Extant Letters From Beddome

1. Anne Steele Sunday December 23 1742 Marriage proposal (Angus Library)
2. Church at Goodman's Fields November 1750 Concerning call to pastorate (Brooks, Pictures of the Past)
3. Church at Goodman's Fields Sunday February 24 1750/51 Concerning call to pastorate (Brooks, Pictures of the Past)
4. Richard Hall Saturday February 18 1758 or 1764 Includes a hymn (Angus Library)
5. Unknown relative Monday July 23 1759 (part) (Published in Evangelical Magazine)
6. Unknown relative Thursday October 18 1759 (Published in Evangelical Magazine)
7. Unknown relative Monday May 19 1760 Referring to the Diary of Timothy Thomas (Published n Evangelical Magazine)
8. Unknown relative Thursday July 17 1760 (Published in Evangelical Magazine)
9. Unknown relative Saturday September 27 1760 (Published in Evangelical Magazine)
10. Unknown relative Saturday December 13 1760 (Published in Evangelical Magazine)
11. Sister Reynolds March 8 1761 Regarding church discipline (Brooks, Pictures of the Past)
12. The Association May 1765 (Published in The Primitive Church Magazine 1860)
13. Henry Keene Saturday November 14, 1772 (NLW)
14. The Association (with deacons) (part) May 1786 (Brooks, Pictures of the Past)
15. The Association (with deacons) Sunday May 31 1789 (NLW)
16. Andrew Fuller October 1793 Scepticism about the BMS (Angus Library, also in Pickles' Life and Times)

(6 in the Evangelical Magazine, 4 in Brooks, 3 in the Angus Library, 2 in the NLW, 1 in The Primitive Church Magazinel; 1742-1751 - 3, 1758-1761 - 8; 1765-1793 - 5)

10 Eighteenth Century Baptist Hymn Writers

1. Anne Steele
2. Benjamin Beddome
3. Benjamin Francis
4. Benjamin Wallin
5. Daniel Turner
6. John Fawcett
7. John Rippon
8. John Ryland Jr
9. Robert Robinson
10. Samuel Medley

Reference to Beddome by William Steele in 1777

In a letter written from William Steele 1715-1785, brother of Anne, to his 24 year old niece Mary Steele 1753-1813 (who married Thomas Dunscombe 1748-1811 but only in 1797) on Tuesday, September 9, 1777, Steele refers to a smallpox epidemic in Bristol that necessitates his returning to Broughton via Amesbury, He hopes to “see Stonehenge”. He mentions a rumour that Beddome's protege Mr [Nathaniel] Rawlin(g)s has been asked by Trowbridge Baptists to leave Bristol [or Broughton?] and return to Trowbridge as their preacher, working in the clothing trade with his wife's relations. He says that he met Mr and Mrs Bedome [sic] at Mr Norton's on September 8 and Beddome (by then over 60) preached at Broadmead on the Sunday morning (presumably September 7). He also describes Henry Kent who “has become so great a beau” in second mourning. The letter includes a postscript from “Amanda” [Miss Amanda Froud] to “Sylvia” [Mary Steele].

Robert Norton 1744-1808, was a Bristol clothier, married to Hannah Evans (1746-1807), daughter of Hugh and Sarah Evans. He was also brother-in-law to Thomas Mullett (1745-1818). Like Mullett who removed to London he would leave Bristol and the Broadmead Church for Nailsea to become a successful clothier and tobacconist. He was in business with John Heskins (1778-1838), who was married to a daughter of Benjamin Francis, and a son of Beddome's. His daughter Sarah Evans Norton Biggs (1768-1834) would become a friend of the poet Mary Steele and an acquaintance of the diarist Henry Crabb Robinson (1775-1867).

Benjamin Beddome and Anne Steele

In 1742, when Beddome was 25, he sent a written proposal of marriage to Anne Steele. By then Beddome had been pastor at Bourton on the Water in the Cotswolds for one or two years. How he would have met Anne is uncertain. It may have been that they met in Haycombe near Bath if and when Beddome preached there. Anne had cousins there (the Gays, her mother's sisters children) and would visit at times. Anne refused the proposal but kept the letter. Beddome went on to marry the daughter of one of his deacons, of course. Another possibility is that they met in Whitchurch in Bristol.

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 Steele

Heard a good paper last night by Sharon James on Beddome's contemporary hymn writer and one time object of his affections, Anne Steele. See here for report.