Holman was never very gifted at anything in particular, being a Hobbit of all trades, who often went on journeys to neighboring towns to sell his goods and gossip, for it was said he could tell "quite tell a yarn of a tale". But, the death of his eldest son, Milo, soon sent him back home, where he set up general shop in the middle of Hobbiton.
Clora stayed at home with her children, and for as far as Berry can look back, he loved to sit on a stool in the corner of her warm kitchen, listening to stories and songs about the great Elves, Dwarves, and Big-folk. 'Twas from his ma that Berry learned to cook up a storm, for when he was only a tweenager, she gave him his first recipe-book and a simple demand: "start cookin' or you'll be eatin' us outta smial and hole"...
For the longest time, Berry worked at his da's store, opening it in the morning and closing it in the evening, but the job that Holman wanted for his son just did not tempt the dear Hobbit lad's heart. Indeed, he loved how things worked, and 'twas because of his taking apart machines, much to his da's dismay, that Berry soon left the shop and started up his own business as a clock and pocket-watch maker.
Berry had always been a kind lad and every lass loved him for it. His sparkling baby blue eyes were enough to make 'a body melt, and his brown curls and thick sideburns accented his sweet eyes just as much, even when he began to wear his spectacles. Being a wee bit taller (3'4") than all the girls was not a bad thing either, for it set him apart from his fellow lads, because he was surprisingly lanky for a Hobbit tweenager who enjoyed to eat as much as he did (and still does!).
But, Poppy Toadfoot, the daughter of the widow Grigory Toadfoot, soon captured the dear lad's heart. They were married soon thereafter with the sound of crickets and fiddles to make it the most starry night of their lives. Together, Poppy and Berry had three children, Rorilac "Rory" being the eldest, Myrtle (now deceased) the middle child, and Iris the youngest. Unfortunately, Poppy only lived into her sixties, and Meli hardly ever knew her.
In his free time (which he has quite a bit of, since he is ninety-nine in Hobbit reckoning, therefore retired), Berry enjoys sitting in front of the hearth in his royal blue armchair with his pipe, telling outrageous stories, listening to his granddaughter sing, cooking (of course!), and certainly a good ale at the Leaftop Tavern when the opportunity arises. Like Meli, Berry is quite clumsy (she inherited from him), and he dislikes rainy days, snakes, and boats. But above all, he does not care for social gatherings (in fact he tends to avoid them unless at his own home). In his younger years anyhow, he had hardly been interested in such things, for a good read was more exciting than the gossip of the town. He believed, and still does, in the comfort of family-time and the occasional calling on friends when necessary. He's not gregarious, after all. How very peculiar for a Hobbit, indeed! But who can really blame him?
