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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: lilac care on Saturday 08 August 09 10:57 BST (UK)
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I would be grateful to hear from anyone who knows about the family of The Rev William Thomas Currie, born Co Derry in 1863. Who were his parents? Did he have any siblings? He married a Queenie Spreull in 18796 and went to New Zealand in 1904. How many children did they have?
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Welcome to Rootschat. Currie is a common Co Londonderry surname and civil registration of births in Ireland started 1864. To trace the family in Ireland you'll need to know both their religion (to search for church records) and where they lived (parish if not actual townland).
Fortunately ministers can be fairly easy to trace. William T. Currie was minister of Ballywatt Presbyterian Church (outside Coleraine)- lic. Coleraine Presbytery, ordained 31 Mar.1891, emigrated to N.Z. 1904 according to History of Congregations.
Another source, The Presbytery of Coleraine, gives more details: William Thomas Currie, from Ballinteer and member of 1st Dunboe "though the family presumably had been Covenanters [Reformed Presbyterian] for in the Presbytery minutes in 1881 his older brother Samuel was accepted by the Presbytery as a student from the Reformed Church.
Rev. Samuel Curry (later D.D.) ordained 1st Dunboe 1883 as missionary to N.Z.
A sister married Joseph Longwell of Waverley Terrace in Coleraine.
William Thomas Currie married 1896 Queene (only daughter of Dr. John Spruell, Richmond, Vrginia, U.S.A.) and had a son and a daughter.
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Sarah Currie m.1898 Co. Derry to Joseph Longwell.
Picture of Queenie Spreull mentioned in Virginia collection here:
www.vahistorical.org/research/photo_individuals_s.htm
1891 Census for Scotland lists Queenie Spreull born Virginia with parents John (born Lerwick, Shetland) and Mary (born Virgnia) as well as brothers James & George (also born Viriginia) and sister Bessie (born Scotland).
Added- marriage of William and Queenie seems to have taken place in Scotland (which makes sense if her family were living there). Scottish marriage certificates have lots of details like names of both parents. See Scotland's People website to purchase credits to view certificate.
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I am also looking for information on William and Queenie - I have their lineage downwards - but am looking for anything before them - their parents, grandparents etc
William Thomas Currie m. Queenie Spreull
b. 1863 Clergyman
- had a son John Viera Spreull Currie who married Mary Donaldson Semple
- John Viera and Mary had son John Lennox Currie married to Patricia Roberts - my grandparents
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Hi All,
I have just found a newspaper cutting from NZ were the Rev William Thomas Currie married his nephew in Auckland NZ as follows:
Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 215, 8 September 1917, Page 12
MARRIAGES.
Currie-Ross On September 5th at St Andrew's Church Symond Street Auckland by the Rev William Currie (Uncle of the bride groom) Edward Currie Lieutenant N.Z.D.C, thirid son of John Currie, Ponsonby, to Marjorie Constance, second daughter of G. R. Ross, Stanley Point. Devonport.
That would make Rev William Currie a brother to my Currie family, John Currie who married Sarah Keyes and Joseph Lyons Currie who married Sarah's sister Eliza Jane Keyes.
I know that John & Joseph was from Coleraine Ireland in fact both brothers married there before leaving for NZ
Apart from this cutting I have no proof as yet that this is correct, would love to hear back what others have.
Thanks.
Noel
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I have found an immigration record for Joseph Curry, aged 28 farm labourer from Derry arriving on the Dover Castle with assisted immigration on 27th May 1875. He is accompanied by Eliza Jane, aged 23 and George, aged 1.
I have found a record for the death of Joseph Lyons Curry in the New Zealand BMDs in 1917.
There are cemetery records for Waikaraka (Area 1 Block 1 Lot No 144B for John Currie died 17.04.1921 aged 70. The transcribed inscription reads "In loving memoery of John Currie died 17 April 1921 aged 70 yrs. And his dearly loved wife Sarah died 11 Nov 1932 aged 80 yrs. Also their beloved sons John Guthrie died 10 Nov 1932 aged 37 yrs. And William Alexander died 9 Jan 1926 aged 42 yrs."
This is all very exciting! I thought I had lost the trail on the Curries. If you can identify any other children for William Guthrie Curry and Isabella I would love to know!
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Have a look at my web site on the following link opening at the Currie surname list: http://homepages.vodafone.co.nz/~noelkeyes/names3.htm#currie.
Still looking into see if William Thomas Currie was a brother to John & Joseph, can anyone confirm this.
I have found the graves in the Otahuhu Cemetery as below and as luck happens I am traveling to Auckland tomorrow and will only be a stones throw away from the Otahuhu Cemetery so will see if I can find the graves and take some photos.
They have made a typo error in entering the data online Lula should be Lulu, I have some other info on Lulu and her brother that I will post later on in the week as I have to look for it.
Name CURRIE, WILLIAM THOMAS
Details M: died 20-05-1930: aged 67
Place Otahuhu
Location Area 2 Lot No 635
Remarks Burial Register has aged 67 yrs died 20.5.1930
Transcription " Rev. W T Currie, died May 30, 1930, also Maria Elizabeth Spreull Currie, died 15th Dec, 1961. Lula Annette Currie, died 10th March 1964."
Name CURRIE, MARIA EIZABETH S
Details F: died 15-12-1961:
Place Otahuhu
Location Area 2 Lot No 635
Remarks Burial Register has aged -- died 15.12.1961
Transcription " Rev. W T Currie, died May 30, 1930, also Maria Elizabeth Spreull Currie, died 15th Dec, 1961. Lula Annette Currie, died 10th March 1964."
Name CURRIE, LULA ANNETTE
Details F: died 10-03-1964:
Place Otahuhu
Location Area 2 Lot No 635
Remarks Burial Register has aged -- died 10.3.1964
Transcription " Rev. W T Currie, died May 30, 1930, also Maria Elizabeth Spreull Currie, died 15th Dec, 1961. Lula Annette Currie, died 10th March 1964."
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Yep, I had the cemetery records for William Thomas, thank you. Actually, Lula is right - it's not Lulu. Isabel was known as Sybil and I gather she was killed in a house fire in Dunedin.There was another daughter, Queen Marea Ramos (b. 1906) married Kenneth Arnold North in 1931 and they had a son, Roger Kenneth, who suffered from microcephaly and died from an epileptic fit in 1954, aged 17. He was resident at the Farm School, Templeton. Queen died on 20th December 1970 at Mercy Hospital Palmerston North of intestinal cancer. Kenneth died in 1991.
Your tree links up to the wrong Currie, which is worrying! But Guthrie is the second given name of William Thomas's father, William Guthrie Curry.
Have you found the Rev Samuel Wilson Currie? He is the Rev William Thomas' brother. He married a Katherine (possibly Fleming). Their daughter, Hilda, married into the Milne missionary family and their son was William Fleming Currie, a surgeon. they also had a daughter, Kate. They were also in New Zealand.
There is also a son, Adam, who went to New Zealand and then came back to Glasgow (they appear on the 1901 census). His wife was Maggie and they had five children: Lizzie, Mary, William, Esther and Sarah. I think it was Esther who married a Mr Wilson and was a witness at the marriage of my grandparents, Vieira and Mary Donaldson (nee Semple).
I have tracked three sisters: Annie, who married Robert McClelland, Margaret, who remained unmarried, Esther, who married Robert Hyndeman, and Sarah, who married Joseph Longwell. They all stayed in N. Ireland and can be found on censuses for 1901 and 1911.
I wonder if a Dr Robert Currie on the 1901 and 1911 census is also a brother.
There is also a Catherine Currie, who appears on the 1901 census as a widow, with two children, Isabella and Samuel. I think she is a sister-in-law of my great grandfather.
You might be interested to read my grandfather's WW1 diary. It is to be found on the Europeana website. His name was Vieira John Spreull Currie.
Good luck in Auckland (my father's birthplace!)
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Well back again from Auckland and sorry that I have no cemetery info as it never stopped raining or blowing while in Auckland and did not feel like walking around a cemetery in the pouring rain sorry perhaps next time.
OK Lula Lulu info the paper must have got that one wrong (a typo) as I did see her name printed as LuLu my mistake - sorry.
Now I am most interested were you say my tree links up with the wrong Curries as far as I was aware in my research I had it correct however could you please advise as I do agree if I have got it wrong it is a worry.
Just to make it clear I have never said for sure that John and Joseph Currie was any relation to the Rev William Currie, I was only exploring the possibility as the Currie/Ross wedding notice states married by Rev William Currie uncle of the bride groom.
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Auckland sounds like England - wet and windy. At least you have an excuse - it's winter! We're supposed to be having summer!
I think Lula was called Lulu sometimes. Did you say you saw something in a paper? Is she newsworthy! I know she was a teacher, visiting England for a year and also went to Canada to visit her uncle (her mother's brother).
Well, it certainly makes sense that there were two more brothers out in New Zealand. However, William Thomas and Samuel Wilson were both Presbyterian ministers and I think the family was VERY Presbyterian (William's wife, Queenie, came from a long line of Scottish Covantanters - the Spreulls). So the fact that your tree says Joseph Lyons married Eliza Keyes at the Church of Ireland St Patrick, Coleraine, is a bit unsettling!
John and Sarah Keys looks more promising, if only because their son, John has the second given name of "Guthrie" (which is also a given name for John's father (if that is who it is!!) The cemetery notes would make him born 1881 (your tree has him born 1895). And William Alexander in 1884. The list of births to this couple from the NZ BMDs also lists a Christina (b. 1880) and a Charles (b. 1888). I'll go back in a minute to see if I can find an Edward - that would make the marriage announcement you found make sense.
Then all we need to do is link this John to Joseph Lyons and you!
then we can be cousins!!! (I have now discovered cousins in Virginia, Canada, and Lincolnshire - to name but a few!)
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This is getting very interesting, two things I do know for sure is that Eliza Jane and Sarah Keyes are my family members, I also have Sarah Keyes and John Currie's marriage cert (I will try to attach to this posting) so I am reasonably happy with them, now when it comes to Joseph you are starting to make me wonder for the following reasons.
1. Joseph and Eliza separated and lived apart (not a big one in todays world but back then was not all that common as by then they had two kids).
2. Joseph ended up digging gum in the North and by what I can gather died with not too much to his name were John done very well for himself (again not a biggie as I know this does happen within families).
3. On Josephs death print out his fathers name is listed as Adam Currie, on John & Sarah's marriage cert John's father is listed as Edward Currie however on his death print out it is listed as Adam Currie at this point I am confused if they don't know their fathers name what show have I got.
I thought and might have jumped to conclusions that John & Joseph were brothers perhaps they were cousins or some other Currie family all together, my gut feeling tells me no they are brothers.
I am not too sure what info that you have on Joseph and John but I will try to attach what I have to this posting.
The following link will take you to the paper cutting were I picked out LuLu Currie
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=NZH19310113.2.5.5&cl=search&srpos=2&e=-------10--1----2%22LuLu+Currie%22--&st=1
I hope you can understand why I am confused and can shine some light on the subject, I would like to obtain Joseph's marriage and birth info and Johns Birth info and this would I hope clear there fathers name up.
I have the same problem with Sarah as on her marriage cert it lists her father as John Keys this is not correct should be George must have been too much wine flowing.
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The newspaper cutting described the wedding where my father, aged five, was the page boy. We still have the " suit of primrose crepe de chine"! My father is now 88! Wonderful!
I have been scouring Emerald Ancestors but have had no joy trying to sort out these Currys! It's too far back. I've also had a look at Scotlandspeople because around that time there was a lot of migration of the Presbyterians from Western Scotland to Ireland, but no joy there, either. I agree with you that Joseph and John are brothers. The fact that Joseph has the name Lyons as a given name and John's mother's maiden name is Lyons according to his death certificate would support this.
I have a marriage certificate for William Guthrie Curry (aged 21) to Isabella Pollock (aged 21) at the Registrar's Office, Coleraine, on 7th January 1846. William's father is Thomas, a farmer and Isabella's is Samuel Pollock, also a farmer, of Quilly Head. (I am hopeless at IT so don't know how to attach it!) So I don't think your two are brothers to him.
I can definitely link William Guthrie and Isabella to the Rev William Thomas, the Rev Samuel Wilson et al. There are missing sons in my tree, however.
I wonder if your Edward (or Adam!) is a brother of William Guthrie. The fact the marriage announcement for Edward (jnr) refers to the Rev WT as "uncle" may be a bit of licence. My instinct is that there is definitely a connection, though. That name Guthrie crops up again. I downloaded the photo of John from your tree. I think I can detect the dimple in the chin that has come down to my father through his father!
By the way - have you found Edward Guthrie Currie's World War One record? You can download it from http://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz. My Vieira's is there, too.
Can you send me details of your family and how you link up to John and Joseph? It is lovely to think there are still some of my relatives in New Zealand - I thought they had all died out because my father is an only child, two of his aunts never married and the other one (the wedding notice one) had a son who died young).
You've certainly stirred me up - I had virtually given up on this bit of my tree!
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I am not a blood relation to the Currie's, Sarah Currie nee Keyes is my Great, Great Aunt (I think that is correct) Sarah Keyes and Alexander George Keyes are sister & brother and Alexander George is my Great Grand Father.
My Dad who passed away early this year at aged 92 told me that he can remember being taken to Edward Currie's dental practice by his father as a kid and how he hated it nothing has changed as I hate dentists too.
I guess that your Dad can shine no light on the subject either if he is anything like my Dad he was not interested in family history.
I have just been adding to the family tree as I find information, I find it fascinating and love the challenge to fit the pieces together as you say I think that there is a link between the two families it's just a matter of finding that one bit that links it all together.
It was interesting to hear that the page boy was your Dad and you still have the suit that he wore.
I have scanned though database after database and cannot find any Irish records (birth) on John & Joseph Currie also so my Keyes family in Ireland, I am hopeful one day that I will get lucky.
I am glad that I have stirred you up and got you looking at the Currie family again and if we do find that link you will again have relatives in NZ. ::) ::)
If you want further info on what I have just let me know, Attached is Joseph Currie's shanty, the book say's around 1921 Joseph died in 1917 (cannot remember the name of the book) I would love to think that the old guy with the beard is old Joe but who knows the photo might be earlier than 1917.
The name Montague crops up in Joe's "Will".