Thomas Beckwith
Encyclopedia
Thomas Beckwith F.A.S
(10 February 1731 – 17 February 1786) was an English
painter
, genealogist and antiquary.
, the son of a West Riding
solicitor, and brother of Josiah Beckwith (b. 1734), attorney and antiquary. He was apprenticed as a house-painter to George Fleming of Wakefield
, who tutored him in drawing and limning
; subsequently Beckwith himself up in business as a painter in York
. He painted portraits and also made many drawings of antiques, local churches, ruins etc., some of which were finished in watercolour.
Beckwith acquired a great knowledge of heraldry
and local family pedigrees
which he amassed in 30-40 volumes of notes, seeming "to have spent much of his time in forming antiquarian and genealogical collections, of which he left a great mass behind him... they were so numerous that they have found their way into almost every collection of manuscripts which has been formed during the last half century." He was elected Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London
, and also wrote a book on local history, "A Walk in and about the city of York", though it was not published. He patented a type of crayon
pencil, which could be sharpened like a pencil, and was licensed to be sold by George Riley (artist supplier).
Beckwith's wife, Francis, died on 29 August 1773, aged 36. Beckwith, himself, died in York on 17th February 1786. His son, Ray Beckwith (d. 19 Dec 1799) was a medical doctor who practiced in York.
Thomas Beckwith's portrait was etched by William Doughty
.
Society of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
(10 February 1731 – 17 February 1786) was an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
, genealogist and antiquary.
Life and work
Beckwith was born at Rothwell, West YorkshireRothwell, West Yorkshire
Rothwell is a market town on the River Dolphin in the south east of the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, situated between Oulton to the east, Belle Isle to the west, Woodlesford to the north east and Robin Hood to the south west. Swillington, Methley and Kippax are located...
, the son of a West Riding
West Riding
West Riding could refer to:Areas:*West Riding of Yorkshire, England*West Riding of Lindsey in Lincolnshire, England*West Riding of County Cork, Ireland*West Riding of County Galway, IrelandTransport companies:*West Riding Automobile Company...
solicitor, and brother of Josiah Beckwith (b. 1734), attorney and antiquary. He was apprenticed as a house-painter to George Fleming of Wakefield
Wakefield
Wakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
, who tutored him in drawing and limning
Limner
A limner is an illuminator of manuscripts, or more generally, a painter of ornamental decoration. One of the earliest mentions of a limner's work is found in the book Methods and Materials of Painting by Charles Lock Eastlake .-Scotland:...
; subsequently Beckwith himself up in business as a painter in York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
. He painted portraits and also made many drawings of antiques, local churches, ruins etc., some of which were finished in watercolour.
Beckwith acquired a great knowledge of heraldry
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
and local family pedigrees
Pedigree chart
A pedigree chart is a diagram that shows the occurrence and appearance or phenotypes of a particular gene or organism and its ancestors from one generation to the next, most commonly humans, show dogs, and race horses....
which he amassed in 30-40 volumes of notes, seeming "to have spent much of his time in forming antiquarian and genealogical collections, of which he left a great mass behind him... they were so numerous that they have found their way into almost every collection of manuscripts which has been formed during the last half century." He was elected Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London
Society of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
, and also wrote a book on local history, "A Walk in and about the city of York", though it was not published. He patented a type of crayon
Crayon
A crayon is a stick of colored wax, charcoal, chalk, or other materials used for writing, coloring, drawing, and other methods of illustration. A crayon made of oiled chalk is called an oil pastel; when made of pigment with a dry binder, it is simply a pastel; both are popular media for color...
pencil, which could be sharpened like a pencil, and was licensed to be sold by George Riley (artist supplier).
Beckwith's wife, Francis, died on 29 August 1773, aged 36. Beckwith, himself, died in York on 17th February 1786. His son, Ray Beckwith (d. 19 Dec 1799) was a medical doctor who practiced in York.
Thomas Beckwith's portrait was etched by William Doughty
William Doughty (painter)
William Doughty, a painter and engraver, was a native of York. In 1776 he became a pupil of Sir Joshua Reynolds, and after an unsuccessful attempt as a portrait painter in Ireland, he in 1779 settled down in London; but in the following year he set sail for Bengal, having just married a servant...
.
External links
- Heraldic and genealogical manuscripts compiled by Thomas Beckwith of York, 1767-85 (Bodleian Library, Oxford)