William Beak
{{Short description|Australian cattle breeder and politician (1878–1966)}}
{{Use Australian English|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name=William Beak
|image=WilliamBeak.png
|honorific_suffix={{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100%|MBE}}
|birth_date={{birth date|1878|01|15|df=y}}
|birth_place=Mount Hedlow, Queensland, Australia
|death_date={{death date and age|1966|06|05|1878|01|15|df=y}}
|death_place=Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia
|occupation=grazier; local government politician
|known_for=Helping establish the Poll Hereford breed of cattle in Australia
|office= Chairman of Livingstone Shire Council
|term_start=1921
|term_end=1927
|office2= Councillor at Broadsound Shire Council
|term_start2=1911
|term_end2=1919
|office3= Councillor at Livingstone Shire Council
|term_start3=1919
|term_end3=1921
|office4=Councillor at Livingstone Shire Council
|term_start4=1933
|term_end4=1936
|predecessor=Samuel Thomasson
|successor=Thomas Smith
}}
William Beak {{post-nominals|country=AUS|MBE}} (15 January 1878 – 5 June 1966) was an Australian cattle breeder and local government politician.{{cite news |last=McDonald|first=Lorna|author-link=Lorna McDonald (historian)|date=1993|title=William Beak (1878-1966)|url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/beak-william-9458|work=Australian Dictionary of Biography|publisher=Australian National University|volume=13|location= |access-date=13 April 2024}}
He is best known for introducing the Poll Hereford breed of cattle into Australia.{{cite news |author=|date=27 April 1950|title=Poll Herefords in Australia|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/266572799|work=The Farmers' Weekly|page=22|location= |access-date=13 April 2024|quote=Mr William Beak of Rockhampton, Queensland who is recognised as the founder of Poll Hereford cattle in Australia...}}{{cite news |author=A T E|date=5 July 1945|title=Polled Hereford men at Rockhampton|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/97092472|work=Queensland Country Life|page=9|location= |access-date=13 April 2024|quote=Mr W Beak, patron of the Polled Hereford Society, and founder of the breed in Australia.}}
Early life
Beak was born on the family property "Pennard" at Mount Hedlow in 1878, and was the sixth child to his parents, Henry Beak and Essie Beak (née Matchett).{{cite news |author=|date=26 January 1928|title=Mr William Beak|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/69851591|work=The Capricornian|page=27|location= |access-date=13 April 2024|quote=A native of Central Queensland, he was born on Pennard Station...}}
He attended Mount Hedlow State School, a local primary school which opened in 1880 and closed in 1920.{{cite news|author=|date= |title=Mount Hedlow State School|url=https://www.archivessearch.qld.gov.au/items/ITM10397|work=Archive Search|publisher=Queensland Government|location= |access-date=13 April 2024|quote=Start date: 01/01/1880; End date: 31/12/1920}}
After finishing primary school, Beak learnt cattle husbandry from his father, who founded the Henry Beak & Sons pastoral company in 1905 after acquiring a number of Central Queensland cattle stations following a severe drought. This included May Downs Station near Clermont which Beak managed in 1904.
In July 1908, Beak's father and mother both succumbed to influenza within a week of each other.{{cite news |author=|date=21 July 1908|title=Death of Mr. H. Beak|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/53156883|work=The Morning Bulletin|page=4|location= |access-date=13 April 2024}}{{cite news|author=|date=27 July 1908|title=Death of Mrs. H. Beak|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/53152423|work=The Morning Bulletin|page=5|location= |access-date=13 April 2024}}
Beak settled on a property called "The Meadows" between Nerimbera and Nankin.{{cite news |author=Glenormiston|date=19 May 1923|title=The Meadows: Home of Polled Herefords; Nucleus of Stud Farm|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/71980050|work=The Capricornian|location= |access-date=13 April 2024}}
Career
=Cattle breeding=
In 1913, Beak purchased two "freak" hornless Herford bulls in an attempt to produce polled progeny.
In 1919, Henry Beak & Sons became the first Australian company to import Hereford cattle from the United States of America. One of the imported Herfords, Polled Gemnation, was mated with progeny from the "freak" hornless bulls which established the Polled Hereford breed.
Beak is credited with helping establish the Australian Poll Hereford Breeders' Association in 1922 which later became the Australian Poll Hereford Society, becoming its patron in 1932.
In recognition of his work establishing the breed in Australia, Beak was elected as a life member of the American Polled Hereford Association.
In 1930, Beak's shipment of Poll Hereford beef to the Smithfield Markets in London received high praise, and was described as a "serious competitor to Argentine chilled meat" by the Corporation of London's chief meat inspector.{{cite news |author=|date=18 October 1930|title=Enterprise of Mr W Beak - praise for Hereford beef in London; Mr Forde's congratulations|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/201586191|work=The Evening News|page=1|location= |access-date=13 April 2024}}{{cite news|author=|date=18 December 1930|title=Polled Hereford Beef: Smithfield display|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/70272655|work=The Central Queensland Herald|page=45|location= |access-date=13 April 2024}}
In 1936, Beak sold his property "The Meadows" situated between Nerimbera and Nankin to the Central Queensland Meat Export Company.{{cite news |author=|date=13 March 1936|title="The Meadows" sold|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/200425906|work=The Evening News|page=2|location= |access-date=13 April 2024}} Beak and his wife then relocated into Rockhampton where they moved to a house on the corner of Denham Street and Agnes Street in the suburb of The Range.
With an interest in stud cattle breeding and carcass judging, Beak published The Key to Divine Designs and their Guidance for the Improvement of Beef Quality in 1956, in which he endorsed the controversial theory of telegony. This was followed by 1957's Passing on more discoveries by a layman in which Beak claimed a person could judge the internal features of fat steers by tapping them with their fingers and listening for sounds.
=Local government and public office=
File:LivingstoneShireCouncil1921.jpgBeak served as a councillor on Livingstone Shire Council from 1904 to 1905, before serving on the Broadsound Shire Council from 1911 to 1919.
He returned to Livingstone Shire in 1919 where he again served as a councillor until 1927, six of those as the shire chairman after he was elected unopposed in 1921.{{cite news|author=|date=30 July 1921|title=Livingstone Shire Council|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/69786072|work=The Capricornian|page=34|location= |access-date=13 April 2024|quote=For the position of Chairman of the Livingstone Shire Council, Mr W Beak who had been a member of the Council for four or five years was returned unopposed...}} He served as chairman until his defeat in 1927.{{cite news |author=|date=11 April 1927|title=Livingstone Shire: Mr. W. Beak defeated; Mr. T. Smith triumphs|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/54346817|work=The Morning Bulletin|page=10|location= |access-date=13 April 2024}}
He again returned to Livingstone Shire Council in 1933, seeing out his last three years as a councillor, finishing up upon his defeat at the 1936 local elections.{{cite news|author=|date=10 April 1933|title=85 per cent poll: Livingstone election|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/54728921|work=The Morning Bulletin|page=6|location= |access-date=13 April 2024|quote=...the successful candidates being Messrs G H Whiting, W. Beak...}}{{cite news|author=|date=21 April 1936|title=Count completed: Livingstone and Fitzroy Shire elections|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/55575915|work=The Morning Bulletin|page=8|location= |access-date=13 April 2024}}
In addition to his local government duties, Beak was also a chairman of the Rockhampton Harbour Board from 1924 to 1926. He also served as chairman of the Central Queensland Racing Association and as a member of the local hospital board.
Personal life and death
Beak married Flora McKenzie on 6 March 1913 at the homestead on Calioran Station at South Yaamba.{{cite news |author=|date=3 April 1913|title=Personal news: Beak-McKenzie|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/5329406|work=The Morning Bulletin|location= |access-date=13 April 2024}}
Beak's wife Flora died on 26 September 1941, and was buried in the North Rockhampton Cemetery on 27 September 1941.{{cite news |author=|date=27 September 1941|title=Funeral notice: Mrs Flora Beak|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/56098764|work=The Morning Bulletin|page=4|location= |access-date=13 April 2024}}
Beak died in Rockhampton on 5 June 1966 and was buried in the North Rockhampton Cemetery on 7 June 1966.{{cite web|author=|date=January 2018|title=North Rockhampton Cemetery Burial Index|url=https://www.rockhamptonregion.qld.gov.au/files/assets/public/communities/cemeteries/indexes/north-rockhampton-cemetery-index-as-at-january-2018.pdf|work=Rockhampton Regional Council|location= |access-date=13 April 2024|quote=Surname: Beak; Christian names: William; Age: 88; Sex: M; Death date: 5 June 1966; Burial date: 7 June 1966; Compartment: 4; Section: 1; Grave no: 22; Religion: CE}}
Just five days after his death, Beak was honoured in the 1966 Birthday Honours with an MBE in recognition to his service to the beef industry.{{cite web|author=|date=1966|title=Award: 1088568 |url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1088568|work=Australian Honours Search Facility|publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet|location= |access-date=13 April 2024|quote=In recognition of service to the beef cattle industry}}{{cite news |author=|date=11 June 1966|title=Commonwealth and state list in full |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/136927064/15952526|work=The Canberra Times|page=8|location= |access-date=13 April 2024|quote=MBE: William Beak, Rockhampton, services to beef cattle industry}}