Susanna Freymark
A jewellers in a country town becomes a place of stories — it is a shiny, bejewelled history of the people living there.
Young couples choosing a wedding ring. A nervous man selecting an engagement ring. Christenings, graduations, celebrations and even crowns for Beef Week Queens.
In Casino — Pinkertons Jewellers is the place for those stories.
Nearly everyone in Casino knew Nella Pinkerton who died of cancer on March 8. She was 94.
Nella’s son Jon Pinkerton said if someone came into the shop and couldn’t afford a wedding ring, Nella would say — we can’t have that — and she’d tell them to pay for the ring after the wedding.
“Mum wouldn’t say a bad word about anyone,” Jon said.
“She said, ‘if you can’t say something nice about someone, say nothing. ’”
She always saw the positive side of things, he said.
Even in her own ending.
“She wanted to drop dead in the shop. She thought it would be amusing,” Jon said.
“Mum requested that we get the ‘really good’ champagne and toast her death and not be sad.”
Nella died in her sleep at her home in Casino on Saturday, March 8.
Jon, his partner Cass, and a family friend did just that – they had a glass of the ‘good’ champagne with Nella as she lay in bed.
How did Elizabeth Ellen Elliott known as Nella end up in the heart of Casino?
Harry and Lillian Pinkerton had a shop in Crookwell near Goulburn. Harry didn’t like the cold and when a travelling salesman suggested Casino as a place to live, Lillian and Harry went and checked it out.
So, they moved there and opened Pinkertons.
Their son Clive Pinkerton eventually ran the Casino jewellery shop.
Nella was born in Casino and lived out of town at Clovass.
When she was 17, she got a job at Pinkertons.
Clive was her boss and he “chased her and married her,” Jon said.
“They would have been the talk of the town.”
Clive and Nella married at the Anglican Church in Lismore.
They had their honeymoon at the Hydro Majestic Hotel in the Blue Mountains.
“She learned to play golf,” Jon said.
Nella had a serenity and calmness about her.
“She liked making a difference in customers’ lives.”
As Jon talks about his mother, a customer comes into the shop. The man offers his condolences. He shows us the watch he’s wearing that Nella recommended he buy. It’s an unusual watch made out of rose gold.
“I’ve renamed the watch Mrs P,” he said.
He holds out his arm to give us a clearer view of Mrs P — as if Nella herself were there and can see it.
Jon nursed his mother at home before she died. She loved going for a drive.
“She never complained about anything,” Jon said.
Jon said without Cass supporting him at home and in the shop, he couldn’t have done it all.
Jon intends to keep Pinkertons open and with the shop in its 91st year, he would like to celebrate 100 years of Pinkertons in Casino.
On the day of the funeral on Thursday, March 20 at about noon, the hearse will make a slow procession past Pinkertons on Barker Street.
All are welcome to line the pavement to give a final wave to Nella Pinkerton.
Federal MP Kevin Hogan said Nella was a Casino icon.
“I’ll miss her as will many in our community,” he said.
Richmond Valley mayor Robert Mustow said he was saddened by Nella’s passing.
“The Pinkerton name has been linked to Casino for decades,” he said. “Nella was an icon in our community — she will be sadly missed.”
The funeral service is at St Marks Church, Barker St at 11am on Thursday, March 20.
Live streaming will be available for the service here – https://parkviewfunerals.com.au/elizabeth-ellen-pinkerton/