Historic Significance

Historical Significance or Value Beale cottage was most probably purpose-built as a combined residence/surgery/registry office for Dr Charles Bernard Beale. Beale was born in London in 1830, the son of a surgeon. He was a student at London Hospital 1849-52, and emigrated to Nelson, NZ, in 1861. Dr Beale enlisted in the 4th Waikato Militia Regiment in 1864, and was discharged in 1865, holding the rank of Assistant Surgeon 4th Waikato, Surgeon (temporary) to the 3rd Waikato Regiment and general practitioner to 1868. Other posts he held in his career were Coroner and Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages for the Cambridge District (which included Hamilton) from 1868, and Additional Public Vaccinator from 1874 on. Beal's office was originally on the west side of the Waikato River in Grantham Street, Hamilton West. However in 1868 Beale sold his Crown grant for his country section and this probably helped him to purchase in 1872, section 8 in Hamilton East on which Beale House now stands. By November 1872, Beale advertised this location as a Registry, but he also used the house as a surgery. Dr Beale was a council member for the first Borough Council of 1878. He was Deputy Mayor, 1879-1880, and Mayor in 1880. He became bankrupt in 1879, and as a result Section 8 and Beale's town section Crown grant were sold by the mortgagor on 26 July 1880. Dr Beale moved elsewhere in Hamilton East where he continued as Coroner, Registrar and general practitioner until he resigned in 1886. Beale Street recognises his links with the area.

Physical Significance

ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE A well preserved example of modest domestic architecture of the 1870s in relatively original order.

Nelson, 1979

NZHPT Interim Report on Beale House, Hamilton East. Sept 1979.

Waikato Museum of Art & History

Waikato Museum of Art & History