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(Redirected from William Bisset Berry) Scottish-born South African politician

Sir William Bisset BerryKC
4th Speaker of the Cape House of Assembly
In office
1899–1907
MonarchsQueen Victoria
Edward VII
Prime MinisterWilliam Philip Schreiner
John Gordon Sprigg
Preceded byHenry Juta
Succeeded byJames Molteno
Personal details
Born26 July 1839
Aberdeen, Scotland
Died8 June 1922
Queenstown, Eastern Cape, Cape Province, Union of South Africa
NationalityBritish citizenship
OccupationPolitician
Surgeon
ProfessionSurgeon

Sir William Bisset Berry KC (26 July 1839 – 8 June 1922) was a Scots-born South African politician and the fourth Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Cape Colony.

Early life

Born in Aberdeen, Scotland, he was the son of James Berry. He graduated M.A. at Marischal College in 1858, and M.D. in 1861. Bisset Berry came to the Cape Colony in 1864 as a ship's surgeon and settled in Queenstown, Eastern Cape. His engagement to Agnes Baden-Powell was announced in The Illustrated London News of 27 April 1901, but they never married.

Politics

He later became Queenstown's mayor and was elected as its representative in the Cape Parliament in 1894.

Speaker of the Cape Parliament

Although he hated publicity, Berry was an engaging public speaker and a skilled debater. When there was a vacancy for the position of Speaker of Parliament, he was elected unopposed in 1898, even though he had only 4 years of parliamentary experience and his command of the Afrikaans language was small. He lamented his inexperience and lack of qualifications, but showed himself to be decisive and firm when necessary. He presided over the votes of no confidence in Sprigg's government and the application of martial law in the Cape Colony. In 1902, he distinguished himself with his strong opposition to the attempt by the British Colonial Office to suspend the Cape constitution.

Berry sought re-election in 1908, but was not returned to office (only being re-elected as an ordinary member in the 1910 election). The young James Molteno was elected to replace him as Speaker.

See also

References

  1. ^ Illustrated London News, 27 April 1901
  2. Johnston, William (1906). Roll of the graduates of the University of Aberdeen, 1860-1900. Aberdeen. p. 39.
  3. Kilpin, Ralph (1918). "The old Cape House, being pages from the history of a legislative assembly online". Ebooksread.com. Cape Town, South Africa: T. M. Miller. Retrieved 30 October 2016.

Further reading

  • Royal Commonwealth Society: Proceedings Vol.29. London: Royal Colonial Institute, 1898.
Political offices
Preceded byJohn Frost, CMG Member of the Legislative Assembly for Queenstown
1894–1907 		Succeeded by???
Preceded bySir Henry Juta Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Cape Colony
1899–1907 		Succeeded byJames Molteno
Speakers of the House of Assembly of the Cape of Good Hope
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