Deacon James Ashwin

In Pictures of the past Thomas Brooks records how the year after Thomas Coles came, deacon James Ashwin [1710-1801] died. It is recorded in the church book thus:

September 3, 1801, departed this life, an honoured and beloved brother in the Lord, James Ashwin, aged ninety one. An honourable member and deacon of this church, of a savoury spirit in the things of God, a humble Christian, often afflicted, and greatly comforted in his affliction. A constant attendant on the means of grace, when able, and an admirer of the grace of the means, saying, 'why me, such a sinner as I have been, to have hope toward God, my Redeemer?' He cherished an ardent desire for the good of souls, and for the peace and prosperity of Zion. He was calm and composed in his last affliction, though in great pain. Though not destined to enjoy the ministry of Mr Coles, he felt much interest in the prospect of his coming, and requested that he would preach at his funeral, from Jeremiah xxxi 3, which was done on the eighth of that month.

If one consults the ancient map preserved elsewhere on this blog, it becomes clear that the Ashwins lived next door to the Beddomes. Ashwiin's wife appears to have been Mary Patten (d 1763).

Printers of the Catechism

The first edition of Beddome's Catechism in 1752 was published by John Ward in London. John Ward (c 1679–1758) was the son of a Baptist minister, also John Ward, and was an English teacher, a supporter of learned societies, and a biographer, remembered for his work on the Gresham College professors, of which he was one. He has an entry in the ODNB and Wikipedia has this here. Also see this article here and this one too. This is probably the wrong Ward, however. The Ward we want is the son of Aaron Ward, mentioned in a later blog.

By 1776 Ward was dead and for the second corrected edition Beddome turned to a Methodist in Bristol, William Pine (1739-1803) printer first of the Bristol Chronicle (from 1760) and then the original printer of the Bristol Gazette (from 1767). A Methodist he had a large business in Wine Street, Bristol. He was associated at one point with the Quaker Joseph Fry (1728-1787) of chocolate fame when Fry turned his attention in 1764 to type-founding, following the success of John Baskerville. Their new type may be traced in several works issued between 1764 and 1770. In 1774 Pine printed at Bristol a Bible in a pearl type, asserted to be ‘the smallest a bible was ever printed with.’ To all these editions notes were added to escape the penalty of infringing the patent. In 1776 Pine published Beddome's catechism but in 1777 the firm became J Fry and sons, reprinting octavo and folio Bibles and Pine subsequently withdrew entirely. Pine was John Wesley's printer until by 1775 Wesley found him too much of a Calvinist and pro-American independence. He married three times and had children. His second wife (from 1790) was Elizabeth Owen. His third wife outlived him.

Catechism Book on sale (2nd ed)

A notice on the Internet now removed was as follows:

A Scriptural Exposition of the Baptist Catechism By Way of Question and Answer.

Second Edition, Corrected. 8vo. [153 x 91 x 12 mm]. 192pp. Contemporary binding of canvas over pasteboard, the spine lettered on two later black labels. (Upper joint split, but cords holding, worn at the edges). Stock no. ebc3224.

Bristol: by W. Pine, 1776.

£500

The first edition of 1752 is known only from a single copy, at Regent's Park Oxford. This second edition is recorded at nine locations, but there is only one in the USA, at Andover Newton Theological School.

Benjamin Beddome (1717-1795) was pastor at the Baptist Church in Bourton on the Water, Gloucestershire, from 1740 until his death. He wrote over 800 hymns, which were published as Hymns Adopted to Public Worship or Family Devotion in 1818. In 1770 he was awarded an MA by Providence College in Rhode Island in recognition of his literary gifts.

With a neat ink inscription inside the front cover: "G.P. Hinton the 28th May 1804. The Gift of his very Dear Friend the Rev. Dr Ryland. Note this Book is very useful to Ministers & Students to the Ministry for here they may look for Answers in Scripture Language to whatever questions they are answered on whatever subject they may be upon".

(Hinton appears to have been a Unitarian who was once a minister of a west country church but then went into the legal profession in Bristol.)

Beddome's Evangelist

In the brief memoir of Beddome published with the sermon collection of 1835 we read of Beddome's conversion. The writer says young Beddome's mind

appears to have been altogether unimpressed about religion, till an event occurred which he himself thus records. "Mr. Ware, of Chesham, uncle, I believe, to Coulson Scottow, Esq. preached at the Pithay, Bristol, August 7, 1737,* with which sermon I was, for the first time, deeply impressed. Text, Luke xv. 7: 'Likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance.'" Thus more than twenty years had been devoted to the service of Satan, notwithstanding the numerous and affectionate discourses of the pulpit, the prayers, instructions, and examples of his parents; but when he heard the character of the penitent described, it at once became his own. Indeed, so intense were his feelings, that as he could not suppress his tears, he selected the most retired part of the chapel to conceal them; but though his grief was thus hid from man, it was doubtless the cause of joy among the angels in heaven ....

I have wondered about the identity of this Mr Ware and finally more or less tracked him down. He was Joshua Ware (d 1739) and he was indeed uncle to Coulson Skottowe (1719-1784). He was a gentleman perhaps a knight and, it seems, a medical doctor.

An article about the Skottowe family (the K is now preferred) here quotes from a privately printed book from 1963 by Philip E Skottowe called The Leaf and the Tree that says

A Mr [John] Ware, who was the High Sheriff [of Buckingham in 1735], had three beautiful daughters; his brother [Joshua], who was minister of the Baptist Chapel in Chesham, paid a visit to a friend named Coulson in Yorkshire, probably John Coulson [d 1674], the uncle of Elizabeth [Coulson], wife of Thomas Skottowe (1695-1771). The reverend gentleman spoke so highly of his nieces' charms that Coulson asked to see their portraits and finally selected one [Martha] as his wife. Her sister Rebecca, while on a visit to her newly-married sister, met young Thomas Skottowe and became his first wife in 1717, dying after the birth of her son Coulson in 1719 [his second wife was Anne Casrip d 1751].

So one sister, Martha, married the elderly and wealthy Presbyterian merchant, John Coulson, while the other sister, Rebecca, married 21 year old Thomas Skottowe from Norfolk (a twin whose brother Coulson died 1750; the patron of sea captain James Cook who so inspired William Carey). A point of interest with regard to Skottowe's marriage is that it was, as a lawyer later described it, 'a stolen match', without the permission or approval of the well-connected Ware family of Chesham. This fact had important consequences. It meant that the impecunious Skottowe did not receive the marriage portion customary for those of his class. It also meant a breach between him and his powerful in-laws which was shortly to lead to a major humiliation.

It is clear from John Coulson's 1727 will that he and the Wares strongly disapproved of Skottowe. The will was apparently a ruthless document in which Coulson used his financial clout to humiliate Skottowe in his role as a father. It demanded that Skottowe hand over his son, Coulson Skottowe, then aged eight, to the guardianship of the Ware family, the family of his deceased mother, Rebecca. Three guardians were nominated, who would henceforth be entirely responsible for his upbringing and education. These were his aunt Martha, her father, John Ware, and Coulson's uncle Joshua, the man through whom Beddome was converted. From then on, Skottowe could have nothing to do with his son and was forbidden to attempt to get him back under his own control. He was to sign legal contracts agreeing to all this. If the terms were met, he would receive £500 under the will. When Coulson Skottowe came of age he would inherit all John Ware's property. If the terms were broken he would inherit nothing. At the time of John Coulson's death, his father-in-law, John Ware, was living in a house in South Shields, so presumably the boy then went to live there with his aunt and his great uncle. Hence Beddome's "uncle, I believe, to Coulson Scottow, Esq".
* Daniel Ramsey points out that this date was a Wednesday, so this was a mdweek meeting..

Letter to the Association 1789

This is the letter to the association written by Beddome and his church officers in 1789

To the Ministers and Messengers of the several Baptist Churches designing

to meet in Association at Evesham on the Tuesday and Wednesday maj

The Church of Christ meeting at Burton on the Water holding the Doctrines

usually specified in your annual Letter wisheth Grace Mercy and Peace from

God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ/

Dearly beloved Brethren
How swift the Revolutions of Time! How soon hath another Year

taken its Flight and left scarcely the shadow of a Trace behind!

Since your last annual Assembly We have gone through a Variety of Changes

with some light Afflictions and Experiences, Multitudes of Mercies met; but

alass how faint are the Impressions made, how soon how easily have they been

eras'd! Yet the same God who gave us Liberty to write then renews it now,

which we would regard as a wonderful Instance of his Patience, Longsuffering

Tenderness and Compassion, considering our neglect a??g provoking Carriage

towards him - We survive the Funeral of many of our Christian Friends,

other churches have lost their dear pastors and are yet unprovided, ours

is continued; and though aged and infirm, is not totally incapacitated and

laid aside: Other Churches have been convuls'd, and almost torn in pieces

by Divisions, Ours enjoys a considerable Measure of Peace; though that oneness

of Heart which is the great ornament of Christianity is too much wanting.

Our Number is neither diminished; nor increas'd; one being added by Baptism

and a very aged Member remov'd by Death - In a Word Luke warm as for

Barrenness, inward Darkness and that though the Children are are brought to

the Birth there is not strength to bring forth, have long bene and still are

the Subjects of our Complaint. Will you pray earnestly to God for us, and may

he hear for his Name's sake and for his Son's sake.

To draw to a Close - as we trust in this yearly Meeting you are

animated with a desire of promoting your own mutual Edification, the

Welfare of the associated Church, and the Glory of God We devoutly

wish you the divine Presence and Influence both in the publick Assembly and

your Private Conferences not being left to a jejeune and trifling Spirit, which

both often render'd such opportunities unpleasant and uninviting.

We sadly feel that a Spirit of error is creeping into some of the Churches,

and that where the Doctrines of the Gospel are not totally rejected

their Importance is not properly attended to: a Word therefore concerning

this in your circular Letter may perhaps be a Word in Season,

And now may the eternal Spirit of God, the Spirit of Life, Love, Peace and

Holiness preside in your Councils, and rule in your Hearts; preserving you

both from carnal contentions and frothy conversation; so that the messengers

of the Churches may be the Glory of Christ, thus pray

Your Brothers in Gospel Bonds

Signed at our Church Meeting May 31st 1789

Benjamin Beddome

James Ashwin

Edward Reynolds

Thomas Cresser

Wm Palmer

Rich Dolby

Joshua Perry

Wm Collett

Samuel Fox

Not knowing whether our Pastor oppress'd as

he is with Infirmities will be able to give

You his Company we have appointed our beloved

Deacon James Ashwin and Wm Palmer

our Messengers on this Occasion.

[The association was in Evesham and apparently Beddome did go. It was to be his last. He preached on Philippians 4:3].

Review of Vol 1 of Sermons -- A true disciple of the old school

In 1805 the Evangelical Magazine 13 carried a review of Beddome's first posthumous sermon collection as follows

Twenty Short Discourses, adapted to Village Worship, or the Devotions of the Family. Published from the Manuscripts of the late Rev B Beddome, AM. 8vo 3s. 12mo, 2s.

Contents: Sermons I and II, Self examination. Ps cxxix. 23, 24. — III, Desireableness of Christ's Presence. Luke xxiv. 29. — IV, Sinful Excuses answered. Luke xiv. 19. — V, The Penitent. Luke vii. 38.— VI, The Power of Conscience. Rom. ii.15. — VII, The Compassion of Christ. Isa. xlii. 3. — VIII, Necessity of Holiness. Jer. xiii. 27. — IX, The Important Question. John ix. 25. — X, Waiting on God. Hab. ii. 3.—XI, The Christian's Complaint. Ps cxlii. 4. — XII, The Impotent Man. Acts iii. 8. — XIII, Motives to Usefulness. Mark xiv. 8. — XIV, The Last Passover. Luke xxii. 11, 12.— XV, Peter's Confession. Luke v. 8. — XVI, Hypocrisy exposed. — XVII, Reconciliation to God. 2 Cor v. 20. — XVIII, Self-Love. 2 Tim iii. 2. — XIX, Spiritual Convictions. John viii.1. — XX. Excellency of the Law. Ps cxix. 66

The author of these Sermons hast long since finished his mortal course, and entered into his rest. He was much respected whilst he lived, nor less lamented when he died. He was of the Baptist denomination, a serious experimental Christian, and a sound preacher, in every sense of the word. As a true disciple of the old school, he implicitly followed his Bible wherever it led him; and reposed unshaken confidence in his guide. On the one hand, he never shunned a full declaration of his belief in the doctrines of the Trinity, the Divinity of Christ, the Atonement, Justification by faith, the Necessity of Regeneration, etc. On the other, he was not afraid to press on his hearers with becoming earnestness, all those experimental and practical parts of the inspired volume, necessarily connected with a scriptural and genuine belief of the truth as it is in Jesus. He maintains, that, to be a real Christian, the mind must be enlightened into a knowledge of the gospel, feel the energy of it upon the conscience, and bring forth all the fruits of it in a holy and godly life; and by thus blending the principles, the experience, and the practice of religion together, Mr Beddome necessarily became an acceptable and a useful preacher.

Although a man of learning and talents, he was too wise and too grave a minister to make any ostentatious display of them in the pulpit; but that dignified simplicity and elegant plainness which characterized his Sermons, gave them weight and energy. They exhibit no traits of novelty, no laboured efforts at ingenuity: they contain no brilliant or sparkling sentences, which flash on the mind like the passing meteor before the natural eyes; but in these Sermons Mr B aims at the heart, using no other weapon in this holy warfare than that of which it may be truly said, "There is none like it, namely, the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Another recommendation of these discourses is, that the subjects are all important; and the length of them well adapted to family-exercises. On this, as well as on other grounds, we recommend them to the perusal of serious Christians and hope the editor will favour the public with a second volume.

The review is referenced in an article "The Baptists and the transformation of the church 1780-1830" in the Baptist Quarterly by W R Ward here. Ward remarks on the above article

"Certainly the relatively liberal Calvinism of Beddome and the West of England had its influence on London and the South Midlands where the future founding fathers of the Baptist Missionary Society used Jonathan Edwards to help each other over their difficulties with hyperism, and linked up through John Sutcliff of Olney, with [John] Fawcett [1739-1817], Alvery Jackson [1700-1763] and other Baptists of the North who had never owned the sway of Gill and Brine, and early made a deep impression on the Rossendale area of Lancashire."

Letter to Anne Steele

This is the letter sent (some time in the early 1740s) by Beddome still a young man to his contemporary Anne Steele, as found in Michael Haykin's book The Christian Lover

Dear Miss

Pardon the Boldness which prompts me to lay these few lines at your feet. If continued thoughts of you and a disrelish to everything besides may be considered as arguments of love, surely I experience the passion. If the greatness of a person's love will make up for the want of wit, wealth and beauty, then may I humbly lay claim to your favour. Since I had the happiness of seeing you how often have I thought of Milton's full description of Eve, book 8, line 471:

. . . so lovely fair!

That what seemed fair in all the world, seemed now

Mean, or in her summed up, in her contained,

And in her looks, which from that time infused

Sweetness into my heart, unfelt before. . .

Madam, give me leave to tell you that these words speak the very experience of my soul, nor do I find it possible to forbear loving you. Would you but suffer me to come and lay before you those dictates of a confused mind which cannot be represented by a trembling hand and pen? Would you but permit me to cast myself at your feet and tell you how much I love you, what an easement might you thereby afford to a burdened spirit and at the same time give me an opportunity of declaring more fully that l am in sincerity, Your devoted servant,

— Benjamin Beddome
Dec 23 1742

(Steele Papers STE 3/13 Angus Library)
See original here.

Anne Wilkins

There is no portrait of Beddome as we have said but Mrs N informs me that she was recently sent, by a Beddome descendant in Canada, this portrait of a lady who is probably Beddome's daughter-in-law, Anne Wilkins (she was married to Boswell Brandon Beddome). On the reverse it says

Grandmother Beddome

to Ellen Octavia

Ash ... ?

10 July

husband dies

October

L...st

According to an entry in the family Bible, Anne Beddome (nee Wilkins) died at 1 am on July 10, 1797. Boswell Brandon Beddome died on October 29, 1816. Ellen Octavia (b 1831) was the daughter of William Wilkins Beddome (1782-1858).

Signatures of the family

In the 19th century many of Beddome's grandchildren and great grandchildren emigrated to the Americas and to Australasia, taking with them various family documents. In more recent years it has been possible for Beddome descendants in Britain to trace these. One document (taken to Canada by the children of Beddome's youngest son, Josephus) is a page of Beddome signatures seen above (sent to me by Mrs N). One of the grandchildren has written underneath each signature how this person is related to him or her. At the top of the page are two signatures - Jos Brandon on the left (underneath 'Brother of my Great Grandmama' - in other words Beddome's mother's brother) and on the right Jos Beddome (underneath 'Grand Uncle' - Beddome's brother). Below that is Beddome's signature (underneath 'Grandpapa'), below that B Foskett ('Grandpapa's Tutor'), below that Mary Bright ('Grand Aunt' - Beddome's sister born in 1720, who had married first Edward Bright then Moses Brain), below that Rachel Beddome ('Great Grandmama' - Beddome's mother) and finally Thos Ludlow ('Grand Aunt Patty's Husband' - this was the husband of Beddome's youngest sister Martha, who was known as Patty).

What is not known is whether these signatures were all done at the same time or over a longer period. Mrs N favours the former view as the one missing is John Beddome, Beddome's father who died in October 1757. If they were all done at once, this could narrow down the date because we know that Bernard Foskett had a stroke on the morning of September 9, 1758 and died soon afterwards. However, we believe Rachel Beddome died on the March 23, 1758, which narrows the date even more - to the six months October 1757-March 1758 - possibly they were all together for Christmas 1757.

Beddome's birth place

Again courtesy of Mrs N, this the house in Henley in Arden that was bought by Rev John Beddome. The house was set up by Rev John as part residence and part meeting house. It is where Benjamin Beddome and his siblings were born - up to the time the family moved to Bristol in 1724. The Baptist Church at Henley was built next to this house and remained as the pastor's house. Apparently the house was sold some years ago. According to the licence granted to John Beddome to hold meetings there, it had originally been a large inn called Holmes House.

John Beddome

The shop front at 3 Sheep Street has been rebuilt since the 17th century
but inside there is still a mediaeval house

My Beddome descendant friend, Mrs N, sent me quite a bit of material on Beddome's father John Beddome (1674-1757), also a pastor.

She notes that The Baptist Annual Register for 1794/1797 states that John Beddome was born in London, but she suggests that he is more likely to have been born in Stratford on Avon, the son of Benjamin Beddome and Mary Tibbits. These Beddomes lived at 3 Sheep Street, Stratford, above.

An extract from a conveyance regarding this property states

And also all that Messuage or Tenement situate and being in the Borough of Stratford on Avon aforesaid in a street there called the Sheep Street having a Messuage or Tenement formerly of Elizabeth Smith widow but now of Joseph Hill on the East part thereof

a Messuage or Tenement belonging to the Mayor Aldermen and Burgesses of the said Borough and formerly in the Tenure of Joseph Hornsby by now of Williams on the West part thereof

the said Street called the Sheep Street on the North part thereof

and the yard or Backside late of Thomas Taylor Baker but now of William Bolton on the South part thereof

which said last mentioned Messuage or Tenement was bought and purchased by the said Thomas Gray of and from Mary Smith Widow and Relict of Benjamin Beddome deceased and the Reverend John Beddome son and heir of the said Benjamin Beddome.

Mary Tibbit evidently later remarried, though there is no record of this marriage (to a Mr Smith) or where it took place. As to how John ended up in London, according to a letter in 1795 from Joshua Thomas to John Rippon, he "was not only designed for Trade in London but he actually set up in business there, and was in a promising way. Nevertheless being called to the ministry in Mr Keach's church, Horsley Down, in the Borough, he soon quitted the Trade". Mrs N suggests that he was probably apprenticed as a tailor because the Bristol Poll Book of 1754 describes him as "John Bedham, Taylor, Anabaptist Teacher".

 *

It is possible that Beddome's great great grandfather (John's great grandfather) another John Beddome was baptised in the nearby parish of Exhall and Wixford in 1587, the son of William Beddam. Several other Beddome descendants (of which there are apparently many around the world) have taken this as fact but my friend is more cautious. One of the problems is that, so far they have been unable to locate any children or grandchildren of John Beddome who bear the name William, and it was very traditional in those days that later generations were named after their parents and grandparents. The family names seem to have been John and Benjamin. However, if this identification is correct, John Beddome would have been about 59 when he died in 1646.

This John Beddome was indeed a schoolmaster. In Shakespeare and the Bawdy Court of Stratford by E R C Brinkworth there is a description of early seventeeth century schoolmasters and how they needed to obtain a licence at the periodical Visitations to permit them to teach. John Bedom is mentioned there. He became Deputy Town Clerk in October 1624, a post he held until his death in 1646. He also became Church Warden at Stratford parish church in 1640 and Justice of the Peace in 1643. It is interesting to note that Stratford church had a strong Puritan tradition around this time. Towards the end of his life the Civil War was raging and Stratford changed hands several times. As Deputy Town Clerk, John Beddome was very much involved in the town's administration and, among various documents in his hand, there is a bill regarding damages he sustained by the Parliamentary forces. He is mentioned in Philip Tennant's The Civil War in Stratford Upon Avon, in which it is stated that he lived in the High Street.

Beddome descendants

The good old Internet has come up trumps again. A lady has recently been in touch with me who is a descendant of Beddome. She and her sister are Beddome's great great great great great grandchildren! She has sent me lots of interesting material, mostly with regard to descendants.

I had already decided that in light of there being no portrait (which she, sadly, confirms) it would be good to have the signature up at least but wasn't sure how to go about getting that in manageable form but that was one thing she sent and so I have incorporated it into the blog header.

So some more goodies to come. For now I'll just mention this stained glass window in the St Lawrence church featured in the last blog post. Annie and Mary were great grand daughters and are buried outside the church. I believe they are the ones who had the memorial stone shown recently set up. A great great grandson, William Beddome Bridgett, also has a commemoration window in St Lawrence's.