Richard Easterway Berry
Private Richard Easterway Berry – Welsh Regiment
Early Life
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| Richard Easterway Berry |
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| 1891 Census |
At the time of the 1891 Census, the Berry family was living at 80 Rodney Street, Swansea. Devon-born Richard J., 32, was employed as a General Labourer, while his wife Annie was 38. Their children were George F. R., 7; Francis C., 3; and Richard E., then just 11 months old. Also living with the family was 43-year-old boarder Emily Syer, who was living on her means.
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| 1901 Census |
A decade later, at the 1901 Census, the family had moved to 68 Rodney Street. Richard J., now 42, was employed as a Stationary Engine Driver, and Annie was also 42. Their children included George F., 17, employed as a General Labourer; Richard E., 10; William L., 8; Hilda A. E., 4; and Thomas H., 2.
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| 1911 Census |
By the time of the 1911 Census, the family was again recorded in Rodney Street, this time at No. 19. Both parents were 52 years old, with Richard J. listed as a General Labourer. Richard, aged 20, was the eldest child still at home, working as a Carter. His siblings were William, 18, employed as a Railway Engine Clerk; Hilda, 14; Thomas, 12; and Reginald, 9, all of whom were still in school.
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| Richard Easterway Berry and Jane Joyce James Marriage certificate St. Mary's church |
In April 1911, Richard married Jane Joyce James at St. Mary’s Church, Swansea.
Military Service
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| Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects |
Richard enlisted with the Welsh Regiment, though his
surviving military papers are sparse. He is recorded in the Army Registers
of Soldiers' Effects, confirming his service and providing details of the
settlement of his estate.
Death and Burial
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| South Wales Daily Post |
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| Richard Easterway Berry Danygraig Cemetery credit - findagrave |
He was buried at Danygraig Cemetery, Swansea, where his grave forms part of the wider community of First World War burials that mark the city’s loss.
Legacy
Richard’s story reflects the sacrifice of countless young
men who left behind families, careers, and futures when they answered the call
to serve. As the Berry family endured the loss of their son and brother, the
memory of his service and early death was preserved in both the family records
and the pages of Swansea’s local press. His grave at Danygraig connects his
name to the broader roll of men from the city who gave their lives during the
First World War.
It is also significant that Rodney Street, where the
Berry family lived for decades, was home to several Swansea servicemen
commemorated in this project. Richard’s death therefore forms part of a wider
community story, in which multiple families from the same street shared the
burden of wartime loss.
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