Family background
Maurice (or Morris) Perkins was born 16 June 1888 at Sydney, NSW, the son of Judah Perkins and Elizabeth Myers. He married Rachael Levy (1891-1966) 28 December 1913 at Newtown, NSW. Perkins died 13 July 1966, aged 78 years, at a private hospital in Rose Bay, NSW, and he was interred in the Jewish Section of Rookwood Cemetery. He lived at 424 King Street, Newtown.
Occupation & interests
Maurice (Morris) Perkins was a Freemason and a member of Lodge Progress No135.
Community activity
Maurice Perkins was a member of the Board of Management and the President of the Western Suburbs Synagogue. He was also president of the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital’s Ex-Patients Association for seven years, was a life governor of that institution and also vice-president of the Newtown District Chamber of Commerce. He was vice-president of the Hospital Saturday Fund, secretary of the Darlington AIF Welfare Fund and a member of the Newtown Returned Soldiers Building committee. Perkins was a justice of the peace (JP). Perkins as Darlington Mayor told a Pensioner’s conference in May 1946 that ‘many old people at present living on pensions, pioneered Australia’s industries and deserved a better deal than they were getting’.
Local government service
Maurice (Morris) Perkins was an alderman on Darlington Council in 1938-48. He was mayor in 1946-48. He was elected to the council in April 1938 at a by-election.
References
‘Council By-Election’, The Sun, 24 April 1938, p. 2, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article229873008
‘Civic Honour for Fine Municipal Worker’, The Hebrew Standard of Australasia, 10 January 1946, p. 4, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article120623935