EPILOGUE
The story of the pathway thru life for Milson and Lucy Beach is perhaps typical for working class folk from England in the 1800's yearning to carve out a better life for themselves and their children.
It is also a story littered with both achievements and disappointments and sorrow.
Harry Milson Beach may have met his future wife Lucy over a beer in the White Hart Inn in Coleford where she was working as a young barmaid in the early 1860’s.
He demonstrated his commitment to developing and improving himself by taking a bold decision at the age of 25 to move to Brazil to work on the construction of the Sao Paulo Railway for 3 years. On his return to Coleford around 1865 he had demonstrated he was a man worthy of a commitment by Lucy to marriage in November of that year.
Their joint commitment to find a better life outside their traditional English background saw them leave for New Zealand in March 1866. They settled in the Southbridge area near Christchurch and went on to have 6 of their ultimate 7 children in the period 1867–75. They lost one child, Harvey Haviland at the age of 18 months in early 1875 who was quickly replaced by Ernest Victor born in November that year.
It was in the following years that things began to unravel for Milson and Lucy in Southbridge, NZ. They appear to have got into financial difficulties (a recurring theme for the rest of their lives), domestic arguments occurred and Lucy took out a Protection Order in December 1880 whilst at the same time Milson was sentenced to 1 month jail for drunkenness and resisting arrest. By May 1882 they were declared insolvent and their acquired properties over the 16 year period since their arrival in NZ placed on the market by administrators. A decision was taken to move to Auckland and undertake a fresh start. Some stability returned to the family and Walter was born in 1883 some 7 ½ years after the previous child. It is known that Milson undertook another work contract in Fiji during this period, no doubt in an attempt to re-establish the family finances. This may have been successful as a decision was then taken to move to Australia.
Melbourne was booming during the 1880s so the Beach Family moved from New Zealand to Melbourne around 1887. All the children except perhaps Hubert, moved to Victoria with their parents. Milson rapidly established a sawmill and a building construction business in the Oakleigh area of Melbourne. Unfortunately the economic recession started around the late 1880’s and in 1889, Milson Beach as a partner in the Timber Merchant business, Beach & Nelson, was reported as bankrupt for the second time although it is known that 3 houses built by Milson in Bowen Street in the Oakleigh area were held in the name of Lucy Beach so that may have enabled the funding of the next move – to Tasmania.
The family accompanied Milson and Lucy to their new home in Zeehan in the early 1890’s. Zeehan itself was just being established at this time to support new mining ventures in the area. Milson started another building construction business and he and Lucy were operating the Beach Villa Commercial Boarding House in Zeehan (1898-1901). Zeehan would have been a boom town during this period and the family took the opportunity to acquire additional land in the township. All seemed to be going to plan until Lucy’s health required the business to be sold around 1902.
By this time Milson and Lucy were in their mid-60s years of age and so retirement to Hobart was the next decision to be taken. Finances may well have continued to be tight as the home where they lived in Faraday St, North Hobart was purchased by Hubert the son who had stayed on in NZ and become a successful businessman. Lucy ultimately passed away in 1911. Milson was known to preach on the streets of Hobart during his latter years so obviously after a long life with many disappointments this became his focus in his latter years leading up to his death in 1922.
In summary, a bold and hard working and entrepreneurial couple, Milson & Lucy Beach established a new life for themselves, their children and generations of descendants thereafter. They experienced many achievements and disappointments along the journey and we their descendants will always be grateful.
It is also a story littered with both achievements and disappointments and sorrow.
Harry Milson Beach may have met his future wife Lucy over a beer in the White Hart Inn in Coleford where she was working as a young barmaid in the early 1860’s.
He demonstrated his commitment to developing and improving himself by taking a bold decision at the age of 25 to move to Brazil to work on the construction of the Sao Paulo Railway for 3 years. On his return to Coleford around 1865 he had demonstrated he was a man worthy of a commitment by Lucy to marriage in November of that year.
Their joint commitment to find a better life outside their traditional English background saw them leave for New Zealand in March 1866. They settled in the Southbridge area near Christchurch and went on to have 6 of their ultimate 7 children in the period 1867–75. They lost one child, Harvey Haviland at the age of 18 months in early 1875 who was quickly replaced by Ernest Victor born in November that year.
It was in the following years that things began to unravel for Milson and Lucy in Southbridge, NZ. They appear to have got into financial difficulties (a recurring theme for the rest of their lives), domestic arguments occurred and Lucy took out a Protection Order in December 1880 whilst at the same time Milson was sentenced to 1 month jail for drunkenness and resisting arrest. By May 1882 they were declared insolvent and their acquired properties over the 16 year period since their arrival in NZ placed on the market by administrators. A decision was taken to move to Auckland and undertake a fresh start. Some stability returned to the family and Walter was born in 1883 some 7 ½ years after the previous child. It is known that Milson undertook another work contract in Fiji during this period, no doubt in an attempt to re-establish the family finances. This may have been successful as a decision was then taken to move to Australia.
Melbourne was booming during the 1880s so the Beach Family moved from New Zealand to Melbourne around 1887. All the children except perhaps Hubert, moved to Victoria with their parents. Milson rapidly established a sawmill and a building construction business in the Oakleigh area of Melbourne. Unfortunately the economic recession started around the late 1880’s and in 1889, Milson Beach as a partner in the Timber Merchant business, Beach & Nelson, was reported as bankrupt for the second time although it is known that 3 houses built by Milson in Bowen Street in the Oakleigh area were held in the name of Lucy Beach so that may have enabled the funding of the next move – to Tasmania.
The family accompanied Milson and Lucy to their new home in Zeehan in the early 1890’s. Zeehan itself was just being established at this time to support new mining ventures in the area. Milson started another building construction business and he and Lucy were operating the Beach Villa Commercial Boarding House in Zeehan (1898-1901). Zeehan would have been a boom town during this period and the family took the opportunity to acquire additional land in the township. All seemed to be going to plan until Lucy’s health required the business to be sold around 1902.
By this time Milson and Lucy were in their mid-60s years of age and so retirement to Hobart was the next decision to be taken. Finances may well have continued to be tight as the home where they lived in Faraday St, North Hobart was purchased by Hubert the son who had stayed on in NZ and become a successful businessman. Lucy ultimately passed away in 1911. Milson was known to preach on the streets of Hobart during his latter years so obviously after a long life with many disappointments this became his focus in his latter years leading up to his death in 1922.
In summary, a bold and hard working and entrepreneurial couple, Milson & Lucy Beach established a new life for themselves, their children and generations of descendants thereafter. They experienced many achievements and disappointments along the journey and we their descendants will always be grateful.
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Wye River Valley, Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England