Joseph Frederick Ledsam

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
1852 Mezzotint by Samuel Cousins (engraver), after Eden Upton Eddis (painter)
Born16 April 1791 Edit this on Wikidata
Died29 December 1862 Edit this on Wikidata (aged 71)
Position heldjustice of the peace, High Sheriff of Worcestershire (1848–1849), Deputy Lieutenant (Warwickshire) Edit this on Wikidata

Background

He 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 one daughter, Mary Elizabeth Ledsam.

Career

He 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.[4] In 1846 it was reported that he had invested £186,000 (equivalent to £19,160,000 in 2021)[5] in railway speculation.[6] In 1848 he was chairman of the Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Stour Valley Railway.[7]

In 1849[8] 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[9] 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,[10][11] a district of Birmingham here he had major land holdings, including Weoley Castle.[12]

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

There is a street named after Ledsam in Ladywood, Birmingham,[13] as was another in Wolverton,[14] since demolished.[15]

References
  1. "The late Mr. F.J. Ledsam". Worcestershire Chronicle. England. 31 December 1862. Retrieved 6 August 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  2. 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.
  3. "No. 20825". The London Gazette. 11 February 1848. pp. 541–542.
  4. "Warwick and Leamington Union Railway". Liverpool Mercury. No. 1498. 24 January 1840. p. 1.
  5. 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 11 June 2022.
  6. "Railway Speculation". Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser. England. 26 August 1848. Retrieved 6 August 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. "Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Stour Valley Railway". Worcestershire Chronicle. England. 26 August 1848. Retrieved 6 August 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. "The Queen's Return from Scotland". Leeds Intelligencer. England. 6 October 1849. Retrieved 6 August 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. "Birmingham Banking Company". Birmingham Daily Post. England. 21 February 1861. Retrieved 6 August 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. "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.
  11. 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
  12. "History-27-BSB-18". BMB History. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  13. Ledsam Street, Ladywood, Birmingham: 52.47908°N 1.92278°W / 52.47908; -1.92278 (Ledsam Street, Ladywood, Birmingham)
  14. "Ledsam Street – Wolverton Past". Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  15. "Side by side georeferenced maps viewer - Map images". National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
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