English politician, writer and art collector William Beckford was BOTD in 1760. Born in London to a wealthy mercantile family, he inherited a vast fortune at the age of 10, including a Palladian mansion, several sugar plantations in Jamaica and 3,000 slaves, making him the richest commoner in England. Relieved of the requirement to earn a living, he devoted his life to pleasure, studying and composing music (he was briefly tutored by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart), publishing a Gothic novel Vathek and various travel writings. He also amassed a priceless collection of Italian Renaissance art, and commissioned lavish Gothic-inspired country houses, towers and follies. In 1783, he married Lady Margaret Gordon with whom he had two children. Openly and indiscreetly bisexual, he pursued an affair with the 16 year-old William Courtenay. His social standing was shattered after his correspondence with Courtenay was circulated, including a sensational account of Beckford horse-whipping the half-naked Courtenay during a lover’s quarrel. Beckford went into exile, selling his property and art collection and moving to Bath, where he continued to spend lavishly. He died in 1844 aged 83, having lost the bulk of his fortune. His art collection is now owned by the English National Gallery, the Frick Collection and the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. His self-designed tomb, a massive sarcophagus of polished pink granite with bronze armorial plaques, is a local tourist attraction in Bath.