Robert Fleetwood Berry was born on the 1st January 1777, the twelfth child and seventh son of Thomas and Frances Berry of Eglish Castle near Birr. As a young man, he was apprenticed, from 1793 until some time after 1801 to Mr John Brennard, a cotton merchant and draper, of Castle Street, Liverpool. By 1804, he lived in Ireland and was employed in the linen business in Dublin. In 1812 was living at Gallen, King's County, being employed in connection with the Grand Canal. On the 14th of November of that year he married Elizabeth Crow at St. Catherine’s Church, Tullamore. She was the daughter of Edward Crow of the Round House, Cromac Street, Tullamore. After their marriage they lived at Shannon Harbour. He died there suddenly on the 21st August 1822 and was buried in the Berry enclosure in the graveyard of the Church of Ireland Church at Eglish, King's County.