Wednesday 26 July 2017

John Beaumont of London (d.1814)


This gentleman was an early member of the Royal Humane Society, which was founded in London in 1774 and which is still going strong. It grants awards for acts of bravery in the saving of human life and its Patron is Her Majesty the Queen:-


The words identifying him as the Registrar and Secretary to the Royal Humane Society had been cut from the bottom of this copy, which (mounted in a frame) had been identified as someone else. The picture hung in the downstairs loo at my uncle's house for many years.

The drawing was by F Gerard and the engraving by James Basire. On taking it out of its frame and identifying it correctly, I offered it to the Royal Humane Society. Unsurprisingly they have got one already, but they were happy to have this one as a spare.