Biography

Alfred Beck (1851 - 1903) was born in Worthing, West Sussex, England. Little else is known of his youth except that he was apprenticed in the clothing trade in London and gained experience at the most up-to-date haberdashery houses in that city.

He emigrated to Victoria where he married Eliza Annie, formerly Watkins, daughter of J. Watkins of London. In 1876 they came to Tasmania. He was then employed subsequently, Smith, Poole & Lark, Herbert & Co., and L. Stevenson & Son in 1885. He remained with this last concern for several years after it was taken over by D. & W. Murray in Cameron Street.

Alfred and Eliza had four children and established their home in the first house built on Trevallyn when the estate was cut up in 1884. Alfred was intensely interested in horticulture and developed a beautiful flower garden. His blooms were seen among the winning exhibits at amateur floral shows for many years.

Eliza was a willing and consistent worker for several charities and, during the hardships of World War I and the depression that followed, was an active member of the Trevallyn branch of the Red Cross Society.

On 26^th February 1903 Alfred died aged 51 years. Eliza was to survive him by thirty-eight years and died on 26th November 1941, at the age of 87.

Through all the years they had lived in Tasmania they had been members of the congregation of St. John’s Church and there in their memory a memorial plaque of opus sectile mosaic was erected in the baptistry. Above the inscription the armorial bearings of a Beck family have been placed. The inscription and the blazon read:
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
ALFRED AND ELIZA ANNIE BECK
ERECTED BY THEIR ELDEST SON
GEORGE MELBOURNE BECK
Arms:
Or, two bans dancettee Sa.
on a chief Az. three Annulets Ar.
Crest:
A peacock’s head erased Or. gorged with two bars dancettee Sa. between two Wings Az. each charged with three bezants paleways.

Source