He was born in Melton to butcher Edwin James Beardmore and Flora McDonald.
He grew up in Benalla and became a butcher at Glenrowan before becoming a farmer near Wodonga.
In 1917 he won a by-election for the Victorian Legislative Assembly seat of Benambra; he was associated with the Economy Party and more broadly with the Nationalists.
From March to July 1924 he was a minister without portfolio, a position he held again from June to December 1929.
He was Minister of Railways, Electrical Undertakings and Labour for two days in December 1929.