Fromelles missing - CURRAN (b NSW, enlisted Brisbane)

[deeiluka]

I've had a reply from one of the GR Curran tree owners, and unfortuantely he knows nothing more about Rose A Curran and Catharine Curran other than than what we already have.   


Dee

[Auimfo]

Still struggling with this one but the more I go through everything here, the more that Catherine Curran born to Michael and Anne in Maitland and dying in Brewarrina seems to fit the bill best.   (However I don't think she was the one living with John Henry Nolan because she was only 11 y.o at the time of his arrest for murder.)

The letter from his fiance' stating he'd mentioned to her that his mother worked in a hotel in Victoria must have been a comment he made some time prior to his enlistment and obviously Kate had come back to the Coonamble area since he said that.   Why else would he put her address as Coonamble in 1915 if she was supposedly in Victoria?

The only thing that concerns me is that Joseph enlisted in July 1915 so his mother must have died in the couple of months after that.......BUT.....that might explain the service file mention of his 'special request' for his possessions to go to his fiance' Jemima Kitching (probably specified in his will).    Those possessions included a notebook (diary most likely) and a photo (hopefully of him).

Jemima didn't wait terribly long after his death - she married in 1916 to James Joynson in Qld.   I believe I have found that branch of the Joynson's and with a bit of luck they might still be in possession of Joseph's notebook and photo.   Fingers crossed!!

Cheers,
Tim L.

[deeiluka]

Oh I do hope so, Tim.   

I haven't had any contact back from the second GR tree owner, I'm afraid.


Dee

[Auimfo]

Well, a search for Curran's fiance's family proved quite enlightening and certainly threw up a few twists in the tale.

Jemima Kitching married James Joynson in 1916 however they never had children (he already had three daughters from a prior marriage).   I located his grandaughter via one of these daughters and she informed me that James had died before Jemima and when she died she left all her possessions to a Joe Kitching.   Now Joe has since died but the grandaughter knew of his stepson.

Sooooooooo........I traced the stepson and spoke with him.   He confirmed that Joe had married his mother some time after his father died.   He also told me that Joe never had any children of his own.   Unfortunately he knew nothing of a notebook or diary that may have been passed on to Joe.   BUT the most important thing he told me was that Joe was actually Jemima's son, born prior to her marriage to James Joynson and that he never really knew who his father was!!!!!!!!

A quick check of the records showed that Joseph Charles Kitching was born in Qld in 1909 to Jemima (no father listed).   Could Joseph Curran be his father??

Initially I thought he may have been named Joseph after Curran but a quick look through the Kitchings of Howard/Bundamba areas of Qld quickly showed there was a large Kitching family who had come from Scotland, the head of whom was Joseph Charles Kitching (a name that seems to follow in this family).   Thus it's quite feasible that Joe was named after Jemima's father, uncle etc.   (I haven't been able to locate her birth yet)

Nevertheless, it's possible that Joe Kitching was Joseph Curran's son - we'll just never know for sure and unfortunately it won't help as he has passed away and left no children.

Cheers,
Tim L.

[deeiluka]

Well, no matter what the final outcome of the search for relatives of Joseph James Curran, what twists and turns and interesting developments have been experienced.

Thans for sharing that, Tim.......a  bit more to this fascinating story..........   

I know Just Moi will be fascinated to read it when she gets back on board. 


Dee

[Ruskie]

Great detective work Tim. Such a shame it led to a dead end, but as Dee said, fascinating nevertheless. 

[majm]

Hi All, especially Dee,

What a twisting tale, Dee you are spot on in recognising this tale fascinates us.

I think perhaps that we all recognise we are finding several different families with the surname Curran.  Perhaps we need to know the details on the Brewarrina death - her age and her place of birth and her children's details.  I am considering ordering the transcript, (not the full certificate, just the full transcript), but it usually takes a couple of weeks for that to arrive.   

It could be that we are way of track in considering that death at Brewarrina, but I think it will be an elimination task that could help, and would like to read what other RChatters think.  If you think a different certificate may give better genie info to help unravel the tale, please give us the heads up.

Have we searched the online index for a possible Victorian death for Kate Curran, not sure but just in case!

Would anyone know if the NSW State Archives at Kingswood have further details on their fische images for the Pioneer register please?   

JM

[Andcarred]

Hi All,

The Catherine Curran who died at Brewarrina was born in Maitland in 1869 to Michael and Anne Curran and was therefore about 46 years old when she died. 

It is not certain she is the mother of the soldier who was born in Maitland but she is the most likely suspect.  It will depend on how well she was known by the person who gave the details on her death certificate and if they knew of any children she had.

Andcarred

[majm]

Hi All, especially Andcarred,

I am considering ordering the transcript referenced 7456 for 1915 death at Brewarrina, - Catherine Curran, daughter of Michael and Ann.   But, ummm, how do we know with certainity that she was definitely the lass born in Maitland in 1869 (13249 reference, with parents Michael and Anne) if we know that for certain, then perhaps ........ Oh....... and of course all RChatters realise the un-reliable  info often given by grieving family members to the clerks preparing death certificates-  if only we could find a transcript for the cemetery records for Brewarrina, or a newspaper cutting for the 1915 funeral service. 

JM