Beasley, Thomas (Tommy) (1848–1905) and Henry Herbert (Harry) (1852–1939), jockeys, were born at Salisbury House, Athy, Co. Kildare, first and third of the five sons of Joseph Lapham Beasley, large farmer. Four of the boys were to become jockeys, but neither Willie (d. 1892, after a riding accident) nor Johnny were as successful.
Tommy began riding with his uncle Tom Pope, but received most of his early tuition from Allen McDonough. He then joined the stables of Henry Eyre Linde (qv) at Eyrefield Lodge, the Curragh, Co. Kildare. Accommodation was provided for him and his three brothers at the nearby Eyrefield House and all entered Linde's employ, Harry learning his trade there. Tommy was given the nominal title of stable manager to protect his amateur status, but in reality he was a professional jockey. In 1876, the year Harry rode his first race, Tommy won the Irish Grand National, Galway Plate, and Conyngham Cup.
In 1877 Tommy became the first Beasley to ride in the Aintree Grand National, a challenge all four took up in 1879. The family came to be closely associated with the race. Tommy rode in it twelve times, winning on three occasions (1880, 1881, 1889) and being placed four times. Harry won in 1891 (on Come Away, a horse he had trained himself) having been second on three previous occasions. Both won the Irish equivalent twice (Tommy 1876, 1877; Harry 1880, 1889). Their domination of steeplechasing at this time is further illustrated by Harry's winning of seven Prince of Wales Plates, six Conyngham Cups, two Galway Plates, six Sefton Chases at Liverpool and two Grand Steeplechases de Paris, while Tommy won one Prince of Wales Plate, two Conyngham Cups, two Galway Plates and one Grand Steeplechase de Paris. Tommy's record is particularly remarkable because he also proved himself a top-class jockey on the flat, winning three Irish Derbys (1887, 1889, 1891). He is still the only jockey to have won the Irish Derby and Aintree Grand National in the same year. Tommy was regarded as the more accomplished and stylish jockey while Harry was admired for his tenacity and energy – characteristics that sometimes took him beyond the rules, resulting in a six-month ban on one occasion.
Tommy gave up steeplechasing in 1892 and the flat in 1900, retiring to Cryhelp Lodge, Dunlavin, Co. Wicklow, where he died 7 August 1905, leaving an estate of £4,428. Harry's career, however, was far from over. In 1910, at the age of 58, he won the Kildare Hunt Cup despite falling and having to remount. In 1923 he was still in the saddle, winning the Maiden Plate at Punchestown. He finally retired in 1935 at the age of 83. Three of his sons became jockeys, H. H. being the most successful, while in 1961 his grandson Bobby won the Aintree Grand National. Harry died at Eyrefield House 19 October 1939, leaving his wife Kathleen an estate of £2,228.