The Veness Family History

Lilian Alice Veness (nee Keen) (The following information was taken from Lilian Veness’ notebook) Lilian Alice Keen was born 19 September 1894 at Croydon, Sydney, New South Wales, to William Henry Keen and Susan Elizabeth Perry. She was the 11th child for Susan, and both mother and daughter almost died. Susan was nearly 43 at the time. Following is her own story: My parents lived a good Christian life, always ready to help anyone in need. They both belonged to The Salvation Army at one time, and later joined the Baptist Church. I remember that my brothers went to the St Peter’s Church of England, which was close to home, and that my elder sister, Emily (Sis, as we called her), Bessie, and I, went to the Wesleyan Sunday School at Croydon. Here Sis played the organ, sang, and taught Sunday School until she married and moved away to another district. I was about 13 years old at the time. All my brothers were in New Zealand. They had found work there, and Bill, Sam and Percy found wives as well. Oliver and Oscar came home when I was in my early teens. Oscar’s New Zealand girlfriend, Violet McConnell, came to Sydney and they were married. They lived next door to us in one of mother’s cottages. Lilian Alice VenessOliver married Elizabeth Louise Bonney, and they also lived in mother’s old home for some years before moving to Queensland to work on a dairy farm. At 14 I left school and worked at Mark Foys Dept Store, and then worked as a dressmaker until I left work to get married. We lived at home for 2 years so I could look after my mother and father. Mother suffered with bronchial asthma and spent a great deal of time in bed. I married Henry William Veness on 18 September 1915. We had four boys, Ken, Frank, Russ and Norm. Left and Above: Lilian Alice Veness. 24 | P a g e