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.