HERBERT BRICE VENNING

Herbert Brice Venning

Herbert Brice Venning
North Scarborough Primary School
1962

Herbert Brice Venning was born on 26 March, 1917, to John Howard and Elizabeth Ethel (Black) Venning in Pingelly, Western Australia. He passed away in Perth on 21 March, 1974 aged 56 years and was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery.

Venning started his teaching career at the Pallinup school in 1936 for two years before transferring to Toolbrunup in 1940. In 1941, he was appointed to Yournaning before moving to Mt Helena Primary School (2) in 1943, for a further two years.

He then spent 13 years at Katanning State School (later Katanning Junior High School from) from 1945 to 1958. He met and married a local Katanning girl, Honor Caroline Twin Aylemore who was born in Katanning in 1919. They had one son, Murray Graham Venning who died in 2005.

While in Katanning, as the District Youth Organiser, Herbert Venning started the Katanning Motor Car Club where members would drive to a different selected destination each weekend. The club was designed to provide an association for young and old male motoring enthusiasts. First mooted in October of 1954, the club held it’s first event on Sunday, November 21, when members proceeded in convoy to Mr C. R. Kowald’s property at Cherry Tree Pool.

He was also instrumental in establishing a Katanning Girls’ Choir. Mr Venning acted as conductor and Mr Ken Rundle, L.Mus.A., had agreed to give his services as accompanist. All young ladies who were interested, were invited to attend a “get-together” at the Junior High School.

From 1959 to 1965 he was deputy principal at North Scarborough Primary School (later Newborough Primary School) in the Perth Suburb of Doubleview. (He was my grade 7 teacher in 1962 at that school: ed.)

From 1966 to 1973 he worked as a teacher at the Western Australian School of Correspondence.

Herbert Venning’s grade 7 class at North Scarborough Primary School in 1962.
(Yours truly second from left – back row: ed.)