Author Topic: Professor Walter Beaumont  (Read 6710 times)

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Offline Trojan

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Professor Walter Beaumont
« on: October 19, 2010, 06:25:31 pm »
I enjoyed reading Dave's article last year on a local character, who lived in Llandudno, Professor Walter Beaumont:

'Professor' Walter Beaumont was a professional diver, he gave regular diving exhibitions from the pierhead in Llandudno and, from 1895 to 1909, gave spectacular underwater displays in a glass sided tank in the Eqyptian Hall (part of the Pier Pavilion building). He was also Licencee of the Kings Head pub from 1898-1911.

In May 1903, the town council presented him with an illuminated scroll, to mark his bravery in assisting with the rescue of 113 people off Llandudno beach.

His daughter Alice, who joined the act when she was only 6, married Belgian violinist Henri Verbrughen, from the Pier Orchestra. On 16 May 1964, their daughter Gabriel Woodward, of Las Vegas, returned to Llandudno aboard the luxury cruise liner Kungsholm, for a 6 month holiday with her aunt, Maud Deacon at St Margaret's Drive, Craig Y Don, Llandudno.

He is buried in St. Tudno's Church, Great Orme, Llandudno.


(Photo below also by Dave)

Offline Trojan

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Re: Professor Walter Beaumont
« Reply #1 on: October 19, 2010, 06:49:46 pm »
I found an article from the Otago Daily Times dated Saturday 30 June 1894 which I thought was  *&(

You can read a copy of the original press cutting here: http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=ODT18940630.2.37&cl=&srpos=0&e=-------10--1----0--

AN AMPHIBIOUS FAMILY.

INTERVIEW WITH PROFESSOR BEAUMONT.


Yesterday afternoon the medical profession, the press, and a few other citizens were invited to a private exhibition by Professor Beaumont, his daughters Alice and Lily, of their powers as swimmers and performers of feats under water. The performance was given in the Princess Theatre, a glass tank being used, filled with water to a depth of between four and five feet.

Professor Beaumont is a well-built, strong-looking man; and his lady assistants are attractive and clever performers. Attired in suitable clothing they all dived into the water one after the other, and it is not too much to say that the feats witnessed by the audience proved of an exceedingly clever and interesting character. The professor, in addition to drinking a bottle of milk and smoking a cigar under water, picked up with his mouth no less than 49 coins, retaining the whole of them in his mouth until the last one had been secured, and then coming to the surface and counting them before the audience - a very clever feat indeed. He then gave an illustration of the wonderful length of time he can remain at the bottom of the tank, coming to the surface occasionally for less than a second, and repeating this extraordinary performance a number of times. His daughter performed a number of exceedingly graceful feats under the water, and the whole performance was watched with the very greatest interest by the professional men and others who were present. We have not gone into particulars, but can promise those who patronise the entertainment to-night that they will not be disappointed.

Last evening a representative of this journal had an interview with Professor Beaumont, who, in the course of half an hour's chat, said that he was born at Hammersmith, in the West End of London, in December 1854, but afterwards went to live at the East End of London, at Bromley by Bow. He took to swimming when he was about six years of age, and the medal which he now wears on his watch chain was the first prize he won when about the age he had mentioned. He made rapid strides as an amateur, and then launched out as a professional swimmer. He had now been about 20 years in the professional business, and for about 16 years he had been giving performances in th tank such as were to been given by him in this city.

For nine years he resided at Llandudno, in North Wales, where he and his two daughters gave afternoon exhibitions of ornamental swimming in the sea and high diving from the pier. In the mornings his time was devoted to teaching, his pupils being chiefly ladies, and he had tho credit of teaching more ladies than 10 other professionals put together. He also taught a great many children, and in his profession he was called "the nurse," because he always succeeded better than others in getting children on. He was appointed rescuer of the beach by the Commissioners of Llandudno and during his stay at that place he saved 75 lives, five of which were saved the last summer he was there. Altogether, he has saved upwards of 100 lives.

On being asked about some of his exploits in attempting to rescue people from drowning, Professor Beaumont said in 1874 he jumped from the deck of the A.A Bertha, in the Bay of Bengal, when it was blowing a very heavy south-west monsoon. He beard the cry of "A man overboard," and, seeing something over the side of the steamer, without waiting to see what it was he pulled off his coat and jumped over the ship's side. To his surprise he then found that it was one of the Lu scar crew in the water. The man had no trouble to keep himself afloat; but they both had a very narrow squeak for their lives. The captain was afraid to put the ship about, because there was a tremendous sea running at the lime. A rope was thrown out to them with a bowline; and alter they had been about three hours in the water the sea lifted them and threw them right on to tho deck.

The professor, on being requested to stats what his chief feats in the water were, said he had four world records. He had the greatest record in the world for saving lives from drowning; the highest record for remaining under water; the record of the world for biking coins from the bottom of the water: and also the best record in the world for scientific and ornamental swimming. Ho had been one of the fastest swimmers in tho world, he went on to say, and now held the ICO yards championship against all-comers. In referring to his feat of remaining under water for a length of time, Professor Beaumont said that medical men were of opinion that not one man in a thousand could remain under for three-quarters of the time that he could without drowning. A number of the doctors who witnessed his performance that afternoon were greatly surprised at what he did; but he had no time to get things properly arranged, and would surprise people a great deal more before he left Dunedin, by showing what it was possible to do under water. The greatest length of time he ever remained under water was 4min 35sec. That was done at tho Alhambra Theatre in Melbourne on the 16th of December last, when he received the world's record medal, which was presented to him by Dr O'Hara, who was present when he accomplished the feat, and examined him afterwards. The doctor said that the circulation had stopped on the top part of his head, above the ears, but he felt thoroughly well himself, and walked straight to his dressing room from the tank, after lifting his tired daughters out of it. In his performances he did not do anything that ho thought would injure himself, but both he and his daughters simply showed the public what it was possible for anyone to do under water, and demonstrated that it was possible to do nearly anything in the water that could be done out of it.

On being asked about his daughters, Professor Beaumont said Miss Alice, who was only 14 years of age, was the cleverest child that ever went into the water. Among other feats performed by her was that of turning somersaults in the water; and with the view of giving some idea of her adeptness at this feat, Professor Beaumont mentioned that she turned 62 somersaults in succession, while no man had ever been able to accomplish more than 24. As regarded Miss Lily Beaumont, her father said she was one of the cleverest lady swimmers in the world, her forte being ornamental and scientific swimming. In the course of the interview, it may be stated, Professor Beaumont expressed his willingness to give any information with regard to the art of swimming to schools or to ladies who desired to learn that art. Everybody, he said, should learn swimming, for swimming was just as easy as walking, and if he had a journey to go ho would rather swim it than walk it.


« Last Edit: October 19, 2010, 07:05:14 pm by Trojan »


Offline Trojan

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Re: Professor Walter Beaumont
« Reply #2 on: October 19, 2010, 07:03:06 pm »
Apparently, The Beaumont family also lived at Greenfield Villa, 5 Taliesin Street in Llandudno in 1891.

Walter Beaumont, aged 36, born Middlesex London
Alice Beaumont, aged 32, born Middlesex London
Alice Beaumont, aged 11, born Middlesex London
Maud Beaumont, aged 7, born Essex London

Offline DaveR

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Re: Professor Walter Beaumont
« Reply #3 on: October 19, 2010, 07:41:48 pm »
I also have a photo of him somewhere but can't find it! Here's the full article I wrote:

'Professor' Walter Beaumont was a professional diver, he gave regular diving exhibitions from the pierhead in Llandudno.

Born in 1856 in Bromley By Bow, he had already saved 7 lives by the age of 12. He became a professional diver and, whilst on tour, he created the World Record for remaining underwater in a tank - 4 minutes 35 seconds!

He settled in Llandudno in 1895, performing diving exhibitions at the Pierhead from 1895 to 1904 (for which he received 'substantial fees'), as well as completing several World tours.

One of his specialities was the 'Handcuff Dive', in which he would dive into the water with his hands firmly handcuffed behind his back with Police handcuffs, only to emerge from the water seconds later with his hands free. His 'Fire Dive' was also famous; he would be bundled into a sack that was sprayed with inflammable liquid, set alight and then dive into the sea - an enthralling sight when performed at dusk! From 1895 to 1909, he also gave spectacular underwater displays in a glass sided tank in the Eqyptian Hall (part of the Pier Pavilion building's basement).

By May 1903, he had saved over 120 lives and was rewarded by a Banquet given in his honour at the Prince of Wales Hotel by Llandudno Council, who presented him with an Illuminated Scroll and gold watch chain.

He was also Licencee of the Kings Head pub from 1898-1910 - unfortunately, he was not a businessman and bankruptcy proceedings were eventually brought against him in 1910 by the brewers Ind Coope. His debts amounted to £596 and the insolvency hearing cannot have come as a surprise, as it was revealed that '"he kept no books or accounts and had been aware of his insolvency for six or seven years"! Mr Beaumont blamed his insolvency on the sickness of himself, his son and daughter. There was much laughter in the Court when he revealed that he indulged in betting on horse-racing occasionally but only only bet large sums 'when the horse told him it was going to win'.

At the time of his death in 1924, Walter was living a relatively quiet life as the Licencee of the Ferry Hotel in Tal-Y-Cafn. At this time, he owned a small pleasure craft used for trips on the River Conwy. It's believed that the boat ran into difficulties on the river and Walter made sure that everyone got to dry land safely. In doing so, he spent far too long in the cold water for a man of his advancing years and the resulting chill he caught eventually resulted in his death at the age of 69

His daughter Alice, who joined the act when she was only 6, married Belgian violinist Henri Verbrughen, from the Pier Orchestra. On 16 May 1964, their daughter Gabriel Woodward, of Las Vegas, returned to Llandudno aboard the luxury cruise liner Kungsholm, for a 6 month holiday with her aunt, Maud Deacon at St Margaret's Drive, Craig Y Don, Llandudno.

His son, Walter Jones Beaumont, became a well known and successful Criminal Lawyer in Canada, eventually dying in 1960.

Walter is buried in St. Tudno's Church, Great Orme, Llandudno.

Offline DaveR

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Re: Professor Walter Beaumont
« Reply #4 on: October 19, 2010, 07:48:59 pm »
I just noticed the Latin phrase 'mortem ex undis rapuisti' on Professor Beaumont's gravestone and am wondering what it meant.

My guess would be 'You snatched death from out of the water', which would make perfect sense.  :)
« Last Edit: October 19, 2010, 07:50:37 pm by DaveR »

Offline Trojan

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Re: Professor Walter Beaumont
« Reply #5 on: October 19, 2010, 08:57:35 pm »
I just noticed the Latin phrase 'mortem ex undis rapuisti' on Professor Beaumont's gravestone and am wondering what it meant.

My guess would be 'You snatched death from out of the water', which would make perfect sense.  :)

What about the sentence above? Natus es Natandum Born to swim?

Offline DaveR

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Re: Professor Walter Beaumont
« Reply #6 on: October 19, 2010, 09:00:06 pm »
I just noticed the Latin phrase 'mortem ex undis rapuisti' on Professor Beaumont's gravestone and am wondering what it meant.

My guess would be 'You snatched death from out of the water', which would make perfect sense.  :)

What about the sentence above? Natus es Natandum Born to swim?
Definitely!  $salute$

Offline DaveR

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Re: Professor Walter Beaumont
« Reply #7 on: February 05, 2011, 08:37:03 pm »
Professor Walter Beaumont:

[smg id=1140]

Offline Nemesis

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Re: Professor Walter Beaumont
« Reply #8 on: February 05, 2011, 09:28:39 pm »
Latin to English translation — Alpha
'let the dead from the waves, have you snatched away'

This is what Google Translate brought up.---Quite a handy website at times !
Mad, Bad and Dangerous to know.

Offline DaveR

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Re: Professor Walter Beaumont
« Reply #9 on: August 09, 2012, 09:52:28 am »
Professor Beaumont & Family:

Offline Trojan

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Re: Professor Walter Beaumont
« Reply #10 on: June 10, 2013, 01:27:31 pm »
That's his daughters, Alice & Lilly in the photograph.