Funeral notice for William Staniland 1917

My great-great-grandfather's funeral notice. William Staniland was born in Grantham, Lincolnshire in 1861, son of a farmer James STANILAND (1826-1906) and his wife Frances nee COATES (1828-1903). He was one of at least eight children. In the 1881 census he was a groom for a Surgeon at Long Bennington, Lincolnshire, and sailed for Sydney some time between 1881 and 1885 where he married Ann 'Annie' SNAPE (1861-1940, born Staffordshire) at St Bartholomew’s, Pyrmont. William stated he lived at Forest Lodge (next to Glebe) and was a gardener. They had three children, Albert (1885-1939), William James (1886-1962) and Ethel Frances (1891-1976).

William and Annie lived at Hereford St Glebe around the period 1900-1912, and by 1914 had moved to Bay St Croydon (just around the corner from their son, my great-grandfather in Burns St - see previous post with that house).

Beyond his marriage certificate (gardener in 1885) I know little of William's occupation - in the 1903 NSW Electoral Roll he is also listed as a gardener. When William died in 1917 his occupation was given as 'Shop Assistant, Clothing'. William died at Western Suburbs Hospital (which was knocked down at least 10 years ago but I drove past it every time we drove to my grandparents in Croydon). His cause of death was 'Chronic nephritis, uraemia' which collectively probably represents kidney failure/disease.

His funeral notices:

The Sydney Morning Herald
Friday 29 June 1917


Funerals


STANILAND - The Friends and Relations of Mrs ANN STANILAND are kindly invited to attend the Funeral of her dearly beloved HUSBAND, William ; to leave her residence, Glenwood, Bay-street, Croydon, THIS FRIDAY, at 1:30 pm, for Methodist Church Cemetery, Rookwood, via Croydon Station. Tel I1143, F J FIELD, Funeral Director, Ashf.
STANILAND - The Friends of ALBERT and ETHEL STANILAND are kindly invited to attend the Funeral of their dearly loved FATHER, to leave their residence, Glenwood, Bay-street, Croydon, THIS FRIDAY, at 1:30 pm, for Methodist Church Cemetery, Rookwood, via Croydon Station.
STANILAND - The Friends of Mr and Mrs W J STANILAND are kindly invited to attend the Funeral of their dearly loved FATHER, to leave Glenwood, Bay-street, Croydon, THIS FRIDAY, at 1:30 pm, for Methodist Church Cemetery, Rookwood, via Croydon Station.
STANILAND - The Friends of HARRY STANILAND are kindly invited to attend the Funeral of their dearly loved BROTHER, William, to leave his late residence, Glenwood, Bay-street, Croydon, THIS FRIDAY, at 1:30 pm, for Methodist Church Cemetery, Rookwood, via Croydon stn.
STANILAND - The members of COURT EXCELSIOR, No 7945, A.O.F. Croydon, are requested to attend the Funeral of our late Brother, WILLIAM STANILAND, which will leave the W.S. Cottage Hospital, Croydon, for the Methodist Cemetery, Rookwood, THIS AFTERNOON, Friday June 29.

I know little of the Court Excelsior... A.O.F. stands for 'Ancient Order of Foresters', a 'Friendly Society' ostensibly formed to provide insurance policies for sickness and unemployment. However, it appears a small number of AOF's existed as 'Courts' (such as the one in Croydon) that were 'ritual-based Courts that performed the Ancient Ritual of the Society', which appears to be akin to the Masonic practices. The initiation appears to have been lengthy (see for example http://www.stichtingargus.nl/vrijmetselarij/aof_r.html).

William was buried at Rookwood Methodist cemetery. He is buried with his wife, brother (of whom I know almost nothing) and son.