Australian history is littered with examples of where perseverance has paid off, and that trait apparently had special meaning in the Shoalhaven, as it pops up in various forms in the local history books.
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James Graham of Greenhills, briefly operated a 32 ton schooner named Perseverance, its maiden voyage being on December 27, 1841.
Credited with its construction was Shoalhaven resident, Thomas Dillon.
Cargo carried by the vessel in its first year included potatoes, and the captain was William Stadden, also of the Greenhills estate.
It later carried cedar to the city, but the Perseverance was wrecked on May 5, 1843, when it struck South Reef after negotiating Sydney Heads.
Some 30 years later, the Perseverance Saw Mill was operating at Nowra, at the northern end of Shoalhaven Street, near the banks of the Shoalhaven River.
In January 1876, Aizley Hyam advertised that cutting had commenced and orders could be placed with him at the Royal Victoria Hotel, Terara, of which he was the licensee.
Hyam needed a hands-on partner and his brother-in-law, Waldron Brown filled the role, however on November 2, 1877, it was destroyed by fire.
In 1882, a Perseverance Saw Mill re-emerged at Nowra Creek, Hyam had died by this time, however Brown was in charge of the new establishment.
In 1892, it was reported that Brown had made improvements to the Nowra Creek Mill, and that he had an assortment of hardwood timber in his Berry Street yard.
The name Perseverance in cricket began in 1882-83, when it was used by the Terara club, influences by Aizley Hyam (a nephew of the Aizley Hyam behind the formation of the saw mill).
Hyam was a player of the day whose family may have provided some sponsorship. While it was short-lived at that time, Perseverance entered into the second season of the Shoalhaven Association and won the premiership in 1895-96.
In that era, its home ground was developed on the western side of the Bridge Hotel, and parish priest Father James Norris was both a player and secretary before he was transferred to Bombala.
After an absence of almost 30 years, Perseverance returned to the first grade competition, as a Nowra team in 1926-27 and won three consecutive premierships, all grand finals being played on the Recreation Ground.
It was a powerful combination and changed little from year to year.
Captain Jack Pepper was one of eight players to feature in all three premierships, the others being his brother Herb, Basil Emery, George Fletcher, Reg Goodsell, Jack Ison, Arthur and Bob Jennings.
The club won again in 1931-32, and its last season was 1934-35.
- The information in this article was kindly provided by the Shoalhaven Historical Society.
