John Elmes Beale (6 December 1847 – 1 July 1928) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

and

merchant A merchant is a person who trades in commodities produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Historically, a merchant is anyone who is involved in business or trade. Merchants have operated for as long as indust ...

. He was

Mayor of Bournemouth The following were mayors of Bournemouth, Dorset, England, Before 1974, Bournemouth was in the county of Hampshire: *1890 Thomas James Hankinson the first mayor *1891 Edward Wise Rebbeck *1892 Henry Newlyn *1893 George Merriman Hirons *1894 Mer ...

in 1902, 1903 and 1904. He founded Beales, Bournemouth's largest

department store A department store is a retail establishment offering a wide range of consumer goods in different areas of the store, each area ("department") specializing in a product category. In modern major cities, the department store made a dramatic app ...

. Born in Hartford Terrace,

Melcombe Regis Melcombe Regis is an area of Weymouth in Dorset, England. Situated on the north shore of Weymouth Harbour and originally part of the waste of Radipole, it seems only to have developed as a significant settlement and seaport in the 13th centu ...

, Dorset, England, Beale was also a stalwart of the Richmond Hill Congregational Church to which his great friend, Mr. Okey, introduced him. Beale was largely responsible for securing the services of the Rev. J. D. Jones for the church, after a previous preacher left. He also took over Mr. Okey's draper's store in Commercial Road and turned it into Bealesons. Mr Okey gave up the business following the death of three of his four sons in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. John Elmes Beale died at age 80 in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Hampshire. He and his wife, Sarah Ann Beale née Hussey Brickell, are buried in Wimborne Road Cemetery.

Notes

1847 births 1928 deaths People from Boscombe Mayors of places in Dorset People buried at the Wimborne Road Cemetery, Bournemouth {{England-mayor-stub