Major John Anstruther Berners OBE JP.  1869 -1934

Major John Anstruther Berners was born on 29^th September 1869 at No 11 Eaton Place, Eaton Square, London. He was the son and heir of Charles Hugh Berners and destined to inherit the Woolverstone and Marylebone estates.

John attended school at Cheam and then Eton, as did both his brothers, and was in Walter Durnford’s house. On leaving Eton, he entered Sandhurst Military Academy. He spent 3 years with a commission in the 1^st Kings Dragoon Guards, travelling to India 1890/1891, being promoted to Lieutenant in 1892. He resigned his commission in March 1894.

The previous year, 1893, John married Ethel Charlotte Baker, the fifth daughter of Lawrence Baker, of Ottershaw Park, Chertsey. The marriage took place at St Stephen’s Church, South Kensington on 1^st February. It was a “remarkably pretty” marriage. Events were also held in Woolverstone and Ipswich. The couple honeymooned in Torquay.

Ethel became pregnant almost immediately. Their first child, son and heir Geoffrey was born 20 Nov 1893 while they were living at Hill House, Norwich. Two girls followed: Gwendoline Ethel (1896) born at Furze Hill, Pirbright and Olive Marjory (1897) born at Queen’s Gate, Kensington.

John was an enthusiastic sportsman: hunting and cricket were his two great loves. He hunted anything that moved: deer, fox, hares  and, especially, the otter. On resigning his commission in 1894, he became Master of the Ripley and Kingsmill Hounds. In one recorded pursuit he even followed a stag a mile out to sea. In 1924, he was loaned a pack of otter hounds from Sir Edward Edgar who eventually gifted them to him. He brought them to Woolverstone along with the “hunt servants and families”. He bred his own cross of the long-haired otter hound with the smooth-haired fox hound. For the next seven years he was Master of the Essex Otter Hounds, until he resigned through ill health and the hounds were moved to Polstead. 

John Berners other great love was cricket. He played for a number of different teams, including First-class cricket for Middlesex in 1904 as well as the “Gentlemen of England”. Playing for “Incognito”, he played alongside Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Woolverstone became famous for its Cricket Week in July, inaugurated in 1890  with, on occasion, an England team playing. Woolverstone Park Cricket Week was a highlight of the social calendar for many years.

During the Great War, John Berners was living at Hellesdon House, Norwich. He had the role of military representative at the Norwich Tribunal examining exemptions from service. He was attached to the Norfolk  National Reserve and given the rank of Major. In 1919, he was made an Officer, Order of the British Empire for his work as a military representative in Norwich.

His personal life was a challenge. In 1918, John was living in Norwich, Ethel in London. She sued for divorce claiming her husband was “bad tempered, insulting and quarrelsome.” She accused him of domestic violence and coercion. Also, of drinking heavily and having a long-standing affair with a Muriel Chaplin, who may have been the unmarried daughter of Lady Guendolen Little, living in both Eaton Square and Gloucestershire. The case was dismissed on the word of a gentleman; but after this it seems they no longer lived together. 

John Berners was passionate about dogs and horses; shooting was another passion. He bred setters and golden Labradors and held field trials on the estate. He bred some fine Suffolk horses which won many prizes at agriculture shows. The mare “Shotley Birdie” was a firm favourite and Best of Show in 1929. He was president of the Suffolk Agriculture Committee.

The death duties payable following his father’s death were considerable. Small pieces of the Berners Estate in London were sold in 1920, and in 1923 the whole eastern end, comprising the east side of Newman Street and the adjoining properties between Oxford Street and Goodge Street, were put up for sale. Few failed to sell. There was no development on the Woolverstone estate during this period.

John was increasingly suffering from ill health, perhaps brought on by his reported passion for port, even drinking it with breakfast.  He died on 2^nd March 1934 at Woolverstone. He was 64 years old.