MILES JOSEPH BERKELEY 



1803 1889 



By GEORGE MASSEE 



Narrative early interest in Natural History Zoological publications 

 Algae Fungi character and magnitude of Berkeley's work in syste- 

 matic Mycology exotic fungi co-operation with Broome morphology 

 of Basidiomycetes Introductioti to Cryptogamic Botany pioneer work 

 in plant pathology the potato disease personal characteristics. 



Miles Joseph Berkeley was born at Biggin Hall, near 

 Oundle, Northamptonshire, on the ist April, 1803. He was the 

 second son of Charles Berkeley, whose wife was a sister of 

 P. G. Munn, the well-known water-colour artist. His family- 

 belonged to the Spetchley branch of the Berkeleys, and had 

 been resident for several generations in Northamptonshire. 

 Berkeley received his preliminary education at the Oundle 

 Grammar School and afterwards at Rugby, entered Christ's 

 College, Cambridge, in 1821, and graduated as 5th Senior 

 Optime in 1825. He was ordained in 1826, and his first clerical 

 duty was the curacy of St John's, Margate. In 1833 he became 

 Perpetual Curate of Apethorpe and Wood Newton, Northamp- 

 tonshire, and resided at the neighbouring village of King's 

 Clifife, a name familiar to every mycologist as being the habitat 

 of numerous species of fungi, first recorded as members of the 

 British Flora. In 1868 he was appointed Vicar of Sibbertoft, 

 near Market Harborough, where he died on the 30th July, 1889, 

 at the age of 86 years. 



As a boy Berkeley was much devoted to the study of nature, 

 paying special attention to the structure and habits of animals ; 

 he also at an early age made a somewhat extensive conchological 



o. B. 15 



