• Name: Despard, Colonel Edward Marcus
• Gender: Male
• Birth Date: 6  March  1751
• Death Date: 21  February  1803
• Occupation: army officer
• Occupation: revolutionary

Colonel Edward Despard was an army officer whose diappointments at his treatment following service in the West Indies led him to involvement in both the London Corresponding Society and the United Irishmen (DNB). Following a trial in 1803, at which Lord Nelson spoke on his behalf, he was found guilty and executed for treason along with six others. His allies believed him to be a victim of government conspiracy.

Godwin met with Despard on several occasions, using a variety of spellings including a number of references to 'D'esparre junior' (suggesting that he may have known DEspard's father or elder brother (the father being more likely)), finally settling on ‘Despard’ in February 1803 when noting his trial and his ultimate execution along with six others. See also 'Trials'.

• DNB
• M. Jay The Unfortunate Colonel Despard, London, Transworld, 2005.

This table lists the people this person is most frequently noted with in the diary.