Cornelius Clarke Beal was born in Lambeth, Surrey, on 25th November 1868, the son of Elizabeth Bethell (1837-1914) and George Beal (1843-1884), a general labourer from Buckland, Buckinghamshire. Cornelius's father George Beal was one of eight children born to Jane Smith and Jesse Beal, a farmer and licensed victualler.           

George Beal began his working life as an agricultural labourer, but he later moved from Buckinghamshire to London, where he rose to become the foreman of a sawmill. George Beal died in East London in 1884 at the relatively early age of 41. When Cornelius Beal got married he declared that his deceased father had been a "Manager of Work".

George Beal and his wife Elizabeth produced at least six children. Cornelius Clark was the third child and the eldest son. The couple's first-born child, Annie Elizabeth, died in 1868 at the age of three. The second child, Mary Ann Beal (born 1866, Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire), was working as a ‘pupil teacher' at the age of 14. Cornelius Clarke Beal followed in his sister's footsteps and when the 1891 Census was carried out he was recorded as a 22-year-old " Assistant School Master and his older sister, Mary Ann, was described as a 24-year-old " Assistant School Mistress.

At the time of the 1891 Census, Cornelius's widowed mother and her four surviving children were living in Bromley-by-Bow in the East London district of Poplar. On 3rd February 1894, at All Hallows Church in East India Dock Road, Bromley-by-Bow, Cornelius Beal, described as a 25-year-old "School Master", married 29-year-old Mary Jane Edson. Born in Islington, North London, in 1864, the daughter of an engine driver, Mary Jane Edson, like Cornelius's older sister, had been employed as a "Pupil Teacher" and as an "Assistant School Mistress". The marriage of Cornelius Beal and Mary Jane Edson produced three children: (1) Charles Edward Beal (born 4th December 1894, West Ham) (2) Elsie May Beal (born 1898, West Ham) (3) John Beal (born 1900, Forest Gate)

At the time of the 1901 Census, Cornelius Beal and his family were residing at 54 Elmhurst Road, Forest Gate, East London. Thirty-two-year-old Cornelius C. Beal is recorded on the census return as a "Certificated Teacher". Cornelius Clarke Beal had been employed as a school master at Park School, East London since 1888, when he was a 20-year-old assistant school master.

By the time the next census was taken ten years' later on 2nd April 1911, Cornelius Clarke Beal, his wife, Mary Jane, and their three children, were living at 30 Salisbury Road, Forest Gate, East London. His two youngest children were still at school, but the eldest boy, 16-year-old Charles Edward Beal, was employed as a clerk by the Port of London Authority at the Victoria Docks in East London. On the 1911 Census form, 42-year-old Cornelius Clarke Beal     declared that he was working as a "Certificated Assistant School Master", employed by the West Ham Education Committee.

Cornelius Clarke Beal and his family were still residing at 30 Salisbury Road, Forest Gate, East London when the 1921 Census was carried out. On the 1921 census schedule 52-year-old Cornelius Clarke Beal revealed that his employment status was now "School Master" and that he was still teaching at Park School in West Ham. Cornelius Beal's eldest son, Charles Edward Beal, had married in 1913 and was now living with his wife, Ethel, and their 4-year-old daughter Irene at 18 Warwick Road, London, E.15. Cornelius's two younger children were still living at home with their parents. Twenty-three-year-old Elsie May Beal was employed as a "School Mistress" at Carpenter's Road School in West Ham, and 21-year-old John Beal was a Civil Service Clerk in the Statistical Department of the Board of Trade. Mrs Mary Jane Beal, Cornelius's wife, had returned to the teaching profession and was working as a      "School Mistress" at West Ham's Pelly Memorial School.

Cornelius Beal and his wife retired to the small Hertfordshire village of Long Marston, taking up residence at Park Villa in Astrope Lane. On Friday, 11th June 1937, Mrs Mary Jane Beal, at the age of 72, "after a long illness", died at her married daughter's house in North Harrow.

Cornelius Clarke Beal continued to live at Park Villa, 9 Astrope Lane, Long Marston, Hertfordshire, for the next 12 years. Cornelius Beal died at 91 High Road, Loughton, Essex, on 20th November 1949 at the age of 81. His married daughter, Mrs Elsie Faircloth, was named as executor of his will. (His eldest son, Charles Edward Beal, had died in 1943 at the age of 48, and his youngest son John Beal was possibly living abroad). Cornelius Beal's effects were valued at £130. 19s 10d.

If not absolutely the finest right half back in Essex, the subject of our sketch is undoubtedly one of the most brilliant men in the country in that position.

Born just over 19 years ago, Charles Dove first began his football career with Park School - a team that has always been classed as one of the finest schoolboy combinations. There he figured at full back and just by way of encouragement won two medals when playing in this position.

Leaving school life he migrated to Forest Swift Juniors as a centre forward and subsequently captained the old Plaistow Melville.

He also figured in the lines of Upton Park and South West Ham and three seasons ago joined the ranks of Thames Ironworks and has played with them ever since.

Even when joining them his true position was not apparent. He played centre forward and full back and it was not until he had occupied nearly every place - with the exception of goal - that his worth as a right half was demonstrated. In this berth he plays a brilliant game.

At the West Ham police court on Thursday, Henry Evans, 32, a fishmonger, of 26 Temple Street, Leytonstone, was charged with being drunk and disorderly and assaulting Cornelius Beal, a schoolmaster, and Robert Cummingham, 42, a greengrocer, of Elmhurst Road, Forest Gate, was charged with resisting the police. On Wednesday night Evans, who was drunk, was behaving in a disorderly manner in Elmhurst Road, Forest Gate, and was arrested by Constable Mason, 647K. Then he became violent, and Cunningham came up and got him out of the grasp of the constable. The latter then called on Mr Beal to come to his assistance, and this he did, and the prisoners were got to the station, but not before Evans had dealt Mr Beal a violent blow in the eye. The prisoners now pleaded guilty, and made no defence. Evans was fined £2 inclusive, and Cunningham 15s. Mr Gillespie addressing Mr Beal said the court greatly appreciated the assistance he had rendered to the constable in arresting the prisoners.

For twenty-one years Mr Cornelius Beal has worked hard and successfully to inculcate a love for manly sports amo9ng the boys of the Park School. Previous to 1888 he attended St Michael's School, Poplar, better known in later years as Byron Street, and thus came under the influence of Mr Robert Wild, to whom Mr Beal is indebted for his tuition at the nets and in the water. As a footballer he played for Toynbee Rovers (captain), Bromley Swifts, and the old Waverley, but it is as a swimmer that "Corney" is famous. Since 1888 he has been connected with the West Ham swimming clubs, and holds the highest honours of the Life-Saving Society, including the diploma, gained in April 1906. There are only 25 holders of this in the world. As a cricketer he has excelled, winning prizes for batting, including the championship of the Victoria Park (1891), and since 1895 has generally been the top scorer for the well-known Arlington Cricket Club. In 1895 he won the silver cup for batting. During the past 21 years the Park School has been famous for its success in the realm of sport, winning the football championship six times. The season 1898-99 was the best when they won the championship of West Ham and London (Lower Shield). Among the clever players who have been trained by Mr Beal we may mention Charles Dove, Bros. Pearce (3), Frank Rist, Harold Halse, R  Halse, Sid Maclaglen, and R. Ewan. Their best goalkeeper was undoubtedly Herbert Russell, the lamented son of the genial Park Superintendent. The Park School has long been noted for the swimmers, very few boys leaving the school without a knowledge of natation. To provide funds for the sports Mr Beal has always organised concerts and galas, which have proved very enjoyable and successful. This year the school football teams is undefeated, and despite his long career as a trainer of "the young idea", Mr Beal is an enthusiastic as he was 21 years ago.  

Angling at the Wilstone Reservoir, a square mile of water on Lord Rothschild's estate near Tring, Herts. Mr Cornelius C. Beal captured 55 pike, representing an aggregate weight of roughly 5 cwt., and containing, among other fine specimens, a pike of 26lb., which has been sent to Mr H. F. Homer, the Forest Gate taxidermist, to be cased. The catch represented 11 days' angling from boat and bank, and the seven largest fish brought home, outside the largest pike, which had been sent in advance, weighted over a hundredweight and included another fine specimen of nearly 20lb in weight, which has been presented to Mr. H. J. Wheatley, the Factories Inspector of West Ham. This is easily the record catch on the Wilstone Reservoir, which is said to contain a pike that scales at least 40lb.

Perhaps mother did not know this, or perhaps she had not heard that sport was one of Mr Beal's strong points. She did not know that Mr Beal was one of the finest sportsmen in the country. He was a grand cricketer, a clever footballer, and a gentleman.

At all events I was no soner settled down at my new school than Mr Beal found out that I could play football, and I became a member of the team. Mr Beal used to coach us and tell us our faults and show us how to overcome them. And a grand coach he was, too… We had some grand games. I started as an outside left and scored so many goals and I was transferred to the centre forward position. I was a very small boy, as was known as "Titch".

Before I left school, I knew that some day I'd be given the opportunity to play for West Ham United FC. I was a member of Park School team, and during my schooldays I played many games on West Ham's ground. Mr Syd King, manager of the club, evidently thought I develop, because he sought me out one day and asked me if I would play for them when I had finished my school days. I replied that I would be only too pleased to do so. Play for West Ham? At that time that was my greatest ambition. However, I didn't say so to the club officials, and they kept an eye on me all the time I played with juniors.

The retirement, which is due to take place at the end of June, of Mr Cornelius C. Beal, a teacher in the service of the West Ham Education Committee, will bring to an end a remarkable record of continuity of service at one school. Mr Beal came to West Ham as a teacher 44 years ago, and during the whole of that period he has been at the Park School, having joined the staff when the school was opened. For many years he has been one of the best-known figures associated with the school life of the Borough, for, apart from his scholastic duties he has always taken an interest in the sporting side. Football, cricket, swimming and boxing have always claimed a large share of his sympathies, and his work in this connection has done much to popularise these sports among many thousands of boys who have been under his charge.

Mr Beal was born at Lambeth, but his parents came from Buckinghamshire, and when he retires he is going to live at Park Villa, a house he is having built at Long Marsden, his first connection with the teaching profession was when he became a pupil teacher at St Anne's National School, Limehouse. Later he came to West Ham, but stayed for only six weeks as the Abbey Road School, going from there to St Jude's National School, Whitechapel, for three years as an ex-pupil teacher. Even in those early years his love of games had its influence upon the boys in his care, and he secured permission to play for the scholars to play cricket and football in the Tower Moat.

His activities in the realm of sport at the Park made that school one of the best known in West Ham. Over a long period of years, it was well-known for its excellence of its football teams, and many famous players received their first tuition in the game from Mr Beal. Among them were Charles Dove, Harold Hulse, Herbert Pearce, and his brother Charles Pearce, and in more recent years Sydney Puddefoot, James Barrett and Albert Barrett, Victor McLaglen, the well-known film star, and his brother Sydney, also played in teams that were coached by Mr Beal.

Seven years ago he became the head of the Water Lane Evening Institute, and his success there can be gathered from the fact that during each of the last three years there have been well over 1,000 students on the roll, and last year 400 awards were gained.

The funeral of Mrs M. J. Beal, wife of Mr Cornelius C. Beal of Park Villa, 7 Astrope Lane, Long Marston, who passed away at her daughter's house at North Harrow after a long illness on Friday, June 11th , took place at the Pinner Cemetery on Monday in the presence of the whole of the family and many friends.

The Park School, West Ham, has turned out many notable sportsmen, but Mr William Denis Litchfield, who has been a regular visitor to Lord Marston for the past five years was perhaps the greatest all round athlete that the school has ever known. He was a fine swimmer, a good football exponent, and a splendid cricketer, who once batted for an entire week on the school practice ground, and scored the prodigious total of 740 not out for which he received a medal, of which he is still the proud possessor. He was married on Saturday to Miss Maud Francis Grossmith at Christ Church, Hampstead, to which district her parents migrated from West Ham. Mr Cornelius C. Beal, the old schoolmaster and trainer of Denis was one of the guests, and he states that it was one of the prettiest weddings that he has ever attended.

Cornelius Beal, a Morning Leader and The Star reporting writer and a member of the Star cricket team nearly 50 years ago, has just saved a 10-year-old boy from drowning. Beal, who is 74 years old, dived fully dressed into the Grand Union Canal near Wilston Bridge, brought the unconscious boy safely to the bank, and successfully applied artificial respiration. After the event the grand old man cycled home. He was none the worse for the experience, though water had leaked into and stopped his presentation gold watch. Beal, formerly a West Ham schoolmaster, now lives at Tring, Herts.

Mr C. Beal, who died on Sunday at the home of his daughter, 91 High Road, Loughton, was in his 81 st year. He had been ill with heart trouble for some time, and at the beginning of last week was brought by ambulance to Loughton from his home at Long Marston, near the Herts and Bucks border. In his day he was probably the best-known teacher in West Ham. He had the remarkable record of spending the whole of his teaching service in the borough, 44 years, at the Park School, the staff of which he joined when he was opened.  

Cornelius Beal, or "Corney" as he was affectionately known by his many friends, was born in Lambeth in 1869. He started his teaching career as a pupil teacher at St Anne's National School in Limehouse, but soon moved on to Park Elementary school in Stratford. He was to stay at the school for the next 44 years, eventually becoming Headmaster. Mr Beal was a passionate all-round sportsman, winning awards for swimming, topping the batting averages for Arlington Cricket Club for twenty consecutive years, and playing football with distinction for prominent local amateur clubs Toynbee Rovers, Bromley Swifts and Waverley. But it was as a teacher that Corney Beal truly made his mark, as he turned Park School into a veritable breeding ground for professional footballers.

Page 33 - Topical Times (19 June 1926) Perhaps mother did not know this, or perhaps she had not heard that sport was one of Mr Beal's strong points. She did not know that Mr Beal was one of the finest sportsmen in the country. He was a grand cricketer, a clever footballer, and a gentleman. Page 33 - Topical Times (19 June 1926) At all events I was no soner settled down at my new school than Mr Beal found out that I could play football, and I became a member of the team. Mr Beal used to coach us and tell us our faults and show us how to overcome them. And a grand coach he was, too… We had some grand games. I started as an outside left and scored so many goals and I was transferred to the centre forward position. I was a very small boy, as was known as "Titch". Page 43 - Topical Times (19 June 1926) Before I left school, I knew that some day I'd be given the opportunity to play for West Ham United FC. I was a member of Park School team, and during my schooldays I played many games on West Ham's ground. Mr Syd King, manager of the club, evidently thought I develop, because he sought me out one day and asked me if I would play for them when I had finished my school days. I replied that I would be only too pleased to do so. Play for West Ham? At that time that was my greatest ambition. However, I didn't say so to the club officials, and they kept an eye on me all the time I played with juniors.