Our History

On the 2nd of January 1929, a little girl named Vera Heward, aged ten, drowned south of the New Brighton pier. She went into the surf at about four o’clock with her elder sister, Nellie, aged eighteen, and Joyce Webb. The newspaper reported they were playing in the surf. As there was a strong undercurrent, the three children got into difficulties near Bligh Street, and Vera disappeared under the water and was not seen again. Despite the efforts of lifeguards from New Brighton, Vera drowned.

Following this incident a public meeting was held in the “Bridge Street Hall on Tuesday, March 19, at 8 p.m for the purpose of forming a surf club for South Brighton”. Several meetings had previously been called for the purpose of forming a surf club for the area, but they had lapsed for want of support. The Press newspaper reported “The need for a surf club for South Brighton has been shown by the two fatalities this season, and it is hoped that the meeting called for March 19 will be well supported.”

At the public meeting, a surf club was formed for the South Brighton area. The Mayor, one Captain A. W. Owdes, presided over a good attendance and it was decided that the club be called the South Brighton Surf Bathing and Life Saving Club. Short addresses of considerable value to the new club were given by the president of the Canterbury Surf Bathing and Life Saving Association, Mr. Claude Cooper and by Mr. H. Throp, secretary, and Mr. F. S. Taylor, captain of the Central Brighton Surf Club.

Soon after, the committee of the club were informed the Canterbury Surf and Life Saving Association had granted the new club affiliation and that the proposed club colors, black, blue and gold, had been approved. The Town Clerk of the New Brighton Borough wrote regarding asking that the club and the works committee of the council have a survey of the proposed site of the pavilion prepared. When this was done, the committee would recommend “the council to grant the cub the right to occupy the site for a period of fourteen years”.

An estimate of the cost of leveling and claying the approach the full width of the road was to be obtained, but in the meantime a track up Bridge Street giving access to the site would be made. The chairman, replying to a question, said “the center of the building would Bridge Street”. Plans of the proposed pavilion were shown, and members expressed themselves highly pleased.