Peter Beckford | |
|---|---|
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| Speaker of the House of Assembly of Jamaica | |
| In office 1707–1713 | |
| Monarch | George I |
| Preceded by | Matthew Gregory |
| Succeeded by | Hugh Totterdale |
| Speaker of the House of Assembly of Jamaica | |
| In office 1716 | |
| Monarch | George I |
| Preceded by | John Blair |
| Succeeded by | William Nedham |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1672/3 Jamaica |
| Died | 3 April 1735 (aged 62) Spanish Town, Jamaica |
| Spouse | Bathshua Hering |
| Children | 13, including William |
| Parent(s) | Peter Beckford Anne Ballard |
Peter Beckford (c. 1672/3 – 3 April 1735) was a Jamaican-born planter, politician and merchant who served as speaker of the House of Assembly of Jamaica from 1707 to 1713, and again in 1716. The son of one of the richest men in the colony of Jamaica, Beckford sat in the House of Assembly of Jamaica for three decades and acquired a vast financial estate. His wealth would go on to support the political careers of his children in Great Britain.
Born into the Jamaican planter class, Beckford was educated in England at Oxford before pursuing a government career as the Receiver General of Jamaica. In 1697, he killed fellow official Samuel Lewis and fled to France; thanks to the effort of his father, the case was declared nolle prosequi and Beckford returned to Jamaica and entered into a political career, serving as the colonial assembly's speaker and politician William Congreve's deputy.
Beckford frequently came into conflict with successive governors of Jamaica, including Thomas Handasyd, Lord Archibald Hamilton and Sir Nicholas Lawes. In 1714, a pamphlet war occurred after Hamilton accused of Beckford of profiteering and corruption, with Beckford emerging triumphant after Hamilton stepped down as governor. During this period, his political and financial success led to social pre-eminence among the Jamaican slavocracy.
After his father's death in 1710, Beckford was bequeathed most of his vast estate of money, land and slaves. By the end of his life, Beckford acquired an estate worth approximately £300,000 (equivalent to $60,000,000 in 2023), which included 2,314 slaves, and was the richest subject in Jamaica and one of the wealthiest people in the British Empire. He had nine children, three of whom went on to serve in various political offices in England thanks to his wealth.