James PerymanPrint Page

The James Peryman Memorial Swimming Pool at North Cronulla Surf Club is dedicated to the memory of lifesaver James Peryman who lost his life while trying to save another at Cronulla in 1950. 

In 1950, North Cronulla lost one of its greatest swimming champions, Club Captain Major James 'Jim' Peryman who was attempting to rescue a 16 year old woman from the surf when he was pulled under by the weight of seaweed on his rescue line. The woman was pulled the safety by another club member but Peryman, who was reeled to shore, could not be revived. A new clubhouse opened later that year and a pool later added to the surf club complex was named after Peryman.

Jim was posthumously awarded a silver medal and certificate of merit by the Royal Shipwreck Relief and Humane Society. He has been acknowledged now in our local community also with the naming of Peryman Square at North Cronulla and, most recently, at the dedication of Australia’s first national surf reserve on Cronulla’s beaches in Bate Bay.

In 2009, ‘Major’ James Peryman was awarded posthumously Surf Life Saving Australia’s highest recognition for bravery, the Meritorious Award Silver Medallion.

SYDNEY, February 21.— More than 4000 people, saw the funeral of James Peryman leave the Cronulla Church of England for the Woronora crematorium this afternoon. Peryman was drowned at North Cronulla last Sunday while trying to rescue a girl swimmer. About 500 people crammed into the church for the service at 2.30 p.m. Officials of the Surf Life Saving Association and of practically every metropolitan surf club were present. Peryman who was captain of North Cronulla Surf Club, was 23 years of age. Peryman's coffin was carried in North Cronulla's surf boat from the church to the crematorium. The surf boat was carried in a trailer towed by a lorry. Both the lorry and surfboat were covered with hundreds of wreaths and bunches of flowers. Nearly 1000 cars took part in the funeral. The procession of cars was about four miles long and was headed by two police motor cycles. Hundreds of people lined the six mile route from the church to the crematorium and some placed flowers on the surf boat as it passed. About 300 lifesavers, most of them from North Cronulla, Cronulla and Wanda Surf Clubs marched ahead of the lorry carrying the coffin from Sutherland to the crematorium. 
Maryborough Chronicle (Qld.), 22 February 1950.

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