John Beamont

John Beamont (1789 – 19 December 1872) was an English-born colonial administrator and explorer in Van Diemen's Land. Associated with Lieutenant-Governor Thomas Davey, he later served as postmaster-general, naval officer, treasurer of the police fund, provost marshal, sheriff and registrar of deeds. He is chiefly remembered for his 1817 expedition into Tasmania's Central Highlands and his evidence to Commissioner John Thomas Bigge in 1820.

Early life Beamont was born in London in 1789. He reached Sydney aboard the Minstrel on 25 October 1812, apparently as Davey's secretary, and then proceeded to Van Diemen's Land. Governor Lachlan Macquarie ordered that he receive and assigned convict servants. An expected appointment as crown agent did not eventuate, and Beamont instead accepted the office of postmaster-general.

Service under Lieutenant-Governor Thomas Davey and bushranger affairs Beamont's early colonial career was closely associated with Davey. An 1840 memorial to Lord John Russell, stated that Beamont had travelled with Davey as his secretary and expected appointment as Crown Agent for the disposal of Crown lands. During this period he also worked for John Ingle and later managed affairs for Edward Lord.

Under Lieutenant-Governor William Sorell, Beamont entered more senior public offices. He became naval officer and treasurer of the police fund in 1818 and was appointed provost marshal in 1819.

Beamont was repeatedly superseded in offices that he had filled in an acting or locally appointed capacity, but he remained in colonial service. He became acting sheriff in 1824, registrar of deeds in 1827 and sheriff again in 1836. He retired on a pension in 1841 and died in Hobart on 19 December 1872.