Bill Beach
Encyclopedia
William Beach was a professional Australian sculler. He was unbeaten as World Sculling Champion
from 1884 to 1887.
Born on 6 September 1850 at Chertsey
, Surrey
, England
, to Alexander Beach, blacksmith, and his wife Mary, née Gibbons. Beach's family migrated to New South Wales
while he was a small child and he lived at Dapto for most of his life, learning to row on Lake Illawarra
. He began his sporting career in a wooden tub on the Macquarie Rivulet
and ended it as champion sculler of the world.
Beach trained as a blacksmith like his father and for some time appears to have been a fisherman. According to local legend, Beach won his first race as a teenager against a local publican, either for a bottle of brandy or 5s.
, but the date of his first race on Sydney Harbour is uncertain: the Illawarra Mercury, 1 February 1935, claimed 1875-76 but the Town and Country Journal, December 1881, recorded that he won the handicap skiff race for amateurs on Woolloomooloo Bay
on the 24th. However, a New Zealand newspaper, the Otago Witness of 9 December 1887, claims his debut as an oarsman was in December 1880. It states that there followed several matches in the next few months.
Among the donors of his £25 prize was J. Deeble, a publican who became his sponsor. In other races he was said to have won £150 with which he built his home at Dapto. On Boxing Day at Pyrmont he was beaten in the allcomers' handicap skiff race by A. Pearce. On 25 February 1882 he won £50 in a match with Solomons, and in October in his first outrigger race he was second for the Punch trophy on the Parramatta River, finishing ahead of Trickett.
In December 1883 he defeated Trickett for the James Henry trophy of £150. On 26 January 1884 he finished ahead of Trickett but, after a protest, lost when the race was rowed again; on 12 April he beat Trickett for £200 a side, the Australian Sculling Championship
and the right to race against Ned Hanlan
.
The race was on the Parramatta River was on 16 August 1884 and was rowed over a distance of 3 miles 330 yards (5.13 km) with a stake of £500 a side. Beach won by six or seven lengths in a time of 20m.28s.
After the race, Hanlan could not accept the fact that his long reign had ended, blaming the Australian climate, the treacherous tides and an excess of hospitality for his defeat, which he took very badly.
The second defence took place just a month later on 28 March 1885 against Ned Hanlan
, again for a stake of £500 a side. A large crowd came to the by now usual course on the Parramatta River. This race was one of the better ones as for most of the distance there was little between them. The racing was close and exciting and approaching the finishing post both boats were almost bow to bow. Beach put in a final terrific effort and increased his advantage and won amidst wild excitement by the spectators.
The next defence was against Australian Neil Matterson which took place on the 18 December 1885 on the Parramatta. This time the stake was only £200 a side. Beach took the lead at the start and won easily and without a great effort.
In March 1886 Beach left for London and in August won the final of the International Sweepstakes, against John Teemer, on the Thames for a prize of £1200. On 18 September he successfully defended his title against Jake Gaudaur Snr.
on the Championship Course on the Thames. That course was a little longer than the Parramatta course, being about four and a quarter miles long. This was also an interesting race in that race each rower in turn stopped from exhaustion and slumped in his boat. Beach managed to recover sufficiently to continue rowing a won the race in 22m.29s.
Just a week later Beach was again out on the Thames rowing against Wallace Ross
for £1000 and the World Championship. It was most unusual to have title matches this close together as often many months would go by between races. The result was never in doubt and Beach won easily.
He returned to Sydney in December. He was met by the president of the Rowing Association who congratulated him 'on his great achievements … [and] his steady, careful, upright and manly character'. Welcomed as a hero by band and banners, he was presented to Governor Lord Carrington and his lady on the way to Sydney Town Hall where he was met by the mayor and the premier and given an illuminated address.
Beach’s final Title race was against his old foe Ned Hanlan which took place on the 26 November 1887. This race was held on the Nepean River, near Sydney. Special trains ran from Sydney, Bathurst and Goulburn to take thousands of spectators to the course. The race was again close although Beach was always in the lead even though he was closely pressed by Hanlan. For the third time Beach defeated Hanlan for the World Championship.
After the race Beach announced that he would forfeit the title to his young training partner, Peter Kemp (rower)
, instead of accepting his challenge. This action was controversial but Beach thus was the only World Champion sculler of his era to retire undefeated – the next was in 1938. His seven wins out of seven races in the event was unique. Hanlan also gained seven wins but that was from twelve races. The next closest was Richard Arnst
who had six wins in eight races.
On the Parramatta River
on 27 November 1888 in a race with Hanlan for £500 a side, Beach won by three lengths in the presence of 5000 spectators. This was not a Championship match - just a normal money match between professional scullers. Beach was then 5 ft 9½ ins (177 cm) tall with a 42 ins (107 cm) chest, 15½ ins (39 cm) biceps, 16 ins (41 cm) calf and a weight of 170 lbs (77 kg).
and Alf Felton
Title match in 1920.
In 1873 at Brownsville he married Sarah Duley; they had six sons and six daughters. He died at Brownsville on 28 January 1935 and was buried at St Luke's Church of England cemetery. He was predeceased by his wife and survived by ten children.
Monuments in his memory are in Cabarita Park, Sydney, and in Bill Beach Park, Mullet Creek, Dapto.
A Sydney street at Tennyson Point – Beach Street – is named after Bill Beach. Nearby streets are named after some of the other Australian World Sculling Champions, vis, Kemp, Searle, Stanbury, and (George) Towns. They are not far from the Championship course on the Parramatta River. Additionally, another nearby street is named after John Teemer, an American rower and one time opponent of Beach. Also at Surfers Paradise, Queensland, a street is named after Beach. Beach Road is nearby those named after other rowers, vis; Trickett Street, Hanlan Street, Clifford Street, and Laycock Street.
World Sculling Championship (Professional)
The World Sculling Championship , evolved from the Championship of the Thames for professional scullers.Only the sport of boxing claims an older Championship of the World...
from 1884 to 1887.
Born on 6 September 1850 at Chertsey
Chertsey
Chertsey is a town in Surrey, England, on the River Thames and its tributary rivers such as the River Bourne. It can be accessed by road from junction 11 of the M25 London orbital motorway. It shares borders with Staines, Laleham, Shepperton, Addlestone, Woking, Thorpe and Egham...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, to Alexander Beach, blacksmith, and his wife Mary, née Gibbons. Beach's family migrated to New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
while he was a small child and he lived at Dapto for most of his life, learning to row on Lake Illawarra
Lake Illawarra
Lake Illawarra is a large coastal lagoon located in the city of Wollongong about 100 km south of Sydney, New South Wales.The lake receives runoff from the Illawarra escarpment through Macquarie Rivulet and Mullet Creek, and has a narrow tidal entrance to the sea at Windang...
. He began his sporting career in a wooden tub on the Macquarie Rivulet
Macquarie Rivulet
Macquarie Rivulet is a river in New South Wales which is 23 kilometres long. It rises near Robertson, New South Wales and drains the eastern edge of the Southern Highlands plateau and part of the Illawarra escarpment. It flows through Albion Park Rail, then goes into Lake Illawarra and indirectly...
and ended it as champion sculler of the world.
Beach trained as a blacksmith like his father and for some time appears to have been a fisherman. According to local legend, Beach won his first race as a teenager against a local publican, either for a bottle of brandy or 5s.
Early rowing career
Beach was said to have visited the sculler, Edward TrickettEdward Trickett
Edward "Ned" Trickett was an Australian rower. He was the first Australian to be recognised as a world champion in any sport, after winning the World Sculling Championship in 1876, a title he held until 1880, when he was beaten by Canadian Ned Hanlan.Trickett was born at Greenwich, on the Lane...
, but the date of his first race on Sydney Harbour is uncertain: the Illawarra Mercury, 1 February 1935, claimed 1875-76 but the Town and Country Journal, December 1881, recorded that he won the handicap skiff race for amateurs on Woolloomooloo Bay
Woolloomooloo, New South Wales
Woolloomooloo is a harbourside, inner-city eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Woolloomooloo is located 1.5 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Sydney. The suburb is located in a low-lying, former...
on the 24th. However, a New Zealand newspaper, the Otago Witness of 9 December 1887, claims his debut as an oarsman was in December 1880. It states that there followed several matches in the next few months.
Among the donors of his £25 prize was J. Deeble, a publican who became his sponsor. In other races he was said to have won £150 with which he built his home at Dapto. On Boxing Day at Pyrmont he was beaten in the allcomers' handicap skiff race by A. Pearce. On 25 February 1882 he won £50 in a match with Solomons, and in October in his first outrigger race he was second for the Punch trophy on the Parramatta River, finishing ahead of Trickett.
In December 1883 he defeated Trickett for the James Henry trophy of £150. On 26 January 1884 he finished ahead of Trickett but, after a protest, lost when the race was rowed again; on 12 April he beat Trickett for £200 a side, the Australian Sculling Championship
Australian Sculling Championship
The Australian Sculling Championship Title was first recognised in the early 1850s. George Mulhall was the first champion due to his dominance in heavy boats. From 1858 when racing was held on the Parramatta River Richard Green became the Champion...
and the right to race against Ned Hanlan
Ned Hanlan
Edward "Ned" Hanlan was a World Champion professional sculler, hotelier, and alderman from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.-Early life:...
.
Champion sculler of the world
Beach was 33 when he challenged Hanlan for his first attempt at the World Title. Hanlan had come to Australia that year to give sculling exhibitions. He claimed he was out of condition and went off on tours of all the eastern states. However Beach's credentials seemed limited and the Canadian reputedly had never lost a race. Hanlan believed Beach wouldn't stand a chance.The race was on the Parramatta River was on 16 August 1884 and was rowed over a distance of 3 miles 330 yards (5.13 km) with a stake of £500 a side. Beach won by six or seven lengths in a time of 20m.28s.
After the race, Hanlan could not accept the fact that his long reign had ended, blaming the Australian climate, the treacherous tides and an excess of hospitality for his defeat, which he took very badly.
Title defences
Beach’s first defence was against another Australian, Thomas Clifford on the 28 February 1885. This race was also on the Parramatta River. Only three weeks before the race Clifford had raced and lost to Hanlan so the outlook was not good for him. After the start Beach soon led. Although Clifford made a grand attempt he was unable to overtake the leader who finished only a length ahead. The time was 26m.1.5s.The second defence took place just a month later on 28 March 1885 against Ned Hanlan
Ned Hanlan
Edward "Ned" Hanlan was a World Champion professional sculler, hotelier, and alderman from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.-Early life:...
, again for a stake of £500 a side. A large crowd came to the by now usual course on the Parramatta River. This race was one of the better ones as for most of the distance there was little between them. The racing was close and exciting and approaching the finishing post both boats were almost bow to bow. Beach put in a final terrific effort and increased his advantage and won amidst wild excitement by the spectators.
The next defence was against Australian Neil Matterson which took place on the 18 December 1885 on the Parramatta. This time the stake was only £200 a side. Beach took the lead at the start and won easily and without a great effort.
In March 1886 Beach left for London and in August won the final of the International Sweepstakes, against John Teemer, on the Thames for a prize of £1200. On 18 September he successfully defended his title against Jake Gaudaur Snr.
Jake Gaudaur Snr.
For the Canadian Footballer and Commissioner, see Jake Gaudaur.----Jacob Gill “Jake” Gaudaur, Sr. was one of two native Canadians to win the Professional World Sculling Championship. Gaudaur was born in Orillia, Ontario, on 3 April 1858. His first race was when he was aged 17 years and over his...
on the Championship Course on the Thames. That course was a little longer than the Parramatta course, being about four and a quarter miles long. This was also an interesting race in that race each rower in turn stopped from exhaustion and slumped in his boat. Beach managed to recover sufficiently to continue rowing a won the race in 22m.29s.
Just a week later Beach was again out on the Thames rowing against Wallace Ross
Wallace Ross
Wallace Ross was a professional rower who was considered to be the greatest sculler to come out of Saint John, Canada. He was a champion who nearly won the World Champion single sculls title.-Early life:...
for £1000 and the World Championship. It was most unusual to have title matches this close together as often many months would go by between races. The result was never in doubt and Beach won easily.
He returned to Sydney in December. He was met by the president of the Rowing Association who congratulated him 'on his great achievements … [and] his steady, careful, upright and manly character'. Welcomed as a hero by band and banners, he was presented to Governor Lord Carrington and his lady on the way to Sydney Town Hall where he was met by the mayor and the premier and given an illuminated address.
Beach’s final Title race was against his old foe Ned Hanlan which took place on the 26 November 1887. This race was held on the Nepean River, near Sydney. Special trains ran from Sydney, Bathurst and Goulburn to take thousands of spectators to the course. The race was again close although Beach was always in the lead even though he was closely pressed by Hanlan. For the third time Beach defeated Hanlan for the World Championship.
After the race Beach announced that he would forfeit the title to his young training partner, Peter Kemp (rower)
Peter Kemp (rower)
Peter Kemp was one of seven Australians who each won the World Sculling Championship between 1876 and 1907.He was born on the banks of the Hawkesbury River near Windsor, New South Wales, on 15 November 1853. As a boy growing up he taught himself to row...
, instead of accepting his challenge. This action was controversial but Beach thus was the only World Champion sculler of his era to retire undefeated – the next was in 1938. His seven wins out of seven races in the event was unique. Hanlan also gained seven wins but that was from twelve races. The next closest was Richard Arnst
Richard Arnst
Richard Arnst or Dick Arnst , born Jacob Diedrich Arnst, was a New Zealand rower, six times Single Sculls World Champion during the early part of the 20th century.-Early life:...
who had six wins in eight races.
On the Parramatta River
Parramatta River
The Parramatta River is a waterway in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Parramatta River is the main tributary of Sydney Harbour, a branch of Port Jackson, along with the smaller Lane Cove and Duck Rivers....
on 27 November 1888 in a race with Hanlan for £500 a side, Beach won by three lengths in the presence of 5000 spectators. This was not a Championship match - just a normal money match between professional scullers. Beach was then 5 ft 9½ ins (177 cm) tall with a 42 ins (107 cm) chest, 15½ ins (39 cm) biceps, 16 ins (41 cm) calf and a weight of 170 lbs (77 kg).
Life after sculling
After a short time in Sydney he returned to Dapto to his home in Kanahooka Road - 'Champion Cottage' - until his death in 1935 at the age of 84. At Dapto, Beach was made a trustee of the showground and Gooseberry and Hooker Islands in Lake Illawarra, and also became president of the Regatta Club, alderman of the Central Illawarra Council and patron of the Boy Scouts. Beach continued to be involved in rowing and was sometimes appointed umpire in important matches. For example he was the umpire in the Ernest BarryErnest Barry
Ernest James Barry was a British rower and Thames Waterman, five times Sculling World Champion during the early part of the 20th century and winner of the Doggett's Coat and Badge Race in 1903.-Sculling career:...
and Alf Felton
Alf Felton
Alfred D Felton, known as “Alf”, was the first Australian after World War I to win the professional World Sculling Championship. Before the war seven other Australians had held the title.- Life and Racing:...
Title match in 1920.
In 1873 at Brownsville he married Sarah Duley; they had six sons and six daughters. He died at Brownsville on 28 January 1935 and was buried at St Luke's Church of England cemetery. He was predeceased by his wife and survived by ten children.
Monuments in his memory are in Cabarita Park, Sydney, and in Bill Beach Park, Mullet Creek, Dapto.
A Sydney street at Tennyson Point – Beach Street – is named after Bill Beach. Nearby streets are named after some of the other Australian World Sculling Champions, vis, Kemp, Searle, Stanbury, and (George) Towns. They are not far from the Championship course on the Parramatta River. Additionally, another nearby street is named after John Teemer, an American rower and one time opponent of Beach. Also at Surfers Paradise, Queensland, a street is named after Beach. Beach Road is nearby those named after other rowers, vis; Trickett Street, Hanlan Street, Clifford Street, and Laycock Street.