516:
were so large that the board of ordnance represented that parliament had made no provision to meet them. He exercised a similar command in the summer expedition under Lord
Berkeley, which sailed at the end of June 1696 to "insult the coast of France". On 3 July Berkeley detached a squadron of ten ships of war under Captain Mees, E..N., and Beckman with his bomb-vessels. They entered St. Martin's, Isle of Rhé, on the 5th under French colours, which they struck as soon as they had anchored. They bombarded the place all that night and the following day, expending over two thousand bombs and destroying the best part of the town. On the 7th they sailed for
348:
633:
483:
116:
Teviot that he went to Spain and offered to betray
Tangier to the Duke of Medina-Sidonia in exchange for a "Regiment of Foot" and money. Having had chance to reflect on his actions, he realised that Spanish occupation of Tangier would result in his colleagues being imprisoned. He returned to England and was to confess all to the king, but was betrayed by the same Dutch merchants. He was committed to the
520:, where a like operation produced a similar result, and then rejoined the fleet, returning to Torbay. These enterprises created such alarm that over a hundred batteries were ordered by the French ministry to be erected between Brest and Goulet, and over sixty thousand men were continually in arms for coast defence.
426:
in August and
September. He was appointed on 28 February 1692 to be colonel commanding the ordnance train for the sea expedition, and in April he sat as a member of General Ginkel's committee on the organisation of the train. In June he embarked with the train and a force of seven thousand men under
515:
On 22 May 1695 Beckman was appointed to the command of the ordnance train and the machine and bomb-vessels for the summer expedition to the straits of
Gibraltar, and took part in the operations on the coast of Catalonia, returning home in the autumn. His demands for projectiles for his bomb-vessels
531:
Beckman died in London on 24 June 1702. He appears to have married
Elizabeth, daughter of Talbot Edwards, keeper of the crown jewels. She was buried at the Tower of London on 12 December 1677. Two sons, Peter and Edward, were also buried there on 7 February 1676 and 29 June 1678 respectively. The
115:
In 1663, the new governor of
Tangier, the Earl of Teviot, pressed Beckman to design such fortifications as he considered necessary, estimated to cost £200,000, but dismissed him within days with a promissory note on two Dutch merchants in lieu of pay. Beckman was so infuriated at his treatment by
523:
Early in 1697 Beckman surveyed all the bomb-vessels, ten of which he reported to be in good condition and fitted to take in twenty mortars "which are all we have serviceable". On the general thanksgiving for peace on 2 December
Beckman designed the fire-work display before the king and the royal
91:
to escort Queen
Catherine to England. Plans of the actions at Algiers were made by Beckman and later engraved. In Tangier, Beckman made plans of the place and proceeded to erect a number of fortifications, mainly outlying fortlets. A plan of Tangiers was sent home before the fleet returned, and
55:
for the place of royal engineer, formerly enjoyed by his brother, and mentioned that he "was ruined and severely injured by an accident at an explosion in the preparation of fireworks to be shown on the water in the king's honour." He was accordingly employed as an engineer, and his skill in
158:
and his accomplices stole the crown and sceptre from the jewel-house in the Tower of London, Beckman, whose official residence was in the Tower, heard the alarm, and after a severe struggle made Blood a prisoner. Beckman was awarded £100 for his share in the capture.
466:
were then reduced to ruins by
Beckman's bomb-vessels, and the whole coast so harassed and alarmed that the inhabitants had to be forcibly kept in the coast towns. Having returned to St. Helens on 26 July, Beckman and his bomb-vessels went with the fleet under Sir
127:. He stated, in a petition to the king and council for a trial, that he had been half a year a close prisoner through the malice of one person for discovering the designs of the Spaniards and others against his majesty. He thereupon left England. After the
528:. Lack of money for defences caused Beckman as much difficulty as his predecessors and successors in office. Representations of insecurity – in regard to Portsmouth, for example, in 1699 – led to many plans and reports, but nothing was effected.
43:. His brother, also a military engineer serving Charles, was taken prisoner by the parliament forces in 1644, but after some time on bread and water, was released in a poor state of health. In 1653 he joined the royalist exiles at
217:
sailed with this expedition, and his narrative of the voyage was published in 1841. On 29 August, when at sea, Pepys read
Beckman's project for the destruction of Tangier. The object of the expedition – the destruction of the
178:, and took part in the naval engagements of 28 May, 4 June, and 11 August. At the end of 1674 Charles II gave verbal directions that his salary should be increased by £150 per annum. In January 1678 he was appointed with Sir
285:, Beckman was given a commission as captain in it, the regiment being generally quartered at the Tower of London. On 23 December 1685 he succeeded De Gomme, who had died, as chief engineer of Great Britain.
143:, that he had brought to perfection a mode of firing ships which he offered for service against the Dutch, who had done him infinite wrongs. He was then recalled, and consulted as to fortifications at
104:
from Lord Sandwich "a fine map of Tangiers, done by one Captain Martin Beckman, a Swede, that is with my lord. We stayed looking over it a great while with the duke." This map is in the collection of
648:
296:. On 11 August he was appointed "comptroller of fireworkes as well for war as for triumph", with an allowance of £200. a year. He thus became the first head of the royal laboratory at
170:
at the mouth of the Tyne, plans of which and some cleverly executed water-colour views are in the British Museum. In the following year he was an engineer of the ordnance train in the
151:. He was placed in charge of these defences until on 19 October 1670 he was nominated engineer to the office of ordnance, and third engineer of Great Britain from 1 July of that year.
524:
family in St. James's Square, London; his drawing representation of it is in the King's Library, British Museum. Beckman took painting lessons from the Dutch painter
447:, which Beckman strengthened with new works. He returned to England at the end of October. In 1693 he again commanded the ordnance train in the summer expedition.
120:, but wrote to the King of Sweden, begging his intersession. He was released and went to serve the King of Sweden in Stade. A plan of Tangier was sent to Sweden.
194:, and buy land for the purpose. On 3 March a royal warrant secured to him the reversion of chief engineer of Great Britain on the death of Sir Bernard De Gomme.
692:
509:
308:
307:, but no action was necessary, and he returned to London and served under William. During the absence this year on account of ill-health of Sir
619:
Katharine Gibson, ‘Wyck , Jan (c.1645–1700)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008
197:
About this time he was promoted to be major in the army. On 7 February 1681 he was appointed second engineer of Great Britain, and went to
707:
428:
411:
370:
532:
board of ordnance wrote to Marlborough that Beckman's death was a very great loss. The post remained unfilled for nine years.
702:
697:
57:
677:
450:
At the end of May 1694 he sailed in command of the train and of all the bomb-vessels and machines, with the troops under
222:
and defences of Tangier and the withdrawal of the garrison – having been satisfactorily accomplished, Beckman went to
278:
653:
591:
312:
105:
288:
On 14 February 1688 he supervised by royal command a display of fireworks from his own design on the occasion of
672:
585:
293:
501:
35:, the son of Melcher Beckman and his wife Chistiana van Benningen. He left Sweden around 1645 to serve
431:, for a descent upon the French coast; but the French troops proving too numerous in the vicinity of
423:
319:, and obtained a royal warrant (23 August) for the execution of his proposed fortifications in the
171:
209:
in 1682 and 1683. In April 1683 he was recalled from Hull to join Lord Dartmouth's expedition to
459:
304:
682:
360:
352:
247:
201:
as a commissioner to carry out the defence works there, and also reported on the defences of
84:
52:
19:(1634/35–1702) was a draughtsman/painter, Swedish-English colonel, chief engineer and
687:
584:
36:
8:
274:
219:
101:
44:
238:. After his return to England he was sent to Scotland to design works for strengthening
87:
on 30 January 1662. A governor and garrison were left there, and the fleet proceeded to
468:
255:
198:
167:
128:
48:
451:
403:
375:
231:
227:
163:
132:
40:
419:
415:
316:
251:
206:
179:
493:
282:
263:
243:
124:
117:
620:
289:
267:
259:
235:
109:
56:
laboratory work led to his appointment on 6 June 1661 to the expedition under
666:
637:
505:
486:
320:
175:
20:
391:
315:, Beckman acted for him. In 1689 he was busy with the defences of Hull and
214:
155:
93:
303:
On 15 October he was appointed chief engineer of the king's train against
455:
242:, and he also reported on the defences of fortifications across England:
202:
183:
47:, the bearer of important information from England, and died before the
644:
580:
187:
444:
223:
144:
32:
636: This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
525:
497:
463:
432:
297:
239:
80:
72:
64:
472:
210:
191:
76:
482:
517:
476:
440:
436:
407:
148:
140:
88:
136:
123:
As noted, in 1663 Beckman was committed a prisoner to the
512:, with water-colour sketches, are in the British Museum.
277:, he was knighted (20 March 1686). On 11 June 1685, when
83:, of which possession was taken as part of the dowry of
79:; but, the enterprise failing, the fleet bore away for
365:
An Act for naturalizing Sir Martin Beckman and others.
186:
on a commission to strengthen the fortifications of
60:as "firemaster with and in his majesty's fleete".
664:
410:at the latter end of May, and took part under
135:in 1667, he wrote on 24 June to the king from
335:Naturalization of Sir Martin Beckman Act 1691
154:On 9 May of the following year, when Colonel
100:under 28 February 1662, that he presented to
479:in September, and then returned to England.
481:
458:on 7 June, when the land attack failed.
693:Swedish emigrants to the United Kingdom
665:
575:
573:
571:
569:
567:
565:
67:with the fleet on 13 June in the ship
563:
561:
559:
557:
555:
553:
551:
549:
547:
545:
402:In 1691 he accompanied Major-general
58:Edward Montagu, 1st Earl of Sandwich
51:. Martin Beckman in 1660 petitioned
643:
579:
230:in two sheets, which is now in the
75:, proceeded against the pirates of
13:
542:
14:
719:
708:Military personnel from Stockholm
658:. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
654:Dictionary of National Biography
631:
596:. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
592:Dictionary of National Biography
496:and reported on the defences of
454:, and arrived with the fleet at
346:
313:Surveyor-General of the Ordnance
273:Shortly after the accession of
613:
600:
1:
535:
71:, and, after a short time at
435:, the troops were landed at
7:
703:People from English Tangier
698:17th-century English people
300:and principal storekeeper.
283:royal regiment of fusiliers
10:
724:
678:English military engineers
492:He afterwards visited the
328:United Kingdom legislation
172:expedition against Holland
390:
385:
369:
359:
345:
340:
333:
226:, and made a plan of the
131:by the Dutch fleet under
586:"Beckman, Martin"
406:to Ireland, landing at
26:
489:
673:English army officers
608:Anecdotes of Painting
485:
353:Parliament of England
248:The Castle, Newcastle
85:Catherine of Braganza
621:accessed 10 Oct 2015
429:the Duke of Leinster
422:on 12 July, and the
31:Beckman was born in
213:as chief engineer.
162:In 1672 he visited
490:
469:Clowdisley Shovell
376:3 Will. & Mar.
256:Scarborough Castle
129:raid up the Medway
17:Sir Martin Beckman
471:to the attack of
452:Thomas Tollemache
424:Siege of Limerick
404:Thomas Tollemache
400:
399:
341:Act of Parliament
305:William of Orange
228:Rock of Gibraltar
133:Michiel de Ruyter
41:English Civil War
715:
659:
656:(1st supplement)
635:
634:
623:
617:
611:
610:, 1888, ii, 235.
604:
598:
597:
594:(1st supplement)
588:
577:
439:. They captured
420:Battle of Aghrim
416:Siege of Athlone
412:Godart de Ginkel
396:24 December 1691
350:
349:
336:
331:
330:
317:Berwick-on-Tweed
252:Tynemouth Castle
207:Berwick-on-Tweed
180:Bernard de Gomme
102:the Duke of York
96:mentions in his
723:
722:
718:
717:
716:
714:
713:
712:
663:
662:
649:Beckman, Martin
647:, ed. (1901). "
632:
627:
626:
618:
614:
605:
601:
578:
543:
538:
500:. His plans of
494:Channel Islands
355:
347:
334:
329:
292:'s delivery of
264:Yarmouth Castle
244:Carlisle Castle
190:and to fortify
168:Clifford's Fort
125:Tower of London
63:He sailed from
29:
12:
11:
5:
721:
711:
710:
705:
700:
695:
690:
685:
680:
675:
661:
660:
640:
625:
624:
612:
599:
583:, ed. (1901).
540:
539:
537:
534:
510:Bouche de Vale
398:
397:
394:
388:
387:
383:
382:
373:
367:
366:
363:
357:
356:
351:
343:
342:
338:
337:
327:
279:Lord Dartmouth
268:Landguard Fort
260:Chester Castle
236:British Museum
232:King's Library
110:British Museum
28:
25:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
720:
709:
706:
704:
701:
699:
696:
694:
691:
689:
686:
684:
681:
679:
676:
674:
671:
670:
668:
657:
655:
650:
646:
641:
639:
638:public domain
629:
628:
622:
616:
609:
606:See Walpole,
603:
595:
593:
587:
582:
576:
574:
572:
570:
568:
566:
564:
562:
560:
558:
556:
554:
552:
550:
548:
546:
541:
533:
529:
527:
521:
519:
513:
511:
507:
506:Castle Cornet
503:
499:
495:
488:
487:Castle Cornet
484:
480:
478:
474:
470:
465:
461:
457:
453:
448:
446:
442:
438:
434:
430:
425:
421:
418:in June, the
417:
413:
409:
405:
395:
393:
389:
384:
381:
377:
374:
372:
368:
364:
362:
358:
354:
344:
339:
332:
326:
324:
322:
321:Isle of Wight
318:
314:
310:
309:Henry Sheeres
306:
301:
299:
295:
291:
286:
284:
280:
276:
271:
269:
265:
261:
257:
253:
249:
245:
241:
237:
233:
229:
225:
221:
216:
212:
208:
204:
200:
195:
193:
189:
185:
181:
177:
176:Prince Rupert
173:
169:
165:
160:
157:
152:
150:
147:to guard the
146:
142:
138:
134:
130:
126:
121:
119:
113:
111:
107:
103:
99:
95:
90:
86:
82:
78:
74:
70:
66:
61:
59:
54:
50:
46:
42:
38:
34:
24:
22:
21:master gunner
18:
683:1630s births
652:
630:Attribution
615:
607:
602:
590:
530:
522:
514:
491:
449:
401:
392:Royal assent
379:
325:
302:
287:
272:
215:Samuel Pepys
196:
161:
156:Thomas Blood
153:
122:
114:
97:
94:Samuel Pepys
68:
62:
30:
23:of England.
16:
15:
688:1702 deaths
645:Lee, Sidney
581:Lee, Sidney
502:St. Peter's
456:Camaret Bay
281:raised his
203:Holy Island
184:Jonas Moore
49:Restoration
39:during the
667:Categories
536:References
508:, and the
361:Long title
188:Portsmouth
106:George III
53:Charles II
45:Middelburg
445:Diksmuide
290:the queen
224:Gibraltar
145:Sheerness
69:Augustine
37:Charles I
33:Stockholm
526:Jan Wyck
498:Guernsey
464:Le Havre
433:La Hague
371:Citation
298:Woolwich
275:James II
240:Stirling
182:and Sir
164:Carlisle
81:Tangiers
73:Alicante
65:Deptford
473:Dunkirk
414:in the
211:Tangier
192:Gosport
108:in the
77:Algiers
642:
518:Olonne
477:Calais
460:Dieppe
441:Veurne
437:Ostend
408:Dublin
266:, and
174:under
149:Medway
141:Bremen
89:Lisbon
386:Dates
294:a son
137:Stade
118:Tower
98:Diary
475:and
462:and
443:and
220:mole
205:and
199:Hull
166:and
27:Life
651:".
378:c.
139:in
669::
589:.
544:^
504:,
323:.
311:,
270:.
262:,
258:,
254:,
250:,
246:,
234:,
112:.
380:4
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.