IN the Saint James Chronicle on May 30, 1844, under the heading of ‘Preferments’ was ‘Rev John Richard Pretyman Berkeley has been instituted to the Vicarage of St Cleer: patron, the Crown’.

The 1851 census confirms that he had settled into village life with his wife Jane and three daughters aged one, eight and nine. The census shows that the Berkeleys were able to afford a good domestic staff: living in were a governess, a cook, a childs maid and a house maid.

On November 24, 1860 the Western Times reported on the insolvency proceedings in Exeter against the Reverend Berkeley, describing him as ‘Clerk, Bachelor of Arts, Vicar of St Cleer, Private Tutor, Farmer, and Mine Adventurer’. The main reasons given for his dire straits was that he had ‘lost £500 by speculations in mines, and £100 by the death of cattle’.

Among the 24 creditors listed were several Liskeard traders, including: ‘Mesdames Davies (drapers), Wenmouth (ironmonger), Hawke (coal merchant), Martin (china dealer), Channon (hotel keeper), Burt (saddler), Brendon (wine merchant) and the owner and manager of South Caradon Mine, Peter Clymo J P. As the ‘reckless actions’ of the insolvent vicar of St Cleer could warrant a prison sentence, the presiding judge adjourned the case and suggested that a court in Cornwall would be more appropriate.

The Reverend managed to avoid a spell in Bodmin Gaol, but was back in court in 1863, this time in Liskeard. A levy had previously been made on his property and removed from the vicarage by William Murrary, an officer of the Sheriff of Cornwall. A large quantity of the goods was then sold at an auction held in the Bell & Commercial Inn in Church Street. The vicar stood accused of not surrendering to Murray twenty-six ounces of silver, but the case failed when the jury heard the defence that the silver had in fact ‘belonged to the Communion Service of the Church’.

In the meantime, more children followed for John and Jane: another daughter in1852 and two sons, in 1854 and 1864. The Rev John Richard Pretyman Berkeley died a widower in 1896 aged 80, leaving personal effects of just £37 and eight shillings. To the very end he was still the vicar of St Cleer and the occupant of Vicarage House, with only his faithful cook for over ten years Elizabeth Cock living-in.

By Brian Oldham, Liskeard Museum volunteer and Bard of the Gorsedh Kernow

• The town’s museum has a wealth of local knowledge and history on display. It’s website explains: “Following much investigation and discussion, including a public meeting, the town council endorsed plans and provided the funds to set up a one room museum on the ground floor of the town’s Public Hall...In the late 1990s, the Town Council started looking for more spacious premises to enable the museum to continue its growth...On May 2, 2002, the museum was unofficially opened by the town mayor and on June 6, 2002, it was officially opened by HRH Prince Charles, Duke of Cornwall.”