24. Thomas Welsh Home

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Thomas Welsh Home – 27 River St

Thomas Welsh Sr. moved to Sunderland in 1880 at the age of 24 and made his home here at the southwest corner of River and Cedar streets. By 1891, he was listed as a grain merchant and became closely associated with Sunderland’s grist mill, where grain from surrounding farms was stored, milled and shipped by rail.

Welsh’s mill also played an unusual role in bringing electricity to Sunderland. By 1916, the mill had a steam-powered generator. During the day, it supplied power to operate the mill; at night, the generator provided electricity to the village until midnight. The milling business later became part of the Sunderland Co-Op in 1950.

Thomas Welsh also served the community as postmaster for more than 30 years, from 1894 until 1925. His son Arthur then took over as postmaster and served until 1939. During the Second World War, Arthur’s wife, Ruby Miller, continued the family’s association with the post office, serving until 1945.

Arthur Welsh had a distinguished military career. He served as a pilot during the First World War and returned to military service during the Second World War, when he commanded an anti-tank battery. In 1945, he was decorated by General Bernard Montgomery for his actions during the Italian Campaign.

Arthur also pursued a career in public service. He served as a Member of the Ontario Legislature and later as Sheriff of Ontario County. He and Ruby eventually moved to Whitby, and the Sunderland house passed to their son Tom in 1956.

The appearance of the Welsh home evolved along with the family. A 1906 view shows a white picket fence and wooden porch. In 1920, a substantial new concrete porch was added along the north and east sides of the house, with large pillars supporting upper balconies. A large maple tree also became a prominent feature at the northeast corner of the property.

The Welsh home recalls a family whose activities touched many aspects of Sunderland life—from milling grain and operating the post office to providing some of the village’s earliest electric power.