The paternal grandparents of the two Welfare boys buried in the Cooper’s Plains Cemetery were Frederick Welfare and Naomi Braysher who were married in the June quarter of 1878. At the time of the 1881 English census, they were living in Kidd’s Cottage, Streat, East Sussex. Their household was listed as follows: Frederick (25, agricultural labourer), Naomi (22), Ada Alice (2) and Agnes Louisa (1). All were born in Wivelsfield except Frederick whose birthplace is given as Lindfield, Sussex.

Over the next decade the family grew with the addition of: Annie Eliza (bap. 20 July 1884), Frederick William (bap. 10 January 1886), Beaconsfield (b. 23 September 1887; bap. 27 November 1887), Ernest John (b. 25 August 1889; bap. 22 September 1889) and Arthur (bap. 4 October 1891)—all christened in Streat.

By the time the census was taken in 1901 the family had moved to Plumpton Green in East Sussex and two more children had been added to the family which then comprised: Frederick (labourer in the Station Road brickyard), Naomi, Frederick William (brickmaker’s help), Beaconsfield (milk boy on farm), Ernest John, Arthur, Edith Naomi (3) and Alfred George (2). The last two mentioned were born in Plumpton. An 18-year-old boarder, Frederick Stevenson (18, labourer; b. Burgess Hill, Sussex) was also living with the Welfares.

Ernest John Welfare emigrated to Australia about 1910 and married Annie Gunthorpe at Darra on 21 October 1911. They became the parents of five sons: Ernest William (b. 5 December 1913), Clifton John (known as Jack, b. 15 October 1915; m. Vera May Cooper 18 July 1936), Donald Frederick (b. 17 March 1918), Cecil Raymond (b. 16 May 1925; m. Grace Ellen Maurer 21 December 1946) and Ernest Douglas (b. 21 June 1929; m. Constance Childs).

Sadly, Ernest William Welfare lived but a few days; and on the day following his death on 9 December 1913 his remains were committed to the earth in ‘Grenier’s Cemetery, Cooper’s Plains’ in the presence of Charles William Lyon (undertaker), the Reverend John Stewart Pollock (Presbyterian minister), and W Sinnamon and Ernest Welfare (witnesses). At that time the family home was in Hassall Street, Corinda.

Donald Frederick Welfare died at the age of 17 on 19 March 1935. He was buried from the family residence in Oxley Road, Corinda, in the Cooper’s Plains Cemetery, on the following day. The burial service was conducted by the Reverend Brian Cavanough of the Presbyterian Church in the presence of HW McDowall (undertaker) and J Dibble and J Dunstan (witnesses).

Annie Welfare, who was born in Bundamba (near Ipswich) on 24 May 1891 to William John and Harriett (née Bailey) Gunthorpe, died on 6 January 1957. She was laid to rest in the monumental section of the Mount Gravatt Cemetery (3A 2 45A) two days later in a service that was conducted by Mr R Turner of the Salvation Army. The funeral left from her residence in Oxley Road, Corinda.