UCL

Richard Beckford

Profile & Legacies Summary

???? - 1796

Biography

London merchant and mortgagee of 'slave-property', and MP for three different constituencies 1780-1796. Natural son of Alderman William Beckford. Partner successively with James Ballmer and Jacob Van Wylick, Rice James, David Evans, possibly James Day, and James Inglish Keighley. In 1791 Richard Beckford and Rice James conveyed assets in trust for their creditors.

  1. Will of Richard Beckford of Piccadilly proved 27/09/1796. He left to Amy Ashton, who had lived with him many years, his leasehold house in Piccadilly, his deposits at private bankers in London and an annuity of £200 p.a. His residuary heirs were the sons and daughters of his late sister, the wife of Rev. Dr Walke.

Sources

https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1754-1790/member/beckford-richard-1796; https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1790-1820/member/beckford-richard-1796 [both accessed 12/11/2021].

  1. PROB 11/1279/253.

Further Information

Absentee?
British/Irish

Associated Estates (8)

The dates listed below have different categories as denoted by the letters in the brackets following each date. Here is a key to explain those letter codes:

  • SD - Association Start Date
  • SY - Association Start Year
  • EA - Earliest Known Association
  • ED - Association End Date
  • EY - Association End Year
  • LA - Latest Known Association
1786 [EA] - 1800 [LA] → Mortgagee-in-Possession
Fort William [ Jamaica | Westmoreland ]
1798 [EA] - 1800 [LA] → Other
Oxford [ Jamaica | St Thomas-in-the-East, Surrey ]

Produce shipped to the trustees of Beckford and James.

1769 [EA] - 1789 [LA] → Mortgagee-in-Possession
Prospect [4] Sugar Estate [ Jamaica | Westmoreland ]
1790 [EA] - 1800 [LA] → Other
Prospect [4] Sugar Estate [ Jamaica | Westmoreland ]

Trustees for Beckford and James the mortgagees-in-possession held the estate

1786 [EA] - 1800 [LA] → Mortgagee-in-Possession
Roaring River [ Jamaica | Westmoreland ]
1779 [EA] - → Mortgage Holder
Spring Garden [ Jamaica | St Thomas-in-the-East, Surrey ]
1798 [EA] - 1801 [LA] → Other
Spring Garden [ Jamaica | St Thomas-in-the-East, Surrey ]

In possession of trustees of Richard Beckford and Rice James

1786 [EA] - 1800 [LA] → Mortgagee-in-Possession
Williamsfield [ Jamaica | Westmoreland ]

Legacies Summary

Commercial (1)

Senior partner
Beckford and Evans
West India merchant  
 
Details

Political (1)

MP
 
Details
election →
Bridport Dorset
1780 - 1784
election →
Arundel Sussex
1784 - 1790
election →
Leominster Herefordshire
1791 - 1796

Relationships (7)

Richard Beckford
Brothers
Nathaniel Beckford
Details
Richard Beckford
Natural Son → Father
Alderman William Beckford
Details
Richard Beckford
Half-brothers
William Thomas Beckford
Details
Richard Beckford
Business partners
James Ballmer
Details
Richard Beckford
Grandson → Grandmother
Bathshua Beckford (née Herring)
Details
Richard Beckford
Business partners
Rice James
Details
Richard Beckford
Business partners
James Inglish Keighly or Keighley
Details

Addresses (1)

Piccadilly, London, Middlesex, London, England
Details