William Whelan b.1873

William, the tenth and youngest child of John and Mary was born in Carlton, and would have grown up first at Rathdowne Street, then Princess Street

At the age of 30 he was living with his widowed mother at 75 Princess Street, and was an actor.

At the age of 45, William was a victim of the terrible pneumonic influenza epidemic which swept across Australia. He was still single and was living at the Victorian Men’s Mission in La Trobe Street, centre of Melbourne, when he was taken to the Grant Street Hospital.

He was attended to by Dr Kevin McCarthy, but just days after his admission William died. He was laid to rest on 15 May 1919. His death notice was placed in both the Age and the Argus newspapers on Saturday 17 May 1919:

“WHELAN—on the 14th May, William (Clemo) the beloved youngest son of the late Mary and John Whelan, carrier of Carlton; and brother of Mrs C.A. Coulson, Mrs W. Coulthard, Mrs H. Westerdale, Michael and John Whelan. Interred privately. Rest in Peace”.