Joseph Hardcastle

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Joseph Hardcastle (1752-1818) was one of the founders of 'The Missionary Society', later the London Missionary Society, to which he devoted a great deal of time and money.

Mr Hardcastle, a native of Leeds was a Russia merchant in London. He lived in Old Swan Stairs, in London, before moving to Hatcham House in Deptford, then a rural Surrey village but now in inner London, the area being known today as New Cross Gate in Lewisham.

The slavery abolitionist, Thomas Clarkson was a frequent guest at Hatcham House. Here Clarkson wrote a great part of his 'History of the Ablition of the Slave Trade', and met his future wife, a niece of Mrs Hardcastle.

Joseph Hardcastle was especially active in arranging missionary expeditions to Africa, and created schemes whereby missionary work could be self-funding by selling artifacts brought back by the missionaries themselves.

The story of Joseph's life was published in "Memoir of Joseph Hardcastle Esq., the first Treasurer of the London Missionary Society: A Record of the Past for his Descendants", which was written by Emma Corsbie Hardcastle (his last surviving daughter). A number of roads in the modern New Cross Gate reflect his time, most notably Joseph Hardcastle Close.

References

• Chamberlain, David (1924), 'Smith of Demerara', London: Simpkin, Marshall &co