| Archive for The Royal Marines Band Service On-line Community Bringing the serving and ex serving communities together |
| Karen Welfare |
New to the ForumHi to you all, my name is Karen and I have joined this forum to see if any of you can help me in my search. My husband always thought that he would never now who his father was. John, my husband is 63 and he and I have come to Australia to live.John was born in Gillingham, Kent in 1944, which is where he lived for most of his life until I married John in 2004. We lived in Chatham, Kent until we came to Australia. I have recently sent to UK for a full copy of Johns birth certificate. When it arrived we were amazed to see that Johns Fathers name was on it. John always thought he was illigitamite as his mother never spoke of his Father. Johns Mum died when he was 14 from cancer. Well, after all that explaining I will tell you why I am asking for your help. The birth certificate has on it that Johns Father was a musician in the Royal Marine Band 705. His name was Thomas Alfred William Welfare. As you can imagine after all these years, John not only has a name to put to his Father, but also his occupation. I would dearly love to find out any other information we can find about Johns Dad. If anyone can help me, I would be ever so grateful. My email address is karenjulie@hotmail.com or you can contact me on here. Thanks a lot and thankyou for letting me join this forum. |
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| Nick B |
Welcome to the Forum Karen. I am sure if you are patient the good folk on here will come up with an answer for you, or certinaly point you in the right direction.  
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| Karen Welfare |
thanks Nick. I see you live at Deal, a really lovely place. | ||
| Wolfy |
Welcome Karen, I am sure that before long one of the many members here will pop up and point you in the right direction with your quest. Best of luck with your search.
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| Karen Welfare |
Hi Wolfy, thanks for the warm welcome. I see you come from lovely Deal too. As far as I am concerned there is nowhere else on this earth that is as pretty as Englands countryside. | ||
| sticky blue |
Hi ya Karen - welcome and good luck with your search - I don't live in Deal 
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| lesbryan |
Hi there karen I feel sure someone will help you in your search before too long !!I dont live in Deal either
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| Bomber |
Welcome Karen,
Good luck on your search. Is there a country outside of Deal? |
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| lesbryan |
Yes of course !!.Its called GODS COUNTRY !!.North of the humber !! |
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| General Melchett |
Northumbria? | ||
| mrbassbone |
Hi Karen and welcome. I do not live in Deal either nor even in the UK. to ME...God's Country is Alaska where I was born and raised. Good luck with your search as these Gents are absolutely the best!!! Shell |
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| RAB |
Hi Karen and a very warm welcome to the Forum.
I also think Deal's a lovely place, but I'm as usual just hanging in with the biggest gang as I scare easily. Best of luck with your search, and I'm sure someone will start the ball rolling.... (after the geography lesson). 
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| townsergeant |
Hi Karen.
I have to admit you probably got a lot of the guys worried when you mentioned Birth Certificate, Australia & Royal Marines Band! Good luck with your search. If it's any help to you, I've had a look in the BT Phonebook for this area and there is one 'Welfare' in the listings that lives in Worth (It's about 3 miles from Deal) I'm happy to 'PM' the details, if you wish? BTW, I live in Great Mongeham (attached to Deal!) Billy W |
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| 2nd Clarinet |
I thought the same thing, Billy.................  I was about to deny all responsibility, saw the date he was born and thought of MrBT as the likely suspect in the line-up as he's about the right age.
Welcome to the Forum Karen I don't live in, around or near Deal. (Although I, like about 97% of this forum, were temporary residents there at one time or another.) Someone will help or get you pointed in the right direction. Good luck and keep us informed of your progress. |
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| admin |
Try the Royal Marines Museum in the first instance and the Fleet Air Arm Museum (they hold our records when we leave the service) after that. I'd love to be of more help but someone, somewhere may be able to help. | ||
| Hornblower |
Hi Karen.
I used to be at Chatham in the Royal Marines Band service. That's where any similarity with your story ends. I too was not born when your Dad was, but I do know the town of Deal. Even lived there once in a lovely hotel with round windows at each end. The dinner bell was quite large and bulgers used to polish it. But none of this is helping you in your search for your Dad's dad. My Dad was at Chatham in 1944 and was a Royal Marine too! But he was a fighter not a musician/bulger. i.e. he wasn't in the Royal Marines Band. I'm sad to say that he died some years ago, so he won't be able to throw any light on who Bandsman Welfare was. I hope you've been in contact with my old mate Townsergeant about the Welfare in the phone book. Keep us posted!
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| Karen Welfare |
Hi Townsergeant[quote="townsergeant"]Hi Karen.I have to admit you probably got a lot of the guys worried when you mentioned Birth Certificate, Australia & Royal Marines Band! Good luck with your search. If it's any help to you, I've had a look in the BT Phonebook for this area and there is one 'Welfare' in the listings that lives in Worth (It's about 3 miles from Deal) I'm happy to 'PM' the details, if you wish? BTW, I live in Great Mongeham (attached to Deal!) Billy W[/quote] Sorry I haven't replied until now, have been too busy to get on the computer.It would be great if you could pm the details about the Welfare you mentioned. I would also like to thank you and everyone else on this forum for making me feel so welcome. You are a great bunch! 
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| townsergeant |
PM sent to Karen and reply received......Many thanks! |