About Jan

Mrs Janice Valma Davey (Jan)

EARLY YEARS

Janice Valma Peirce, along with her twin brother Geoff, was born in Malmsbury on the 21st of January 1941. Very shortly after, the family moved to Bendigo, where Jan lived for her entire life. Born into a musical family of all boys, Neville, Geoff, Colin and Rex, with her mother Valma, a singer, and father, Thomas, a musician and Conductor of the Bendigo Citizens and Boys Brass Band. ……. The family enjoyed an adventurous and happy life in their family home in Waratah St, Bendigo.  

SCHOOL / BALLET

Jan attended the North Bendigo State School, then later moving onto the Bendigo Girls’ School.   Jan started ballet with much loved ballet teacher and close family friend, Teddy Murden, at the age of 4 and worked very hard to graduate to become 'soloist.' At 15, her hard work and dedication paid off, as she was awarded a scholarship to the Victorian Ballet Guild in Melbourne (elite ballet school). This award was the pathway to what may have become a professional ballet career, but back then, Melbourne was too far away for a young girl of 15 years to move away from her family, so the placement at the Victorian Ballet Guild was unfortunately unable to be accepted. However, you can’t keep a talented, ambitious girl down, as we’ll hear more about a bit later….  

WORK / COURTSHIP / MARRIAGE

Jan’s first job was office worker at Hanro’s in Bendigo, where she soon caught the eye of the handsome young gentleman operating the flat knitting machine. In fact, the family suspect she may have even delivered the extra bit of mail to the various department sections, just so she could catch a glimpse of this handsome young man that she just happened to have to walk past on her deliveries. This interest soon grew and Janice Peirce and Ernie Davey soon became an item, an item that proved to stand the test of time!

After a courtship of around two years, Jan and Ern Davey married at the St Pauls Anglican Church in Bendigo on the 26th of September, 1959, much to the delight of her parents, Tom and Val, and her new parents-in-law, Ern and Ruby Davey, whom Jan had much love and respect for over their many years together. And Ern still remembers that extraordinary day so clearly. In fact, Ern’s own words when he recalls that special day, are “I always thought she was the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen.” And to this day still says, “She will always be that beautiful girl coming up the isle towards me. I couldn’t believe that she was actually coming up the isle to marry me. I was as proud as a peacock! I couldn’t believe what was happening.”

Jan and Ern were only three weeks off celebrating what would have been their 62nd wedding Anniversary on the 26th of September, 2021.

In her main professional career, she started at an entry level into the housekeeping department at Mt Alvernia Hospital. However, her extraordinary leadership skills soon led to promotions that would eventually have her appointed as 'Housekeeping Supervisor', leading and managing over 20 staff. This position she loved and held for over 25 years, until her retirement.  

FAMILY

Jan was a very proud wife and mother. Together with Ern, they are the proud parents of their four children: Alan, Jenny, Karen and Sue, eleven grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.

Family is where Jan’s heart was. Jan was full of love and had so much to give. She was living proof that love was in abundance. It never ran out and there was plenty for everyone! In fact, to know Jan was to love her, because that’s how she lived her life.

Some of the family’s fondest memories are of the fantastic family holidays they enjoyed every year without fail. Even during the toughest times when money wasn’t plentiful, Jan and Ern always made sure they took the kids away on their much-loved annual family holiday in the caravan, and to this day love to reminisce over the many fantastic memories that they will always cherish.

The kids were so proud of their mum and loved to show her off when she worked at the school canteen, or school events, and the many parent teacher interviews that she always made sure she attended. She was even loved by their friends, with many of them referring fondly to Jan as their ‘other mother’.

And she was never afraid of hard work. Ern has fond memories of Jan turning up unexpectedly on many occasions to help him load his sheep and cattle truck… and as the kids grew older, she would even turn up at 2 or 3am to give him a hand. She also shared many trips in those trucks with Ern, covering what must have been 1000’s of miles over the years.

Jan was a real lady! But she was also known for having a wicked and witty, sharp sense of Humour. She knew how to lighten a heavy moment and was always good for a spontaneous laugh with a quick line when you least expected it. Jan lived with the attitude that life should be happy and should be enjoyed, even when times were tough. She always knew how to put a smile on everyone’s face and stamp that in their hearts.  

So, as we were saying earlier, you can’t keep a talented and ambitious girl down …  

MARCHING SUCCESS

Back in 1957, aged 16 years, Jan was proudly appointed ‘Leader’ of Bendigo's first ever team of marching girls. This team was in conjunction with the Bendigo Central Brass Band of which her father was the conductor and her four brothers, and two uncles were playing members. This was a very successful period, going on to win three Victorian state titles for 'Best Marching Girls' Team, and three Victorian state titles for 'Best Leader'.  

She was then asked to become 'Drum Major' (marching leader) and ‘drill instructor’ of the band, but was hesitant at first, because females were not common in the then 'male dominated' band world. However, she loved the challenge and felt that she would be able to accomplish this ... and accomplish it, she did!  

What followed was a highly successful period, leading the band to several state championships, including Victoria, NSW, Tasmania and South Australia and also to the Australian Championships, resulting in three ‘State Championship’ titles and two 'Australian Championship' titles. She was personally awarded 'Australian Champion Drum Major' above 65 others, all of whom were male, making her the first woman in history to achieve this award. All while she was a very busy mum to her four children.  

Jan was ultimately approached by the Victorian Bands' League with the prospect of becoming a Drill Adjudicator and to sit on the Victorian Drill Advisory Board in Melbourne. She was successfully appointed to these positions after being the only person in the group to pass the exam, again of which she was the only female. Jan also remained President of her own band for 8 years and is the very proud recipient of two 'Life Member' awards, one from her own band and the other from the Victorian Bands' League, the largest community band organisation in Australia.  

Here are some of her Memberships, Awards and Life Memberships received over the years …   ·