Christopher David Berry
Date of birth
Jan 1841
Date of death
25 Oct 1899
Place of birth
Place of death
Gender
Male
Biography
Christopher David Berry the eldest of the children of Christopher Christmas Berry (25 Dec 1796, Norwich, Norfolk, England - 06 Jan 1851, Fort Street, Auckland) (Age 54 years) and Harriet Eliza Felsted (Ferguson) (Abt 1813, England - 26 Jan 1851, Auckland) (Age 38 years) opened his working life on the Thames Coast. Among his enterprises we find that he was an hotel keeper at Tararu (adjudged bankrupt in September 1870 - see Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 4081, 20 September 1870, Page 2).
In June 1871 he was granted a mining lease, 12 acres for 15 years, situated on the Moanataiari Creek and on the Kuranui Spur; bounded on the north by the Berkeley Castle and Harbour View, on the east by the Great Britain. See Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVII, Issue 4306, 2 June 1871, Page 3.
Some time just prior to 1874 he moved to Gisborne and worked as contractor. The 1874 date is taken from an objection lodged in Thames challenging his entitlement to be retained on the Electoral List for the District of Thames.
His must have been a busy life with many interests outside of his vocation. The Poverty Bay Herald and Hawkes Bay Herald c1881 - 1877 carries items relating to:
1. Ownership of the Ormond Sawmills (Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1066, 8 April 1880, Page 2
2. Acceptance of his tender to float the Lochnagar (Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1171, 13 November 1880, Page 2)
3. Discharge from Bankruptcy proceedings (Poverty Bay Herald, Volume X, Issue 1821, 15 January 1883, Page 2)
4. His entry of the "Gertrude" in a sailing race under the auspices of the Gisborne Yacht and Sailing Club (Poverty Bay Herald, Volume IX, Issue 1800, 18 December 1882, Page 2) Note: his boat was possibly named for his daughter Gertrude Helen.
5. Holding office (Superintendent) with the South Pacific Petroleum Company registered under the No Liability Act of New South Wales. There are accounts of a Parafin lead and oil flows from a bore. (Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 1429, 19 September 1881, Page 2 and Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 1461, 26 October 1881, Page 2)
6. Destruction of the Karaka Sawmill by fire. It is recorded that "the property was in dispute between Mr Sayers and Mr C D Berry, and was uninsured."
7. "A most interesting and pleasant entertainment" at the Industrial and Fine Arts Exhibition including a vocal duet "Hearts and Homes" by Mr and Mrs C D Berry "encore duet "Home to our mountains".
8. A member of the Gisborne Borough Council (Poverty Bay Herald, Volume IX, Issue 1808, 29 December 1882, Page 2)
9. Numerous references to his involvement in Racing as an owner. The Hawkes Bay Herald June 1877 contains a story of a larceny trial in the Supreme Court with 2 of his employees "indicted that they pretended to be owners of a certain mare and sold her to John Hardie ANDERSON & Christopher David BERRY". They were found not guilty.
10. The Hawkes Bay Herald February 1877 notifies the award of a contract to C D Berry for the "Napier Swamp Works".
accessed 28/09/2021 from: http://genealogy.bobvine.nz/getperson.php?personID=I00682&tree=Vine1
In June 1871 he was granted a mining lease, 12 acres for 15 years, situated on the Moanataiari Creek and on the Kuranui Spur; bounded on the north by the Berkeley Castle and Harbour View, on the east by the Great Britain. See Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVII, Issue 4306, 2 June 1871, Page 3.
Some time just prior to 1874 he moved to Gisborne and worked as contractor. The 1874 date is taken from an objection lodged in Thames challenging his entitlement to be retained on the Electoral List for the District of Thames.
His must have been a busy life with many interests outside of his vocation. The Poverty Bay Herald and Hawkes Bay Herald c1881 - 1877 carries items relating to:
1. Ownership of the Ormond Sawmills (Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1066, 8 April 1880, Page 2
2. Acceptance of his tender to float the Lochnagar (Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1171, 13 November 1880, Page 2)
3. Discharge from Bankruptcy proceedings (Poverty Bay Herald, Volume X, Issue 1821, 15 January 1883, Page 2)
4. His entry of the "Gertrude" in a sailing race under the auspices of the Gisborne Yacht and Sailing Club (Poverty Bay Herald, Volume IX, Issue 1800, 18 December 1882, Page 2) Note: his boat was possibly named for his daughter Gertrude Helen.
5. Holding office (Superintendent) with the South Pacific Petroleum Company registered under the No Liability Act of New South Wales. There are accounts of a Parafin lead and oil flows from a bore. (Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 1429, 19 September 1881, Page 2 and Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 1461, 26 October 1881, Page 2)
6. Destruction of the Karaka Sawmill by fire. It is recorded that "the property was in dispute between Mr Sayers and Mr C D Berry, and was uninsured."
7. "A most interesting and pleasant entertainment" at the Industrial and Fine Arts Exhibition including a vocal duet "Hearts and Homes" by Mr and Mrs C D Berry "encore duet "Home to our mountains".
8. A member of the Gisborne Borough Council (Poverty Bay Herald, Volume IX, Issue 1808, 29 December 1882, Page 2)
9. Numerous references to his involvement in Racing as an owner. The Hawkes Bay Herald June 1877 contains a story of a larceny trial in the Supreme Court with 2 of his employees "indicted that they pretended to be owners of a certain mare and sold her to John Hardie ANDERSON & Christopher David BERRY". They were found not guilty.
10. The Hawkes Bay Herald February 1877 notifies the award of a contract to C D Berry for the "Napier Swamp Works".
accessed 28/09/2021 from: http://genealogy.bobvine.nz/getperson.php?personID=I00682&tree=Vine1