Joseph Frederick Ledsam

He had an involvement in railways from an early stage, and became a director and deputy chairman of the London and Birmingham Railway. He was also chairman of the Warwick and Leamington Union Railway.^[5] In 1846 it was reported that he had invested £186,000 (equivalent to £22,750,000 in 2023)^[6] in railway speculation.^[7] In 1848 he was chairman of the Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Stour Valley Railway.^[8]

In 1849^[9] he succeeded Charles Lawrence as deputy chairman of the London and North Western Railway.^[1]

He was also involved in other commercial undertakings holding the position of director of the Birmingham Banking Company^[10] and the Birmingham and Staffordshire Gas Light Company.

He acted in a philanthropic context being a governor of King Edward VI School, Birmingham and chairman of the Birmingham Triennial Music Festival. He was a significant contributor to the cost of building St Mary's Church in Selly Oak,^[11][12] a district of Birmingham here he had major land holdings, including Weoley Castle.^[13]

He died on 28 December 1862 and was buried on 3 January 1863 in Christ Church, Birmingham. His will was proved on 23 February 1863 and his estate was valued at under £60,000.

There is a street named after Ledsam in Ladywood, Birmingham,^[14] as was another in Wolverton,^[15] since demolished.^[16]