Joseph Frederick Ledsam
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Joseph Frederick Ledsam (16 April 1791 - 28 December 1862){{cite news |author= |title=The late Mr. F.J. Ledsam |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000350/18621231/013/0002 |newspaper=Worcestershire Chronicle |location=England |date=31 December 1862 |access-date=6 August 2017 |via = British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }}Aris' Gazette of 3 January 1863 reported "We deeply regret to have to record the demise of our respected fellow-townsman, Mr. J. F. Ledsam which took place his residence at Chad Hill on Monday morning", i.e. Monday 29 December 1862. was a Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Warwick, High Sheriff of Worcestershire (1848-1849){{London Gazette|issue=20825|pages=541–542|date=11 February 1848 |nolink=y}} and deputy chairman of the London and North Western Railway (1849-1862).
Background
He was born on 16 April 1791 in Birmingham, the son of Joseph Moreton Ledsam (1767-1816) and Mary Bullock. He married Elizabeth Ann Ashton Goddington on 4 December 1817 in St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Aston. They had nine children: Frederick Goddington; Joseph; Mary Elizabeth; Frederick George; Anne Julia; Thomas Moreton; William; Emily Agnes; and James Goddington Ledsam.{{Cite web |title=Meredith of Herefordshire - Person Page 37 |url=https://winters-online.net/MerH/g1/p37.htm#i1806 |access-date=2024-04-10 |website=winters-online.net}}
Career
He had an involvement in railways from an early stage, and became a director and deputy chairman of the London and Birmingham Railway. He was also chairman of the Warwick and Leamington Union Railway.{{cite news |title=Warwick and Leamington Union Railway |work=Liverpool Mercury |date=24 January 1840 |issue=1498 |page=1 |url=https://go.gale.com/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=Newspapers&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&hitCount=94&searchType=BasicSearchForm¤tPosition=3&docId=GALE%7CBC3203953090&docType=Advertisement&sort=Pub+Date+Forward+Chron&contentSegment=ZBLC-MOD1&prodId=BNCN&pageNum=1&contentSet=GALE%7CBC3203953090&searchId=R2&userGroupName=bclib&inPS=true |url-access=subscription}} In 1846 it was reported that he had invested £186,000 ({{Inflation|UK|186000|1846|r=-4|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}){{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}} in railway speculation.{{cite news |author= |title=Railway Speculation |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000206/18460819/007/0002 |newspaper=Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser |location=England |date=26 August 1848 |access-date=6 August 2017 |via = British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }} In 1848 he was chairman of the Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Stour Valley Railway.{{cite news |author= |title=Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Stour Valley Railway |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000350/18480826/062/0002 |newspaper=Worcestershire Chronicle |location=England |date=26 August 1848 |access-date=6 August 2017 |via = British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }}
In 1849{{cite news |author= |title=The Queen's Return from Scotland |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000193/18491006/028/0006 |newspaper=Leeds Intelligencer |location=England |date=6 October 1849 |access-date=6 August 2017 |via = British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }} he succeeded Charles Lawrence as deputy chairman of the London and North Western Railway.
He was also involved in other commercial undertakings holding the position of director of the Birmingham Banking Company{{cite news |author= |title=Birmingham Banking Company |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000033/18610221/007/0002 |newspaper=Birmingham Daily Post |location=England |date=21 February 1861 |access-date=6 August 2017 |via = British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }} and the Birmingham and Staffordshire Gas Light Company.
He acted in a philanthropic context being a governor of King Edward VI School, Birmingham and chairman of the Birmingham Triennial Music Festival. He was a significant contributor to the cost of building St Mary's Church in Selly Oak,{{cite news |author= |title=Laying the foundation stone of a new church, at Selly Oak |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000033/18600713/003/0002 |newspaper=Birmingham Daily Post |location=England |date=13 July 1860 |access-date=6 August 2017 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }}{{cite q|Q66438509|page=235}} a district of Birmingham here he had major land holdings, including Weoley Castle.{{cite web |title=History-27-BSB-18 |url=http://www.bmbhistory.org.uk/bmb-history_388.htm |website=BMB History. |access-date=27 March 2021}}
He died on 28 December 1862 and was buried on 3 January 1863 in Christ Church, Birmingham. His will was proved on 23 February 1863 and his estate was valued at under £60,000.
Recognition
There is a street named after Ledsam in Ladywood, Birmingham,Ledsam Street, Ladywood, Birmingham: {{Coord|52.47908|-1.92278|region:GB-BIR|name=Ledsam Street, Ladywood, Birmingham}} as was another in Wolverton,{{cite web |title=Ledsam Street – Wolverton Past |url=http://www.wolvertonpast.co.uk/2011/05/09/ledsam-street/ |access-date=27 March 2021}} since demolished.{{cite web |title=Side by side georeferenced maps viewer - Map images |url=https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=18&lat=52.06293&lon=-0.80704&layers=168&right=osm |publisher=National Library of Scotland |access-date=27 March 2021}}
References
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Category:High sheriffs of Worcestershire
Category:Businesspeople from Birmingham, West Midlands
Category:Directors of the London and North Western Railway