Manly and heroic efforts to save human lives.

Alexander Beveridge was born in Alloa, Clackmannanshire, Scotland on 18th November 1840.  He saved his first life when he was 13 years old, swimming after a boat that was drifting out sea with a small boy in it.

He left Scotland for New Zealand in 1854, saving a life on the way, and was initially based in Otago, eventually working as the master of the schooner Salopian.  By July 1865 he was on the West Coast and the following five years consist of a long list of lives saved.

He was initially based at Hokitika, did a stint at Bruce Bay and from mid-1866 was at Constant Bay, Charleston.  In November 1866 he was appointed Harbour-master.  In April 1866 he was responsible for saving up to 15 lives when a surf boat had gone offshore to the steamer Southland (against Beveridge's advice) and was swamped on its return journey.  While Beveridge was rescuing two women, two children and 11 men someone riffled through his clothes and stole 6 and his watch.

For this rescue Alexander Beveridge was awarded a bronze medal by the Royal Humane Society.  This was presented in June 1868.  He continued to save lives and was awarded another medal for a rescue in October 1869 when he saved four men from the Albion Surf Boat Company whose boat capsized.

The same year Beveridge wrote to the Nelson Provincial Council protesting at the reduction of his salary.  His salary was not increased and this is presumably why he resigned his post in November 1869.  On his departure he received a testimonial signed by more than seventy Charleston residents who commended his 'manly and heroic efforts' to save human lives.  In May 1870 he was appointed Harbour-master at Hokianga Harbour but stayed only 10 months before resigning.

CAN YOU ADD ANYTHING TO THIS STORY?

• What happened to Alexander Beveridge after 1870? 
• Was he the same Alexander Beveridge who was a mining agent in Grahamstown in 1871? 
• Did he stay in New Zealand, return to Scotland or try his luck elsewhere? 
• Do any photos of Alexander survive?

If you can answer any of these questions are have any more information that you think might be useful please contact our Researcher on curator@shantytown.co.nz or (03) 762 6634.  We'd love to hear about it!

West Coast Times, 29 July 1865.