Modern English biography, volume 1 (of 4), A-H by Frederic Boase

BEAUMONT, REV. JOSEPH. _b._ Castle Donington, Leics. 19 March 1794; Wesleyan minister 1813 to death; minister in Edinburgh 1821–23 and 1833–35, in London 1831–32, 1836–38 and 1845–50, in Liverpool 1839–44; M.D. Edin. 1836; an eloquent and popular preacher; author of _Memoir of Mrs. Mary Tatham_ 1838. _d._ in the pulpit of Waltham chapel, Hull 21 Jany. 1855. _Life by his son Joseph Beaumont_ 1856, _portrait_; _The lamps of the temple_, _3 ed._ 1856, 381–403. BEAUMONT, THOMAS (_brother of the preceding_). _b._ 1 July 1795; L.S.A. 1822; surgeon at Bradford 1822 to death; pres. of Bradford Medical Association; alderman of Bradford; one of the founders of Bradford Temperance Society the first in England 2 Feb. 1830; author of _An essay on the nature and properties of alcoholic liquors_ 1837. _d._ Bradford 16 Oct. 1859. BEAUMONT, WILLIAM RAWLINGS. _b._ London 1803; studied at St. Bartholomews hospital and in Paris; M.R.C.S. 1826, F.R.C.S. 1844; surgeon to Islington dispensary; went to Toronto 1841; professor of surgery in Toronto Univ. 1843; surgeon to general hospital; M.D. Toronto 1850; emeritus professor of surgery in Trinity college; invented many surgical instruments, especially one for the making of deep sutures 1837, which suggested invention of the Singer sewing machine. _d._ 12 Oct. 1875. _Canadian Lancet 1 Nov. 1875._ BEAUREGARD, ELIZABETH, Countess de (_dau. of Joseph Hargett_). Known as Miss Howard; remarkable for her beauty; mistress of Louis Napoleon to 1853 when he created her Countess de Beauregard. (_m._ 16 May 1854 Clarence Trelawney, Hussar officer in the Austrian army, he was _b._ 20 Dec. 1826 and obtained a divorce in Court of appeal Paris Feb. 1865). _d._ Chateau of Beauregard near Versailles 20 Aug. 1865 aged 42. BEAVAN, CHARLES (_son of Hugh Beavan of Llowes, Radnorshire_). _b._ March 1805; ed. at Aldenham and Caius coll. Cam., 22 wrangler 1829; B.A. 1829, M.A. 1832; barrister M.T. 25 June 1830, bencher 6 May 1873; practised in Chancery courts; an official examiner of Court of Chancery June 1866 to Jany. 1884 when office abolished; author of _Reports of cases in Chancery argued and determined in the Rolls Court 36 vols._ 1840–69, being the longest series of authorized reports ever published. _d._ 91 St. George’s road, Pimlico, London 18 June 1884. _Solicitor’s Journal xxviii_, 173, 592, 601 (1884). BEAVAN, EDWARD (_younger brother of the preceding_). _b._ 1814; ed. at Hounslow; practised as special pleader; barrister M.T. 3 May 1844; recorder of Chester 1864–66. _d._ 15 Feb. 1870. BEAZLEY, SAMUEL (_son of Samuel Beazley of Whitehall, London, army accoutrement maker_). _b._ Whitehall 1786; served as a volunteer in the Peninsula; designed St. James’s, Lyceum and City of London theatres, also 2 theatres in Dublin, 2 in Belgium, 2 in India and 1 in Brazil; erected London Bridge railway station, most of the stations on North Kent line and Lord Warden hotel at Dover; wrote and arranged more than 100 dramatic pieces chiefly farces and short comedies; author of _The Roué [anon.] 3 vols._ 1828; _The Oxonians, a glance at society 3 vols._ 1830. _d._ Tunbridge Castle 12 Oct. 1851 in 66 year. _Lord W. P. Lennox’s Celebrities, I have known, 2 series ii_, 70–90 (1877); _Lord W. P. Lennox’s Percy Hamilton_ 1851 in which he is drawn to the life. BECHER, ALEXANDER BRIDPORT (_eld. son of Alexander Becher, captain R.N. who d. 1827_). _b._ 12 June 1796; midshipman R.N. 28 Nov. 1812; captain on h.p. 20 March 1856, retired R.A. 11 June 1874; assistant in Hydrographic office 12 May 1823 to 1865, arranged and methodised all documents preserved there 1823–26; sec. to board of visitors of royal observatory; F.R.A.S. 1830, member of council; edited the _Nautical magazine_ from its commencement in 1832 to 1871; author of _The landfall of Columbus on his first voyage to America_ 1856. _d._ 46 Upper Gloucester place, London 15 Feb.