Benjamin Beddome (1717-1795) is a largely forgotten 18th Century English Baptist preacher, remembered today only as a minor hymnwriter. For over half a century he served as pastor of the Baptist church meeting at Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire. He is worth more than a passing glance.
We have mentioned previously that Francis Labee appears to have been the barber surgeon to whom Beddome was apprenticed. As suggested Labee drifted from his Baptist roots and became a Methodist. He often gave hospitality to John and Charles Wesley when they were in Bristol. (John refers to him as Labbe and Charles as Labu). Whitefield was also a visitor. In May 1739 John Wesley christened Labee's daughter Sara.
Beddome had at least seven siblings, as shown here.
John is the oldest and Benjamin is the next eldest and the longest lived with Joseph next after him. Then come Rachel, Mary and Bernard. These were all born in Henley-in-Arden. Then after a little gap Sarah and Martha (known as Patty) were born in Bristol. John died in childhood, only 12, and Bernard and Rachel were only 17 and 20 when they died in 1738, perhaps from the same disease. Sarah, who never married, was dead by the time she was 30. The other two sisters married but died relatively young (Martha was 39 and Mary 43). (Some authorities also list a Caleb 1729-1768). Mary married Moses Brain (m 1740, 1726-1796) and later Edward Bright (m 1753, d 1780). Through Moses she became the mother of Mary (1744-1819) and the short lived Rachel. Perhaps Mary died giving birth to Rachel or shortly after. Martha was married to Christopher Ludlow (1731-1789). Their children were Christopher Brandon and Martha. (This Martha cannot be Martha Ludlow Jackson whose diary (1755-1790) is in the Bristol Baptist College Library as her dates are 1738-1807.)
