Beesly Papers

The collection contains: correspondence; lecture notes; newspaper cuttings; papers of other members of the family; printed reports; pamphlets containing articles by or about Beesly; other pamphlets and reviews; other printed works; and an autographed photograph of Karl Marx. The correspondence is rather slight and only isolated letters from individual correspondents are preserved. There are sets of Beesly's own letters to Henry Crompton and to Frederic Harrison which were probably returned to the family after his death. There are also a few letters to Beesly's brother AH Beesly and to Alfred Beesly, ES Beesly's son.

Edward Spencer Beesly went to Wadham College Oxford, graduating in 1854. In 1859 he was appointed Principal of University Hall, London. The following year he became Professor of History at University College London (till 1893) and also Professor of Latin at Bedford College London (till 1889). In 1869 he married Henry Crompton's sister Emily. In 1882 he was a radical candidate for Marylebone and in 1885 a radical candidate for Westminster. In 1893 he became editor of the 'Positivist Review'. Beesly died in 1915.

Accessible to all registered researchers

Presented by Beesly's grandchildren in 1960

Handlist and name index