Beale Cottage - Bernard Charles Beale

Bernard Charles Beale

Bernard Charles Beale was born in London on 10 September 1830 to Thomas and Sophia Beale. Beale was a student at London Hospital from 1849 to 1852. Emigrating to Nelson, New Zealand in 1861, Beale arrived and settled in Hamilton four years later as fourth regiment of Waikato militia. During this time, militia men were granted land in return for their services and on 3 July 1872, Beale purchased land which is the site where Beale Cottage stands today. Beale became a member of Hamilton Borough Council in 1878, and later became Mayor. However his role as Mayor was short lived due to a confrontational and temperative attitude. Beale was declared bankrupt in 1879, and in 1880, Beale Cottage was sold to Edward Aeneus Harker in 1881. Beale left Hamilton in 1886, along with his wife and nine children for Auckland, where he retired and died in 1910, aged 79.

Beale was a well-respected and honorable man. His efforts in his profession were noticed by the hundreds he treated throughout his time serving as a practitioner.