William Thomas Beckford (1760-1844) was an English novelist, art critic, planter, and politician. Born in London, he was the son of William Beckford and Maria Hamilton, daughter of the Hon. George Hamilton. Beckford gained prominence as one of England's wealthiest commoners during his time. In 1783, Beckford married Lady Margaret Gordon, the daughter of the fourth Earl of Aboyne. However, it was known that Beckford was bisexual, and following a scandal involving intercepted letters to William Courtenay (later the 9th Earl of Devon), Beckford chose self-exile from British society. He spent some time in Portugal in 1793, where he engaged in a relationship with a young male musician named Gregorio Franchi. Despite his accomplishments in literature, Beckford became equally famous for his eccentricities as a builder and collector. He undertook extravagant building projects, including the construction of Fonthill Abbey in Wiltshire and Beckford's Tower in Bath. However, these ventures led to the dissipation of his fortune, exacerbated by the loss of one of his Jamaican sugar plantations to James Beckford Wildman. At the time of his death, Beckford's capital had dwindled to a mere £80,000, a fraction of his former wealth. While he left a lasting legacy through his literary works and architectural contributions, William Beckford's life was marked by both extravagance and controversy.
