The South Wales Echo, 18 June 1897)
BERRY
Born at 73, Lower Thomas Street, to John Mathias and Mary Ann Berry. Seymour first went to Abermorlais School as a pupil and was fortunate to befriend John Payne who helped him with his schoolwork. Several years later Berry, became the first Pupil Teacher in Abermorlais School. However, he decided a teaching career was not for him. Therefore, on 1 September 1897, two and half months after the alleged assault, (mentioned above) he left the profession and went to work with his father.
His parents had moved to Merthyr Tydfil from Pembrokeshire. To supplement his wages as a railway clerk John Mathias Berry sold packets of tea and then became a commercial traveller. Henry Seymour and his father must have proved to be a good team as seven years later they opened J.M. Berry and Son, Auctioneers & Estate Agents in Victoria Street.
In 1907 he married Gwladys Mary, Justice of the Peace, Mr Simon Sandbrook. They went on to have five daughters.
Berry’s father was the agent of David Alfred Thomas, Liberal M.P. for Merthyr Tydfil (1888-1910). Henry Seymour’s hard work, ambition, and keenness to seize an opportunity soon saw him become a protégé to this politician and industrialist. This set Berry on his way to becoming a very successful and rich man. Thomas became Viscount Rhondda in 1918.
Seymour Berry was now beginning to be regarded as a social climber.
In 1915 Berry suggested to Thomas, who was no longer an M.P., but a creator and controller of the largest combined collieries in Wales, he should go and work with him. Berry didn’t want a wage but a chance to show his capabilities.
The following year Thomas joined the government’s cabinet. He turned to Berry to look after his numerous industrial companies. When Thomas joined the government’s cabinet Berry took on more responsibly and 1918 was a director of over sixty companies.
To be continued…..