was born in 1789 or 1790. His mother, his father's first wife, had five children before her death. Beechey was brought up by his father William Beechey and his second wife, Anne Jessop. Both his father and stepmother were painters, and they married in 1793. They had many children together, and several of these would be notable painters. Beechey trained at the Royal Academy.

Some time before 1816, he had become secretary