BELCHER, THOMAS. _b._ St. James’s churchyard Bristol 14 April 1783; went to London 1803; fought and beat Jack Ware in Tothill Fields, Westminster 26 June 1804; beaten by Wm. Ryan at Willesden Green 30 Nov. 1804, but beat him near Chertsey 4 June 1805; beat Jack O’Donnell at Shepperton 27 April 1805; fought Dutch Sam (Elias Samuels) for 100 guineas at Moulsey Hurst 8 Feb. 1806, when beaten; fought him again 20 July 1807, when fight was declared drawn; beaten by him 21 Aug. 1807; beat Dogherty 14 April 1808, Cropley 25 Oct. 1808, Farnborough 1 Feb. 1809, Silverthorne 6 June 1811; fought Dogherty again for 100 guineas on the Curragh of Kildare 23 April 1813, when he won again; landlord of the Castle Tavern Holborn 1814–28; one of the 18 pugilists selected by Jackson to act with him as pages at coronation of George IV. in Westminster Abbey 19 July 1821, one gold coronation medal was given to the boxers which they raffled for, when Belcher won it and held the trophy until his death. _d._ Peckham, _d._ of apoplexy at 19 Trafalgar sq. Peckham, Surrey 9 Dec. 1854. _Pugilistica by H. D. Miles i_, 153–66 (1880), _portrait_; _The Fancy by An Operator i_, 297–300 (1826), _portrait_; _Every night book_ (1827) 37–44; _Boxiana by P. Egan ii_, 28–45 (1818). BELDAM, JOSEPH (_3 son of Wm. Beldam of Royston, Herts who d. 20 June 1827 aged 64_). _b._ 26 Dec. 1795; ed. at St Peter’s coll. Cam.; barrister M.T. 12 May 1825; standing counsel for Anti slavery party; F.S.A. 1 May 1856; author of _Il pastore incantato, a drama_; _Pompeii and other poems by a student of the Middle Temple_ 1823; _A summary of the laws peculiarly affecting Protestant dissenters_ 1827; _Recollections of scenes and institutions in Italy and the East 2 vols._ 1851. _d._ Royston 6 June 1866. BELDHAM, WILLIAM. _b._ Wrecclesham near Farnham, Surrey 5 Feb. 1766; professional cricketer; the “crack” batsman of England many years, excelled also in bowling, fielding, wicket keeping and single wicket playing; played in the Gentlemen versus Players match 1787 to 1821; the last surviving member of the once far famed Hambledon cricket club; had 39 children, 28 by his first wife, all of whom died young leaving no issue. _d._ Tilford near Farnham 20 Feb. 1862. _Nyren’s Cricketer’s Tutor_ (1833) 93–96.