Sadly we lost our first Baines brother on Saturday, Ivan.
Ivan was the 2nd eldest of the 5 boys who are the children of Herbert Baines and Stella Glover, Yeelanna.
A hard working family, Ivan's father, Herbert, came to Eyre Peninsula at age 16 from York, England in 1922 as part of the Barwell Boys Farm Apprentices scheme. He undertook a 3 year apprenticeship with Amos Skipworth of Yeelanna.
In 1927, Herbert bought Section 33, Hundred of Shannon which is still farmed today by 2 of his sons and their families.
Over the years, Herbert, Stella and their 5 boys all worked together to buy a farming property for each brother in their own right. 1 son at Ungarra, 2 sons at Lock and the younger 2 of the 5 remained on and around Section 33 near Karkoo.
Late last year I asked them to sit for a group photo. They automatically sat in order of age, I didn't realise until after I'd taken the shots.
All into their 70's now, they are all still actively involved with farming.
So it is with great sadness that we say goodbye to Ivan who was always the life of the party. A jovial, active man who loved nothing better than travelling back up to Lock to help his son, who now runs the farm.
I will miss him dearly, his banter at the dinner table and stories of their adventures as 5 rascally farm boys. Their poor mother, what a handful they would have been, but she did an amazing job raising 5 hard working, resilient sons who I am privileged to know.
RIP dear Ivan. xxx
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