The Life and Times of Henry Beaumont

Early Life and Family Background

The second memorial at St. James commemorates Henry Beaumont, born in 1865 in Huddersfield, Yorkshire,

Edward Beaumont and Georgiana Maw David
marriage certificate
parish church Chepstow

the son of Edward Beaumont and Georgiana Maw David, who had married in 1856 at the parish church in Chepstow. Henry’s early life was shaped by both comfort and loss.

1871 Census

The 1871 Census records the Beaumont family living at 32 Ashburnham Road, Bedfordshire, where Georgiana, then aged 34 and born in Gloucestershire, was listed as an annuitant, indicating that the family’s income came from investments or inherited funds. Edward Beaumont was absent on the night of the census, and the household included Henry’s siblings Norman, Constance, and Llewellyn, all of whom were attending school. Also present were Henry’s grandmother, Mary E. Beaumont, and two servants, Elizabeth Smith and Mary Bone. The following year, in 1872, the family suffered the death of Edward Beaumont, leaving Georgiana a widow with four young children.

Education and London University College School (UCS)

1881 Census

By 1881, Henry, then sixteen, was living as a boarder at 32 Earls Court Gardens, London, where he was recorded as a “Scholar (L V C S)”. This abbreviation is almost certainly the enumerator’s shorthand for London University College School (UCS), one of the leading non‑sectarian public schools of the period. Founded in 1830 and located on Gower Street, UCS was known for its rigorous classical curriculum, its progressive ethos, and its strong academic links with University College London. The presence of Henry’s older brothers Norman and Llewellyn at the same address suggests that all three Beaumont sons were receiving a London‑based education, likely attending UCS together or in overlapping years. Families of their social standing often placed their sons in private boarding houses in Kensington and Earls Court while they attended prestigious central London schools. Henry’s education at UCS would have provided him with a strong grounding in Latin, Greek, mathematics, and moral philosophy, subjects that aligned naturally with his later decision to pursue a legal career.

Legal Training and Early Career

1891 Census

By the 1891 Census, Henry appears as a 26‑year‑old lodger at 3 Cuiston Street, London, described as a Bar Student, marking the beginning of his formal legal training, likely at one of the Inns of Court.

1901 Census

His professional progress is evident in the 1901 Census, which records him, aged 36, working as a Barrister in Law and living in Aldrington, Sussex. His residence in Sussex suggests a preference for quieter surroundings while maintaining professional ties to London’s legal institutions.

Later Life

1911 Census

By 1911, Henry, now 46 and still practising as a Barrister at Law, was staying at Rheanfa, Ffynone, Swansea, the home of his brother‑in‑law Thomas William James. His presence in Swansea may have been for family reasons, health, or simply a period of respite, and this connection explains why his memorial is found at St. James.

Death and Legacy

Henry Beaumont
Twickenham, Cemetery
credit - findagrave

Henry Beaumont died in 1920 at Twickenham, London, aged 55, and he was buried in Twickenham Cemetery, close to the legal and social world in which he had spent much of his adult life. Although Henry left no known descendants, his memorial at St. James preserves the memory of a man whose life was shaped by education, professional dedication, and enduring family connections. His movements—from Yorkshire to Bedfordshire, London, Sussex, and Swansea—reflect the mobility of a Victorian professional family navigating the opportunities and challenges of the era. His story, reconstructed through census records and family links, forms a small but meaningful part of the wider historical tapestry of the community.