Joseph Beldam
Encyclopedia
Joseph Beldam was an English
writer, historian
and advocate of the abolition
of slavery
.
Beldam was born at Shepreth
Hall (Cambridgeshire
), son of William Beldam and Marianne (née Woodham), and died at Banyers, Royston
(Hertfordshire
) and is buried in the family vault at Royston Church. He studied at St Peter's College
, University of Cambridge
, graduating on 9 October 1818, having entered the Middle Temple
on 22 January 1818 to study Law. In his initial appointment to the Bar in 1825, he worked the [Norfolk Circuit] but had to retire from it owing to poor health. He then established a practice at the Old Palace Court, Royston. He subsequently resigned his practice so that he could devote his time to the abolitionist movement, with which he first became involved in 1826, joining the Anti-Slavery Society
in London in 1827.
It was his publication of an open letter to Lord Dacre in that year that first brought him recognition for his anti-slavery work, when he came to the attention of Zachary Macaulay
, the first editor of the Anti-Slavery Reporter
and a former manager of a sugar plantation in Jamaica
that used slaves. He subsequently became the editor or author of a majority of the Anti-Slavery Society's publications (generally anonymously) and, following the passing of the Emancipation Act in 1833, his legal expertise allowed him to become the official counsel for the society. Beldam's efforts at this period were mostly investigating abuses of the interim measures by which slaves would become apprenticed to their former masters as a means of allowing them to develop as fully independent, free citizens. Thanks to Beldam's careful collection of information, Parliament was forced to end the apprenticeship system in 1838, three years early.
After this final liberation of slaves in the British colonies, Beldam became involved in international efforts to end slavery everywhere. He joined the Society for the Extinction of the Slave Trade and for the Civilisation of Africa, whose president was the Prince Consort
, Albert. He edited the proceedings of the Society's first general meeting on 1 June 1840, but the Society was doomed to vanish after its failed Niger Expedition.
In later life, he turned to antiquarian pursuits, re-investigating the medieval Royston Cave
in 1852 with his friend Edmund Nunn (curator of Royston Museum). He was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London on 1 May 1856 for his historical and archaeological researches.
It was not until the middle of the twentieth century that his anti-slavery efforts became known, when his papers were presented to the National Library of Jamaica. A modest man, he refused two appointments he was offered by the Colonial Office, made no attempt to enter politics and generally maintained a low profile in the movement.
Joseph did enjoy travel and was acquainted with such people as William Wordsworth
and Francis Arundale
. There are at least two watercolor paintings which were sketched and painted by both Joseph and Francis.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
writer, historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and advocate of the abolition
Abolitionism
Abolitionism is a movement to end slavery.In western Europe and the Americas abolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and set slaves free. At the behest of Dominican priest Bartolomé de las Casas who was shocked at the treatment of natives in the New World, Spain enacted the first...
of slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
.
Beldam was born at Shepreth
Shepreth
Shepreth is a village and civil parish in South Cambridgeshire, lying halfway between Cambridge and Royston.-History:The parish of Shepreth is roughly-rectangular and covers 1318 acres...
Hall (Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
), son of William Beldam and Marianne (née Woodham), and died at Banyers, Royston
Royston, Hertfordshire
Royston is a town and civil parish in the District of North Hertfordshire and county of Hertfordshire in England.It is situated on the Greenwich Meridian, which brushes the towns western boundary, and at the northernmost apex of the county on the same latitude of towns such as Milton Keynes and...
(Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
) and is buried in the family vault at Royston Church. He studied at St Peter's College
Peterhouse, Cambridge
Peterhouse is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the oldest college of the University, having been founded in 1284 by Hugo de Balsham, Bishop of Ely...
, University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, graduating on 9 October 1818, having entered the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
on 22 January 1818 to study Law. In his initial appointment to the Bar in 1825, he worked the [Norfolk Circuit] but had to retire from it owing to poor health. He then established a practice at the Old Palace Court, Royston. He subsequently resigned his practice so that he could devote his time to the abolitionist movement, with which he first became involved in 1826, joining the Anti-Slavery Society
Anti-Slavery Society
The Anti-Slavery Society or A.S.S. was the everyday name of two different British organizations.The first was founded in 1823 and was committed to the abolition of slavery in the British Empire. Its official name was the Society for the Mitigation and Gradual Abolition of Slavery Throughout the...
in London in 1827.
It was his publication of an open letter to Lord Dacre in that year that first brought him recognition for his anti-slavery work, when he came to the attention of Zachary Macaulay
Zachary Macaulay
Zachary Macaulay was a slavery abolitionist and campaigner.-Early life:Macaulay was born in Inveraray, Scotland, the son of the Rev. John Macaulay Zachary Macaulay (2 May 1768 – 13 May 1838) was a slavery abolitionist and campaigner.-Early life:Macaulay was born in Inveraray, Scotland, the son of...
, the first editor of the Anti-Slavery Reporter
Anti-Slavery Reporter
The Anti-Slavery Reporter was founded in 1825 by Zachary Macaulay , a Scottish philanthropist who devoted most of his life to the anti-slavery movement. At the age of 16 he was sent to Jamaica, where he eventually became a plantation manager, but his unhappiness with the treatment of slaves brought...
and a former manager of a sugar plantation in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
that used slaves. He subsequently became the editor or author of a majority of the Anti-Slavery Society's publications (generally anonymously) and, following the passing of the Emancipation Act in 1833, his legal expertise allowed him to become the official counsel for the society. Beldam's efforts at this period were mostly investigating abuses of the interim measures by which slaves would become apprenticed to their former masters as a means of allowing them to develop as fully independent, free citizens. Thanks to Beldam's careful collection of information, Parliament was forced to end the apprenticeship system in 1838, three years early.
After this final liberation of slaves in the British colonies, Beldam became involved in international efforts to end slavery everywhere. He joined the Society for the Extinction of the Slave Trade and for the Civilisation of Africa, whose president was the Prince Consort
Prince consort
A prince consort is the husband of a queen regnant who is not himself a king in his own right.Current examples include the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , and Prince Henrik of Denmark .In recognition of his status, a prince consort may be given a formal...
, Albert. He edited the proceedings of the Society's first general meeting on 1 June 1840, but the Society was doomed to vanish after its failed Niger Expedition.
In later life, he turned to antiquarian pursuits, re-investigating the medieval Royston Cave
Royston Cave
Royston cave is a small artificial cave in Royston in Hertfordshire, England. It has recently been speculated that it was used by the Knights Templar, who founded nearby Baldock, but this is unlikely, despite its enormous popular appeal...
in 1852 with his friend Edmund Nunn (curator of Royston Museum). He was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London on 1 May 1856 for his historical and archaeological researches.
It was not until the middle of the twentieth century that his anti-slavery efforts became known, when his papers were presented to the National Library of Jamaica. A modest man, he refused two appointments he was offered by the Colonial Office, made no attempt to enter politics and generally maintained a low profile in the movement.
Joseph did enjoy travel and was acquainted with such people as William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth was a major English Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature with the 1798 joint publication Lyrical Ballads....
and Francis Arundale
Francis Arundale
Francis Arundale , an architectural draughtsman, was born in London. He studied under Augustus Pugin, and accompanied him to Normandy, making drawings for a description which Pugin published of the tour. In 1831 Arundale visited Egypt with Mr...
. There are at least two watercolor paintings which were sketched and painted by both Joseph and Francis.
Beldam's Publications
- Il Pastore Incantato, or, The Enchanted Shepherd; A Drama: Pompeii, and other poems. London: Hurst, Robinson & Co (1824); credited to "A student of the Temple"
- Reflections on Slavery: in Reply to Certain Passages of a Speech Recently Delivered by Mr Canning. Addressed to the Right Hon. Lord Dacre. (1826)
- A Summary of the Laws Peculiarly Affecting Protestant Dissenters. With an Appendix, containing Acts of Parliament, Trust Deeds, and Legal Forms. London: Joseph Butterworth (1827)
- The Permanent Laws of the Emancipated colonies. (1838)
- The Foreign Slave Trade. A Brief Account of its State, and of Treaties Thereto, Continued to the Present Time. London: John Hatchard & Son (1838)
- A Review of the Late Proposed Measure for the Reduction of Duties on Sugar. (1841)
- Recollections of Scenes and Institutions in Italy and the East. 2 volumes. London: Madden & Co. (1851)
- Royston Court House and its Appertances. (1863)
- The Icenhilde Road. Archaeol J 25, 21-45
- On the Origins and Use of the Royston Cave. Royston: John Warren (1884)