Alderman Richard Beckford

Slave-owner in Jamaica. Brother of Alderman William Beckford (q.v.). MP for Bristol 1754-1756.

1. b. 1712, 3rd s. of Peter Beckford, and bro. of William. educ. Westminster, July 1721, aged 9; Balliol, Oxf. 15 Jan. 1728, aged 15; Univ. Coll. Oxf., B.A. 1731; M. Temple 1730, called 1736. unm. "One of the biggest planters in Jamaica, and was there at the time of the general election of 1754." Died at Lyon 24/01/1756.

2. Richard Beckford was listed in the Jamaican Quit Rent books for 1754 as the owner of 588 acres of land in St Catherine, 6995 acres in Westmoreland and 1658 acres in St Elizabeth, total 9241 acres. Richard Beckford of Westmoreland, Esquire. Estate probated in Jamaica in 1756. Slave-ownership at probate: 910 of whom 473 were listed as male and 437 as female. 0 were listed as boys, girls or children. Total value of estate at probate: £83286.61 Jamaican currency of which £36442.25 currency was the value of enslaved people. Estate valuation included £350 currency cash, £35660.71 currency debts and £1200 currency plate.

3. Will of Richard Beckford, late Alderman of the City of London, proved 04/03/1756. He left £5000 to each of his brothers William, Julines and Francis, and £5000 to his nephew Peter, the son of Julines. He left smaller monetary legacies including to his sister the Countess of Effingham and Thomas Beckford of Ashford, and £4000 to the daughter of Jenny Scott (described as the widow of George Scott of Jamaica, and to whom he left an annuity of £120 p.a.). He left to Elizabeth Hay of Jamaica 'whom I have esteem and do esteem in all respects as my wife' an annuity of £500 p.a. He left Roaring River to his natural son with Elizabeth Hay 'William commonly called William Beckford', and instructed his trustees to continue the lease of Shrewsbury from his brother Julines at a rent of £2000 p.a. He had he said purchased Hertford plantation from his brother Julines although no title had passed.

1. http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1754-1790/member/beckford-richard-1712-56 [accessed 30/10/2019].

2. 'A List of landholders in the Island of Jamaica together with the number of acres each person possessed taken from the quit rent books in the year 1754', TNA CO 142/31 transcribed at http://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/Samples2/1754lead.htm; Trevor Burnard, Database of Jamaican inventories, 1674-1784.

3. PROB 11/821/63.