PERKS, Avenel

Avenel Nira Elizabeth Deveson was born on the 2nd July 1920 in 'Little Bendigo' or Nerrina as it is now know.  Avenel was one of eight children born to James Ernest and Florence Deveson.  She was the second youngest and the only girl.  Ernest Deveson was a strict father, there was no talk allowed at the dinner table and their mother Florence never ate with the family.  She would ait until all had finished and only then would she sit to have her own meal.

In 1924 Avenel, like her entire family before her, attended Little Bendigo School.  She stayed there unti8l she completed her 8th Grade Merit certificate then moved on to Ballarat Girls School for twelve months to finish up.  Avenel always enjoyed music at school and whenever possible would play int he orchestra and be involved in the concerts.  Avenel learnt to play the violin and banjo from the headmaster of the school Tom Ryan and was taught the piano for seven years by Mrs Olive Hill who lived nearby.  Avenel's first job was at Lucas's.  She started on her fifteenth birthday in 1935 and stayed there for two and a half years.

She then moved on to teaching and playing music.  She played piano every morning at assembly at Ballarat College for twelve months, and after teaching herself to play the pipe organ, played for weddings and relieved when the usual organ players were unable to play.  She taught children to play piano for three years.

Avenel also worked at Frank Kierce's boot shop in Bridge Street and it was here that she met Charlie Perks.  Charlie was one of the bootmakers.  A lot of Kierce's business were farmers' hobnailed boots.  The men who took the mail out to the farmers would bring their boots in for repair.  The women's shoes were mostly hand sewn and had greenhide soles to be worn to the dances, these were called pumps.  Shoes which had nails in the soles were not allowed on the dance floors as they would damage the polished timber.

Avenel and Charlie were married in 1942 but not long after their marriage Charlie went to war.  Avenel's first son was born in 1943, and on Charlie's return from the war in 1946, eith more children followed.  Charlie initially returned to his job at Kierce's before moving on to Oliver and Stevens after the book shop was sold and eventually closed down.

In 1943 Avenl's father passed away after a period of severe illness during which she helped her mother look after him. Avenel's mother became stricken with cancer and Avenel nursed her until she too passed away in 1966.  

Avenel died at the age of 92 years on the 7th September 2012.  She is buried in the Ballarat New Cemetery Lawn H Row 25 Grave 47.  She is buried with her husband Charlie William Perks.