Beale, Joseph Hoare, d. 1848

Joseph Hoare Beale (d. 1848) may have hailed from Ireland, where many of his journal entries were recorded. In 1796 he served as secretary to Thomas Pitt, 2nd Lord Camelford, in Ceylon. He later moved to the United States, residing first in New York City, then Harrison, New York, where he died in 1848.

Joseph Hoare Beale (d. 1848) may have hailed from Ireland, where many of his journal entries were recorded. In 1796 he served as secretary to Thomas Pitt, 2nd Lord Camelford, in Ceylon. He later moved to the United States, residing first in New York City, then Harrison, New York, where he died in 1848.

In 1796 Beale witnessed the takeover of Colombo, Ceylon (later Sri Lanka), by British forces while in the employ of Thomas Pitt, 2nd Lord Camelford, as a secretary. In his journal he describes the inhabitants, flora, and fauna of the island. He also documents his trip from Ceylon to England during which he sailed to Suez on a ship of the British East India Company, traveled overland across Egypt to the Mediterranean, and sailed back to the British Isles stopping in various ports along the way.

From 1799 to his death in 1848, Beale recorded his observations of the weather in a series of diaries. He measured wind direction, temperature, and gave brief comments on the conditions of the day. His observations began in Cork, Ireland, in 1799. From 1811 to 1816 the observations were taken from Limerick, Ireland, where it is assumed he was residing. In 1816 Beale left for the United States and recorded weather conditions during his trip. His observations were taken in New York City from 1816-1830. In 1835 Beale moved to Harrison, New York, where he lived until his death in 1848.

Biographical information derived from the collection.