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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website contains names, images, and voices of deceased persons.

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William Beard (1829–1897)

from Windsor & Richmond Gazette

A brief notice of him who has recently passed from our midst may not at the present time be out of place. Of English birth and parentage he arrived in this colony in the early fifties, and had been ever since closely identified with the life and interests of the Windsor district. He was a man who filled a large space in the community, and through business and other relationships was brought into touch with large numbers of people, many of whom feel his death as a personal loss. We speak of "old identities," and the term is suggestive. William Beard was one in the very best sense of the word – a man who preserved his moral integrity through all the stress and strain of the long stretch of years intervening between the day of his arrival in Windsor and the day of his death. His name was associated with all the public interests of our town, to which he contributed whole-hearted and ungrudging service; while, by his life and efforts, he did much to help raise the standard of human goodness amongst us. To appreciate the life and work of our friend, we should view him from the English standpoint rather than the Australian. His character was moulded by English conditions and his principles were set before he left the place of his birth. Such was the unity of his life that he remained true to the English type to the last. English traditions and sympathies were strong in him, and no man gloried more in the Record Reign celebrations than he. Still he loved the land of his adoption, and strove hard to keep things facing in the right direction. A man of wide sympathies, he was generally well to the front in all movements, whether religious, commercial, political or philanthropic. We shall miss his helping hand. As a business man, his merit was well recognised, and his example might well be followed. It is sometimes said to be impossible to be strictly honest in business. Be this as it may, the subject of this sketch is spoken of throughout our community as one who was straight in his business transactions. With him money-making was not his primary ambition. Morals were more than money to him. In speculations he lost heavily by the financial disasters of the last few years. The terrific shocks which wrecked the fortunes, and even characters, of so many business men, left him, so far as his moral principles were concerned, unscathed. He took his losses cheerfully, and manfully faced his responsibilities. The true ring of his allegiance to duty rang out here as elsewhere with no uncertain sound. Many in the trying ordeal shirked their responsibilities, and with infinite cowardice left the burden on the shoulders of the few, but William Beard would rather have died than done this. He came out of the fire a man of unimpeachable integrity and honor. While recognising that "business is business," he did not allow this maxim to kill his humanity, and convert him into a money-making machine pure and simple. He brought his heart and conscience as well as his head into his daily transactions. It has been said, "treat every man as a rogue till you find him honest" and "swindle others as they would swindle you." His trustful and honest nature recoiled from such sayings. He felt more inclined to treat every man as honest till proved a rogue, and to do unto others as he would they should do unto him. Full many a time has he helped "a lame dog over a wall." Perhaps it was as a friend that Mr. Beard was seen to best advantage. He was always ready with his advice and help. His large open nature invited trust. People in their difficulties and perplexities went to him, and none were ever refused the benefit of his counsel. All the resources of his experience were placed at their command, and strong man as he was, he never seemed to weary though trust after trust and responsibility after responsibility were heaped upon him. The office of friendship was to him one of the sweetest of his Christian duties. Whether in relation to his fellow-christians, the pastor of his Church, or the poor of the town, the victims of misfortune, or the bereaved, his friendship was always of a strong and solid character. As to his character as a man, a glance at his physique would have suggested to anyone that his moral qualities, whatever else they might have been, would stand out in bold relief. There were no neutral tints about him; he was strong in his likes and dislikes. He always had the courage of his convictions, and was wont to speak out just what he thought. Of course he had his faults, and he would not be human if he had not; but they were many of them the faults of his virtues. His moral features were of a positive and pronounced type. Under a somewhat brusque exterior dwelt a warm and loyal heart. Less enterprising and energetic natures often abound in negative virtues; never attempting anything, they never fail in anything, and having little moral force, they are never betrayed into faults. It is impossible to get up a storm in a wayside pool – it takes an ocean for that. Mr. Beard was a man of simple and frugal habits – plain living and high thinking was his motto. Show, pretence and luxury had little charm for him. A hard worker, he was never idle, and though as advancing years were stealing upon him he began to yearn for rest, it was ordered otherwise, and he died in harness. He had faith in God, faith in himself, and faith in his fellowmen. He believed that if a man did his duty, spent his life in the service of his fellows, and gave to the world the best he had, that those endeavours would find response sooner or later in human hearts:

"Give love and love to your life will flow,
And strength in your utmost need;
Have faith and a score of hearts will show -
Their faith in your word and deed.
Give pity and sorrow to those who mourn;
You will gather in flowers again
The scattered seed from your thought outborne,
Though the sowing seemed but vain."

As a religious man, in his loyalty and attachment to his Church and the work of God, he stood far and away above the average. In this relation it will be hard, if not impossible, to replace him. His abounding liberality, his unstinted service, his singular and splendid devotion to duty, will be a tradition in the Church of his choice, and, we trust, an incentive to zeal and good works in all the Churches of the town. He is now lost to sight, but not to memory. He is enshrined in many hearts. His name will be a household name with us for many a day. This was worth living for. But, in the light of the Christian revelation, we believe he consciously lives and enjoys a larger life in higher service and in a fairer region.

Original publication

Other Obituaries for William Beard

Citation details

'Beard, William (1829–1897)', Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/beard-william-17774/text29352, accessed 6 January 2025.

© Copyright Obituaries Australia, 2010-2025

Life Summary [details]

Birth

18 April, 1829
Essex, England

Death

21 July, 1897 (aged 68)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Cause of Death

heart disease

Cultural Heritage

Includes subject's nationality; their parents' nationality; the countries in which they spent a significant part of their childhood, and their self-identity.

Religious Influence

Includes the religion in which subjects were raised, have chosen themselves, attendance at religious schools and/or religious funeral rites; Atheism and Agnosticism have been included.

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