Joseph Frederick Ledsam (16 April 1791 - 28 December 1862)[1][2] was a Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Warwick, High Sheriff of Worcestershire (1848-1849)[3] and deputy chairman of the London and North Western Railway (1849-1862).
Joseph Frederick Ledsam | |
|---|---|
.png) 1852 Mezzotint by Samuel Cousins (engraver), after Eden Upton Eddis (painter) | |
| Born | 16 April 1791  |
| Died | 29 December 1862 (aged 71) |
| Position held | justice of the peace, High Sheriff of Worcestershire (1848–1849), Deputy Lieutenant (Warwickshire) |
Background
editHe was born on 16 April 1791 in Birmingham, the son of Joseph Moreton Ledsam (1767-1816) and Mary Bullock. He married Elizabeth Ann Ashton Goddington on 4 December 1817 in St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Aston. They had nine children: Frederick Goddington; Joseph; Mary Elizabeth; Frederick George; Anne Julia; Thomas Moreton; William; Emily Agnes; and James Goddington Ledsam.[4]
Career
editHe had an involvement in railways from an early stage, and became a director and deputy chairman of the London and Birmingham Railway. He was also chairman of the Warwick and Leamington Union Railway.[5] In 1846 it was reported that he had invested £186,000 (equivalent to £22,750,000 in 2023)[6] in railway speculation.[7] In 1848 he was chairman of the Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Stour Valley Railway.[8]
In 1849[9] he succeeded Charles Lawrence as deputy chairman of the London and North Western Railway.[1]
He was also involved in other commercial undertakings holding the position of director of the Birmingham Banking Company[10] and the Birmingham and Staffordshire Gas Light Company.
He acted in a philanthropic context being a governor of King Edward VI School, Birmingham and chairman of the Birmingham Triennial Music Festival. He was a significant contributor to the cost of building St Mary's Church in Selly Oak,[11][12] a district of Birmingham here he had major land holdings, including Weoley Castle.[13]
He died on 28 December 1862 and was buried on 3 January 1863 in Christ Church, Birmingham. His will was proved on 23 February 1863 and his estate was valued at under £60,000.
Recognition
editThere is a street named after Ledsam in Ladywood, Birmingham,[14] as was another in Wolverton,[15] since demolished.[16]
References
edit- ^ a b "The late Mr. F.J. Ledsam". Worcestershire Chronicle. England. 31 December 1862. Retrieved 6 August 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Aris' Gazette of 3 January 1863 reported "We deeply regret to have to record the demise of our respected fellow-townsman, Mr. J. F. Ledsam which took place his residence at Chad Hill on Monday morning", i.e. Monday 29 December 1862.
- ^ "No. 20825". The London Gazette. 11 February 1848. pp. 541–542.
- ^ "Meredith of Herefordshire - Person Page 37". winters-online.net. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
- ^ "Warwick and Leamington Union Railway". Liverpool Mercury. No. 1498. 24 January 1840. p. 1.
- ^ UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
- ^ "Railway Speculation". Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser. England. 26 August 1848. Retrieved 6 August 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Stour Valley Railway". Worcestershire Chronicle. England. 26 August 1848. Retrieved 6 August 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "The Queen's Return from Scotland". Leeds Intelligencer. England. 6 October 1849. Retrieved 6 August 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Birmingham Banking Company". Birmingham Daily Post. England. 21 February 1861. Retrieved 6 August 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Laying the foundation stone of a new church, at Selly Oak". Birmingham Daily Post. England. 13 July 1860. Retrieved 6 August 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Thomas T. Harman (1885), Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham: A history and guide, arranged alphabetically: containing thousands of dates and references to matters of interest connected with the past and present history of the town – its public buildings, chapels, churches and clubs – its Friendly Societies and Benevolent Associations, philanthropic and philosophical institutions – its colleges and schools, parks, gardens, theatres, and places of amusement – its men of worth and noteworthy men, manufactures and trades, population, rates, statistics of progress, &c., &c., Cornish Brothers, p. 235, Wikidata Q66438509
- ^ "History-27-BSB-18". BMB History. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
- ^ Ledsam Street, Ladywood, Birmingham: 52°28′45″N 1°55′22″W / 52.47908°N 1.92278°W
- ^ "Ledsam Street – Wolverton Past". Retrieved 27 March 2021.
- ^ "Side by side georeferenced maps viewer - Map images". National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 27 March 2021.