William Beamont

For other people named William Beamont, see William Beamont (disambiguation).

William Beamont (1797–1889) was a Victorian solicitor and local philanthropist, living in the town of Warrington, in the north-west of England.

He was the first mayor of Warrington after its incorporation as a municipal borough in 1847. As mayor, he founded its municipal library, the first rate-aided library in the UK, in 1848. He travelled extensively, including in the Holy Land, where he met William Holman Hunt. His diaries, stored in the town's main library, are a valuable source of social history. For many years he lived at Orford Hall.

A high school (Beamont Collegiate Academy) and a primary school in the town are named after him.

William Beamont outlived his only son William John Beamont, who was a clergyman and author.

His grave lies in the churchyard of Christ Church, Padgate, one of several Church of England churches that he helped found.

External links

Works by or about William Beamont in libraries (WorldCat catalog)

Authority control	VIAF: 29895730 ISNI: 0000 0000 2862 5652 SUDOC: 145679195

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