Francis Beckford

1723 - 1768


Biography

Son of Peter Beckford jun. and Bathsua Beckford nee Hering, brother of Alderman William Beckford.

  1. Francis Beckford was listed in the Jamaican Quit Rent books for 1754 as the owner of 2616 acres of land in Westmoreland.

  2. Will of Francis Beckford of Albemarle Street [made in 1767] proved 23/12/1768. He left an annuity of £200 p.a. to his wife Susanna, over and above her entitlement under their marriage settlement, secured on 'all my plantation and penns called Petersfield in... Jamaica, with the negroes slaves and their future increase.' He entailed the Peterfield and Lincoln estates on his [generic] sons and then [generic] daughters, with the latter receiving annuities of £50 p.a. until 21 or marriage and then £100 p.a., to be increased further if they had only surviving brother.


Sources

  1. '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.

  2. PROB 11/944/321


Further Information

Absentee?
Transatlantic
Spouse
(1) Lady Albinia Bertie (2) Susannah Love
Children
Charlotte; Francis Love

Associated Estates (9)

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
1740 [EA] - → Not known
1740 [EA] - → Not known
1765 [EA] - 1767 [LA] → Owner
1768 [EA] - 1783 [LA] → Previous owner
1742 [EA] - 1767 [LA] → Owner

A minor 1742-1743 when his mother Bathshua Beckford was his guardian

1768 [EA] - 1783 [LA] → Previous owner
1742 [EA] - 1742 [LA] → Not known

The enslaved people were registered in 1742 for Mrs Bathsua Beckford as guardian of Francis Beckford a minor [her son]

1767 [EA] - 1768 [EY] → Owner
1768 [SY] - 1770 [LA] → Previous owner

Legacies Summary

Cultural (2)

Paintings
Portrait of Francis Beckford by Joshua Reynolds 1755-1756. One of a pair with his wife Suzanna nee Love. Both are now in Tate... 
notes →
...
Paintings
Suzanna Beckford, portait by Sir Joshua Reynolds c. 1755. One of a pair with her husband Francis Beckford. Both are now in Tate Britain.... 
notes →
...

Physical (1)

Country house
Penders or Ashtead Lodge [Built] 
description →
Reportedly built by Francis Beckford c. 1765. 'When Francis Beckford, the first from the Jamaican branch, came to Ashtead on the death in 1763 of Dorothea, the widow of Thomas, a new mansion was...

Relationships (6)

Brothers
Brothers
Father → Son
Son → Father
Grandfather → Grandson
Notes →
Frederick Graeme Middleton's mother Charlotte was the daughter of Francis Beckford...
Son → Mother

Addresses (1)

Albemarle Street, London, Middlesex, London, England
Notes →

Of Albemarle Street when he made his will in 1767 (proved in 1768). He left the house to his wife Susanna for life.