[2] His family were Primitive Methodists, whose local chapel ran an elementary day school at Ellerdine where Beard had his full-time education[1] until leaving at the age of ten years.

In this role, after a failed attempt to organise in the Ironbridge coalfields[2] he recruited large numbers of farm labourers to the union, and successfully campaigned for an increase in their wages.

Beard, who had been one of ten self-described Labour members elected at the founding of High Ercall Parish Council in Shropshire in 1894,[2] was elected as a member of Birmingham City Council in 1910, representing Saltley, in which post he was leading figure in the creation of the Birmingham Municipal Bank.

[1][2] Beard died in his sleep while staying at the home of a boyhood friend at Rose Cottage in Ellerdine, aged 78.

His funeral service took place on 29 September 1950 at Bethel (ex-PM) Chapel at Ellerdine Heath, followed by cremation at Perry Barr, Birmingham, after which his ashes were scattered on the graves of relatives at All Hallows churchyard, Rowton.