Michael Berry, Baron Hartwell

William Michael Berry, Baron Hartwell MBE (18 May 1911 – 3 April 2001), was a British newspaper proprietor and journalist.

Background and education

Berry was the second son of William Berry, 1st Viscount Camrose, and was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford.

Career

Berry succeeded his brother Seymour Berry, 2nd Viscount Camrose as Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of the Daily and Sunday Telegraph newspapers. He remained in this role until the takeover by Conrad Black in 1986. He was also the backer behind the legendary arts review, X magazine. He was a friend of Randolph Churchill, and Neville Chamberlain believed that he was responsible for some of the criticism of the Prime Minister which appeared in The Daily Telegraph. Berry was awarded a life peerage as Baron Hartwell, of Peterborough Court in the City of London, in 1968, and disclaimed the viscountcy following his brother's death in 1995.

Family

Lord Hartwell married Lady Pamela Smith, daughter of F. E. Smith, 1st Earl of Birkenhead. They had two sons Adrian and Nicholas. He died in Westminster, London, aged 89.

References

• Cowling, Maurice, The Impact of Hitler - British Policies and Policy 1933-1940, Cambridge University Press, 1975, p. 402, ISBN 0-521-20582-4

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Lord Hartwell
• Deedes, ‘Berry, (William) Michael, Baron Hartwell (1911–2001)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, online edn, Oxford University Press, Jan 2005; online edn, Oct 2005, accessed 11 Jan 2008