Seymour Berry, 2nd Viscount Camrose

John Seymour Berry, 2nd Viscount Camrose (12 July 1909-15 February 1995) was a British nobleman, politician, and newspaper proprietor.

John Berry was born on 12 July 1909, the eldest son of William Berry, later first Viscount Camrose and first Baronet Berry of Hackwood Park, and Mary Agnes Berry, "née" Corns. He was educated at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford, where he was tutored by Sir Roy Harrod.

Berry was Deputy Chairman of "The Daily Telegraph" 1939-87 and Vice Chairman of Amalgamated Press 1942-59.

On 10 March 1941 he was elected Member of Parliament (Conservative) for Hitchin in the by-election held after Sir Arnold Wilson was killed on active service. He held his seat until 1945, when it was won by Philip Asterley Jones (Labour).

Coterminously, he served in the City of London Yeomanry (Rough Riders). He saw active service in North Africa and Italy, rose to the rank of Major, was mentioned in despatches, and was awarded the Territorial Efficiency Decoration (TD).

He succeeded to his father's viscountcy and baronetcy on 15 June 1954.

At the age of sevety-six, and following a discreet friendship of more than thirty years, Lord Camrose married the Honourable Joan Yarde-Buller, daughter of Sir John Yarde-Buller, 3rd Baron Churston and Jessie Yarde-Buller, "née" Smithers, Baroness Churston, who was perhaps better known by her stage name Denise Orme. Lady Camrose had twice been previously married, first to Loel Guinness, and secondly to Prince Aly Khan, son and heir apparent of Aga Khan III. Prince Aly was disinherited and consequently Lady Camrose's son Karīm succeeded as Aga Khan IV. Lady Camrose was also known as Princess Joan and Princess Tajudaullah.

Lord Camrose died without issue on 15 February 1995. He was survived by his wife, while the viscountcy and the baronetcy were inherited by his brother, Michael Berry, Baron Hartwell, who disclaimed the viscountcy for life.

ources and further reading

* [http://www.thepeerage.com/p4517.htm#i45162 ThePeerage.com]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/1774069.stm Historic painting bought for the nation, "BBC News", 21 January 2002]
* [http://ismaili.net/timeline/1997/tajudo.html Announcement of the death of Lady Camrose, including her obituary from "Electronic Telegraph" no. 708, 3 May 1997]
*"Burke's Peerage, Baronetage, and Knightage" (107th edn, 3 vols, Wilmington: Burke's Peerage, 2003), i, 673
* [http://economia.unipv.it/harrod/edition/editionstuff/rfh.43d.htm Brief biographical entry on a website about his tutor Sir Roy Harrod]