Dr John Berry of Tayfield

Files relating mainly to North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board projects, including their effect on the environment, in particular fisheries, and files relating to geese and wildfowl, 1934-1988; reports, proceedings and papers relating to ecological seminars and issues, 1949-1986; publications and newsletters, 1962-1991; items relating to civil defence, 1941-1966; correspondence about the principalship of University College, Dundee, 1936; photographs of plans 1775-1833 of Fife and Kinross, showing turnpikes and ferries; family papers, 1769-1838; maps and plans, c 1960s-1970s.

Dr John Berry was born in Edinburgh and educated at Eton and Trinity College Cambridge. After gaining a PhD at the University of St Andrews he pursued a career in zoology and biology, working for the Fishery Board of Scotland, the Biological Research Station at University College, Southampton, and the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board. In the course of his work he gained an international reputation, and travelled extensively, publishing papers and articles on freshwater fisheries, hydroelectric development and ornithology.

During his career he was also consultant ecologist for the Scottish Landowners' Federation, a leading member of the Scottish Marine Biology Association, the Scottish Wildlife Trust, the International Union for the Conservation of Natural Resources and the Wildfowl Research Bureau. Between 1949 and 1967 he was director of Nature Conservation in Scotland. Dr Berry also had strong links with the University of Dundee, and was awarded an honorary LL.D there in 1970, and an honorary DSc from St Andrews in 1991.

Dr Berry lived at Tayfield Estate in Newport, which has been owned by the Berry family since the end of the 18th Century. He died in February 2002 at the age of 94.

Records are arranged within series.

Open for consultation subject to preservation requirements. Access must also conform to the restrictions of the Data Protection Act and any other appropriate legislation.

The records were deposited by Dr John Berry in 1989 (AccM/250 and AccM/261). Further records were later deposited (AccM/256). MS7/27 was originally MS 15/56 and its provenance is unclear.

MS 7P/1-6 were previously catalogued as MS 75P/16-21. MS 7/27 was originally MS 15/56.

Fonds level description compiled by Sarah Chubb, Archives Hub Project Archivist, February 2002.

Descriptive list. Subject source lists and databases are also available.

No known copies.

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A large amount of family and local records are held at Tayfield.

The bulk of the material is original. Where it is not, the originals are held at Tayfield.