FIVE PAINTINGS relating to Cirencester have been hung in the Reading Room of the Bingham Library, painted by the late John Beecham and lent to the library by his children Messrs JP, EM and Miss M K Beecham.

John Beecham will be remembered by the older inhabitants of Ciceter as a respected tradesman who utilised his spare time in public welfare and in artistic pursuits.

His father was an artist and herald painter in London and his son intended following the same profession but his studies were cut short at the age of 17 by his father’s death.

Related on his mother’s side to James Miles, plumber and glazier of this town, he was invited after his father’s death to come and help with the artistic side of the business. This he did for a few years afterwards starting for himself in the same line. In addition to his work as a plumber and glazier he drew and printed on stone many hundreds of prints of the town and its neighbourhood and it is owing to his industry in this direction that we now possess such a good idea of the condition of the town at this time. The old hand press on which these lithographs were printed is stored at the library. All the paintings and drawings show the care he took with his buildings and it is quite possible that if he had been able to continue his studies when a young man he would have made a name for himself as a painter. He was born on April 19 1813 in London and died on September 24, 1882. The pictures are Edward II spending Christmas in Cirencester in 1321; The surrender of Cirencester Abbey by Abbot Blake to the Commissioners of Henry VIII, December 29, 1539; Bishop Hooper halting at Cirencester on his way to Gloucester to be burnt at the stake 1555; Market Place, Cirencester, showing thre Sun Inn where Charles II stayed after the Battle of Worcester 1651; The arrival of the coach, Ram Inn, Cirencester.

Edward II spending Christmas in Cirencester in 1321. The scene is that of a banquet taking place in St John’s Hospital. Seated at the table are the King, Queen Isabella and the Prince of Wales, afterwards, Edward III. Directly behind the king are his two favourites, the Despensers, father and son, and behind them several nobles one of whom is showing his displeasure at the marked favouritism of the King for the Dispensers that he is depicted drawing his hand across his throat suggesting such an end to their existence. In the foreground are a dwarf, jester and two dancing girls and at their side minstrels. A little behind are serving men bringing in the boar’s head and the peacock.

Behind the curtain at the left hand side of the picture are several figures wearing masks, presumably mummers to entertain the king and his guests after dinner. At the right hand side of the picture at the back several retainers can be seen feasting.

The arrival of the coach, Ram Inn, Cirencester, 1720.

The Ram Inn stood on the present site of Messrs Jefferies shop and was a famous hostelry in the days of the stage coach. The staircase and gallery are taken from the well known engraving by W Hogarth 1719.

(Standard, April 29, 1916)