A Local Lifesaving Hero – William Sinclair

By Steve McKelvey

It is not often that a Royal Humane Society recipient receives both a medal and a commendation. For William Sinclair's second award in February 1899 the Lyttelton Times reported that his latest rescue of a young boy falling from the wharf made “the seventeenth life that Mr Sinclair has saved at personal risk”.

William Sinclair was born in 1865 in Sumner to recently married widower William Sinclair and Elizabeth Wilson, proprietors of the Heathcote Valley Store. William senior had been Postmaster there before entrusting the business to his brother John Sinclair and returning to his trade as a ship’s carpenter in the Redcliffs/Sumner area. In 1870 after establishing Sinclair’s Hotel in Rangiora with brother John, William senior moved to Lyttelton and built a shipwright business in Dampier’s Bay.

Young William grew up with his large family above the Lyttelton graving dock, learning his father's trade. His older half brother James Sinclair had built the racing yachts Little Wonder, the 52 foot National title holder Mascotte and the lateen rigged Bettina which he and family raced. William competed with brothers Ebenezer and Donald as members of the Lyttelton Rowing Club. He won titles in the single sculls, pairs and fours. The club owned a number of boats and regularly competed in Christchurch, Little River and Akaroa. Member William (Billy) Webb, ten years his junior, became world champion Single Sculler. The well known Webb family is remembered by Webb Lane off Voelas Road.

William Sinclair also excelled at swimming and competed at Corsair Bay and in the dry dock. He and brother Donald were foundation members of the Lyttelton Amateur Swimming Club incorporated in 1892. The club had its inaugural sports meeting at the Lyttelton Dry Dock, the event opened by the president Canon C Coates with entertainment provided by the Lyttelton Garrison Band (later known as the Lyttelton Marine Band). A number of Christchurch swimming clubs were also present.

In 1894 William Sinclair was a seaman on the Lyttelton Harbour Board steam paddle tug Lyttelton which was in service from 1878 until 1907. The Australasian Humane Society records show the events leading to the presentation of William's bronze medal:

“On 9 November 1894, two boys Cyril R and Alexander James Walker fell over a cliff at the Godley Head Lighthouse to the rocks 90 feet below. It seemed impossible that they could be rescued from the shore. A tug was sent for, and having arrived at the scene, lowered a boat. But no one could land on these rocks. They then rowed around the head of the cliff, and a landing was effected on the other side. William Sinclair, of Lyttelton, a seaman, with great risk to his life, ascended the cliff, taking a rope with him. The rope was held by those below and passed down on the other side to where the boys were. Mr Sinclair went down by this rope, and found that one of the boys had broken his leg; the other had been severely shaken. Mr Sinclair bound the broken leg to the sound one, put him on his back, went up the rope hand over hand, and lowered the boy down to the crew on the other side. The other boy was able to climb up the rope himself.”

At a public gathering in the Colonist’s Hall in Oxford Street in September 1895 Mayor C Schumacher awarded William the bronze medal and certificate on behalf of His Excellency the Governor. The Honourable WC Walker, Member of Parliament and father of the two boys rescued, also gifted a gold watch in appreciation.

William Sinclair’s next award, in 1899, was one of the first presented by the newly formed Royal Humane Society of New Zealand, which initially met at the Christchurch City Council Chambers, later taking rooms in Chancery Lane. Its first president was John Joyce, Member of Parliament for Lyttelton 1887-1899 and namesake of a local street. The Rev EE Chambers, minister of St Saviour's Church, West Lyttelton, was a founding director from 1898-1921.

Circumstances leading to William Sinclair’s Letter of Commendation are recorded as follows:

“William Sinclair, labourer, 32 of Lyttelton, rescued Cyril Owen from drowning in the harbour on 12 February 1899. Seeing the boy in deep water in the vicinity of the yacht jetty, and hearing the cries of bystanders, he ran along the shore and took to the water close to the jetty, swam out to the boy, but before he could reach him the lad had sunk in about ten feet of water. Sinclair dived and secured Owens and brought him ashore. Sinclair on several previous occasions was instrumental in saving lives.”

In 1888 William went to the Klondike gold rush in Canada for nearly a year with two other Lyttelton men, HN Hiskens and T Roger, and G Cropp from Linwood. Their incredible adventures on the Yukon River are a story for another day. In the early 1900s William, his wife Sarah, and their three daughters and two sons moved to Dunedin, where William was employed by the Otago Harbour Board until his retirement in 1918. He passed away on 29 July 1947.

Reference

John D Wills, Zealandia's Brave. The Royal Humane Societies in New Zealand 1850 to 1998, Royal Humane Society of New Zealand, 2001 (pages 128 and 154)