Benjamin Shaw

Benjamin Shaw (1770-1843) was the son of a merchant in Walworth, Southwark. He was a prominent Baptist layman, joining the congregation at Maze Pond in February 1816 (see Maze Pond Church Book, 1784-1821, Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford). He served as an MP for Westbury, in Wiltshire, from 1812-18. He was one of several Londoners who were BMS committee members at various times, such as William Burls, Joseph Gutteridge (1752-1844) (deacon at Little Prescot Street, Goodman’s Fields), F. A. Cox of Hackney, Joseph Ivimey of Eagle Street, and William Newman of Stepney. Shaw was treasurer of the Particular Baptist Fund in 1821 and treasurer of the BMS from 1821 to 1826. He was also one of several Baptists, including F. A. Cox, Olinthus Gregory, and Joseph Hughes, involved in the founding of London University in the mid-1820s. His main business involved a partnership with Andrew Jordaine in a tallow factory in Borough High Street and later in Cornhill. He may also have been involved as a banker with the firm of  Perring, Shaw and Barber between 1812 and 1826.