Background
He married Rose Ann, daughter of Archdeacon Paul in 1852.
He married Rose Ann, daughter of Archdeacon Paul in 1852.
Bealey came out to Canterbury in 1851, a pastoralist with capital to invest in farming. Having made money, he returned to England, in 1867 and died there. Bealey stood for election in the Town of Christchurch electorate for the first Provincial Council on 3 September 1853.
Five candidates contested the three positions, and Bealey received the second highest number of votes at 74.
The two other successful candidates were Thomas Cass and Richard Packer (77 and 71 votes, respectively). Bealey remained a provincial councillor until the dissolution of the first parliament on 14 July 1857.
Bealey was again elected onto the Provincial Council on 8 May 1862, this time in the City of Christchurch electorate. He served until 5 March 1863, as on that day, he was elected the third Superintendent, a role which he held to 1866.
But Bealey, who was usually dependent on stronger personalities, decided to resign, then changed his mind and when the Moorhouse team resigned collected a new team
Most reports on him are rather scathing, a "nobody" or a "bookseller! Bealey Avenue in Christchurch, the Bealey River and the settlement of Bealey in Canterbury are named for him.
From October 1854 to May 1855, he was a member of the executive council during the superintendency of James Fitzgerald.