Perks, Norman

Gender: Male

Norman Perks Sang Early, Early in the Spring to Mike Yates in the Plough at Hawkesbury Upton in 1979. He sang in the same pub as singer Ernie Payne who had previously been recorded by Gwilym Davies.

The Perks family had lived in the Badminton/Hawkesbury Upton area for many generations. Norman Perks’ great grandfather, Edward Woodham Perks, was baptised in Great Badminton on 8 May 1796, the son of Nathaniel and Martha Perks. Edward Perks became a tiler and on 17 November 1811 he married Eliza Penduck in Bristol. They had seven sons and three daughters including Edward Perks’ grandfather, John Jonathan Perks who was baptised on 23 August 1840 in Great Badminton.

John Jonathan Perks intended to marry Emily Frances Watt, a laundress, who was the daughter of  James Watts, a labourer, and banns were called in Great Badminton in July 1866 However the banns were forbidden in consequence of the near consanguinity of the parties. But John Jonathan and Emily then went to St. Thomas Church, Bristol where they were married on 13 August 1866. At the time both were living at 131 St Thomas Street, St Thomas, Bristol and both signed by mark. John Jonathan Perks followed his father as a tiler and plasterer. By 1881 they were living at New Jerusalem, France Lane, Hawksbury Upton with a daughter, Clementina aged 16 born in Acton Turville and five sons: Frank aged 11 and Edward aged 8, both born in Nettleton, Wiltshire and Edwin aged 6, Hary (sic) aged 4 and George aged 1, all born in Hawkesbury. Edward’s full name appears to have been Edward Nathaniel nad from 1901 he appears in censuses as Nathaniel. John was working as a tiler and plasterer. In 1891 they were living in No 1 Williams Cottage, Hawkesbury with another son, Alfred, aged 9 and twins Maud and James both aged 5, all born in Hawkesbury. A grandson, Bertie Perks, aged 1 born in Yate was also living with them. John Perks was still working as a tiler and plasterer and his sons, Frank, Edward and Harry were all working as agricultural labourers. By 1901 Nathaniel was living with his parents in France Road, Hawkesbury. He and his brother, Harry, were working as navvys, his brothers Alfred and James were working as  a stone mason’s labourer and a shepherd respectively. His father, John, was still working as a tiler and plasterer. He also had another sister, Emily, aged 5 born in Hawkesbury. John Jonathan Perks died in Hawkesbury Upton when living at Britain Bottom, Hawkesbury and was buried there on 24 October 1905.

In 1901 Edward Nathaniel Perks married Fanny Jane Chappell in the Chipping Sodbury Registration District which included Hawkesbury. He was also referred to as Nathan Nathaniel Perks. Fanny had been baptised Fanny Jane Chappell in 1885 but also appears as Fanny Elizabeth Chappell and Annie Jane Chappell in other records. By 1911 they had moved to Sparrable, Patchway where he was working as a carter. They were living there with children Ada aged 8, Fred aged 6 both born in Hawkesbury, Wilfred Nathaniel baptised 13 January 1907 in Slad when they were living at Wickeridge Cottage in Slad and Elsie aged 1 born at Blacklanes. They had three further sons including Norman C. Perks who was born on 16 January 1919  in the Chipping Sodbury registration District with his twin Stanley C.Perks and Percy George Perks who was born in 1911.

At some point they moved to Rose Cottage, High Street, Hawkesbury Upton where Edward Nathaniel Perks died on 15 December 1960 when probate was granted to his son, Percy George Perks.

From 1961 to1965 Norman C. Perks appears in the electoral register for Hawkesbury as living at Rose Cottage, High Street, Hawkesbury Upton with Annie J. Perks. Norman Cecil Perks died in July 1998 in the South Gloucester Registration District.

Notes by Carol Davies 2020