Joseph Beldam facts for kids

Joseph Beldam (born December 26, 1795 – died June 6, 1866) was an English writer and historian. He was also a strong supporter of ending slavery.

Joseph Beldam was born at Shepreth Hall in Cambridgeshire. He later passed away in Royston, Hertfordshire, and was buried there. He studied Law at St Peter's College, University of Cambridge. After becoming a lawyer in 1825, he had to stop working due to poor health. He then decided to dedicate his time to the movement against slavery. He joined the Anti-Slavery Society in London in 1827.

Fighting for Freedom: The Anti-Slavery Movement

Joseph Beldam first became known for his anti-slavery work in 1827. He wrote an open letter to Lord Dacre, which caught the attention of Zachary Macaulay. Macaulay was the first editor of the Anti-Slavery Reporter. Beldam soon became the main writer for many of the Anti-Slavery Society's publications.

After the Emancipation Act was passed in 1833, which aimed to free enslaved people, Beldam used his legal skills to help the society. His main job was to investigate how the new rules were being misused. Many enslaved people were forced into an "apprenticeship system." This system meant they had to keep working for their former masters, which was not true freedom.

Ending the Apprenticeship System

Joseph Beldam worked hard to gather information about these abuses. Thanks to his careful research, the British Parliament was forced to end the apprenticeship system early in 1838. This meant that enslaved people in British colonies finally became completely free, three years sooner than planned.

After slavery ended in British colonies, Beldam continued his fight on a global scale. He joined a group called the Society for the Extinction of the Slave Trade. This group worked to end slavery everywhere in the world.

Later Life and Discoveries

In his later years, Joseph Beldam became interested in history and old artifacts. In 1852, he explored the medieval Royston Cave with his friend Edmund Nunn. For his historical and archaeological research, he was made a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London in 1856.

Joseph Beldam was a humble person. He turned down two job offers from the Colonial Office and did not try to enter politics. He preferred to work quietly behind the scenes. His important work against slavery only became widely known in the mid-20th century.

Joseph also enjoyed traveling. He knew famous people like the poet William Wordsworth and the artist Francis Arundale. He even sketched and painted watercolors with Francis Arundale.

Joseph Beldam's Writings

Here are some of the books and papers Joseph Beldam wrote:

• Il Pastore Incantato, or, The Enchanted Shepherd; A Drama: Pompeii, and other poems. (1824)
• Reflections on Slavery: in Reply to Certain Passages of a Speech Recently Delivered by Mr Canning. (1826)
• A Summary of the Laws Peculiarly Affecting Protestant Dissenters. (1827)
• The Permanent Laws of the Emancipated colonies. (1838)
• The Foreign Slave Trade. A Brief Account of its State, and of Treaties Thereto, Continued to the Present Time. (1838)
• A Review of the Late Proposed Measure for the Reduction of Duties on Sugar. (1841)
• Recollections of Scenes and Institutions in Italy and the East. (1851)
• Royston Court House and its Appertances. (1863)
• The Icenhilde Road. Archaeol J 25, 21-45
• On the Origins and Use of the Royston Cave. (1884)