BESEMERES, John (eld. son of Mr. Besemeres of City of London). Merchant at Calcutta; author of following plays, all written under pseudonym of John Daly, Broken Toys, produced at Sadlers Wells 1850; Young husbands comedy, at same house Aug. 1852; The Times drama, at Olympic July 1853; Old Salt drama, at Strand 12 Jany. 1868; Dotheboys Hall drama, at Court 26 Dec. 1871; Marriage lines drama, at Court 17 March 1873 and Forget and Forgive comedy, at Charing Cross 5 Jany. 1874. d. Islington infirmary London 19 Nov. 1879 aged 57.
BESLEY, Robert. b. Exeter 14 Oct. 1794; member of firm of Messrs. Thorogood of city of London, type founders 1829; member for Aldersgate ward of Court of common council 1852, alderman of the ward 1861 to death; sheriff 1864–65, lord mayor 1869–70. d. Victoria road, Wimbledon park 18 Dec. 1876. I.L.N. lv, 461 (1869), portrait.
BESLY, Rev. John. Ed. at Balliol coll. Ox., fellow 1823, B.A. 1821, M.A. 1826, D.C.L. 1835; tutor in Rugby school 1823–28; sub librarian Bodleian library 1828–31; V. of Long Benton near Newcastle 1830 to death; R. of Aston-sub-edge, Gloucs. 1831 to death; proctor in Convocation of York 1836–45 and 1855–64; author of A translation of Aristotle’s Rhetoric with analysis by Hobbes 1833; Desultory notices of the church and vicarage of Long Benton 1843 and of Sermons. d. Long Benton 17 April 1868 aged 68.
BESSBOROUGH, John George Brabazon Ponsonby, 5 Earl of (eld. son of John Wm. Ponsonby, 4 Earl of Bessborough 1781–1847). b. London 4 Oct. 1809; ed. at the Charterhouse; attaché to embassy at St. Petersburgh 3 July 1832; M.P. for Bletchingley 5 May 1831 to July 1831, for Higham Ferrers 6 Oct. 1831 to 3 Dec. 1832 and for Derby 8 Jany. 1835 to 16 May 1847 when he succeeded; lord lieutenant of co. Carlow 5 Sep. 1838 to death; master of the buckhounds 16 May 1848 to Feb. 1852, 30 Dec. 1852 to 26 Feb. 1858 and 18 June 1859 to 20 Jany. 1866; P.C. 30 June 1848; lord steward of the household 20 Jany. 1866 to July 1866 and 9 Dec. 1868 to 2 March 1874. d. Bessborough house near Piltown, co. Kilkenny 28 Jany. 1880. Baily’s Mag. vi, 163–64 (1863), portrait.
BESSONET, James. Called to Irish bar 1807; K.C. 13 July 1830; chairman of sessions for county Waterford. d. 21 Lower Leeson st. Dublin 3 Oct. 1859 aged 76.
BEST, Samuel. Second lieut. Madras Engineers 16 Dec. 1825; captain 9 May 1842 to death; planned fortifications of Singapore; superintendent of roads in Madras, Presidency 1845 to death; his principal works are the Southern Trunk road and the Goolcheroo pass; contributed many papers to Madras Literary transactions and Madras Engineering papers. d. of jungle fever at Chittoor 5 Oct. 1851.
BEST, Rev. Samuel (3 son of 1 Baron Wynford 1767–1845). b. 2 Dec. 1802; ed. at King’s college Cam., fellow, B.A. 1826, M.A. 1830; R. of Abbots-Anne, Andover 1831 to death; rural dean of Andover; author of Parochial sermons 1836; Manual of parochial institutions 1849; Catechism on collects 1850; Discourses on collects, epistles and gospels 1853. d. The rectory, Abbots-Anne 20 Jany. 1873.
BEST, Thomas (brother of the preceding). b. 12 Aug. 1799; entered navy 3 Nov. 1812; captain 22 July 1830; V.A. on h.p. 10 Nov. 1862. d. 19 Hyde park sq. London 4 Sep. 1864.
BEST, William Mawdesley (eld. son of Thomas Best, captain 26 Foot who d. 8 Oct. 1813). b. 24 Dec. 1809; ed. at Trin. coll. Dub., B.A. 1831, LL.B. 1832, M.A. 1834; barrister G.I. 11 June 1834, bencher 16 Jany. 1867; author of Right to begin and right to reply in law courts 1837; Treatise on circumstantial proof in criminal cases 1844; Principles of the law of evidence 1849, 7 ed. 1883. d. 17 Nov. 1869.
BESTOW, William (son of Wm. Bestow of 124 Wood st. Cheapside, London, web manufacturer). b. 14 Feb. 1789; partly founded several papers; founded Theatrical Journal, a weekly record of the English drama 1840, edited it to Nov. 1872, 33 vols., it ceased 16 April 1873; wrote several political pamphlets. d. 20 Frederick st. King’s Cross, London 30 April 1873.