Curran Wright History

Category: Australia

  • Patrick Curran and Isabella Herbert

    My great grandparents, Patrick Curran (1865-1954) and Isabella Herbert (1866-1937) met and married in Menindee, NSW, Australia on 5 April, 1896.

    My grandfather, Herbert Curran (1896-1972) was born at Netley Station where Patrick worked (as a gardener) and they all lived. 

    In 1901 they moved to the Victoria Hotel in Tolarna as licensees. 

    In 1910 they leased the station Patrick named Mullingar. They camped there till their house was built. 

    Patrick and Isabella lived at Mullingar Station till 1937 when Isabella died at the age of 70.

    Patrick moved to Mildura, Victoria, Australia in 1945. He died in 1954 at the age of 89.

    Source: Gordon Curran, The Family History of Michael Curran, 1836-1997.

    Patrick_Isabella_Curran1896
    Patrick_IsabellaCurran2
    Patrick Curran, labelled as ‘Grandfather’ and Isabella Curran, labelled as ‘granny’ (nee Herbert), 1912.

  • Patrick Curran

    Patrick Curran (2nd April,1865 – 10th November, 1954) is my paternal great grandfather, being the father of my grandfather, Herbert Curran. 

    Patrick was born in Ballagh, near Mullingar, Ireland. His parents were Michael Curran (1836-1881) and Annie Doyle (birth year unknown, died about 1881). Patrick went to school at Curraghmore.

    Patrick immigrated to Australia about the age of 18, in 1883 after his father (Michael) was stabbed to death in Rathconnell, Ireland in 1881.

    Patrick lived and worked at:

    • Netley Station, Broken Hill as a gardener
    • Menindee, NSW
      • Met his wife, Isabella Herbert of Wallaroo, South Australia. They married in Menindee on 5th April, 1896. They lived at Netley Station.
    Patrick_IsabellaCurran2
    • 1901, Victoria Hotel, Tolarno, as a licensee with his wife, Isabella. May have been working at Netley Station at the same time.
    • Mullingar Station, Pooncarie – Granted a lease of 14,700 acres with Darling River frontage on 7 December, 1910. He called this property, Mullingar.
    • Travellers Lake, Anabranch. Granted a lease of 13, 878 acres on 16 March, 1936.
    • After 1945 (second world war), Mildura, Victoria. 
    • 1954: Patrick died at the age of 89.

    Source: Gordon Curran, in The Family History of Michael Curran 1836-1997.

  • Glenora Station

    Glenora Station is 12 miles north of Birchip, Victoria, Australia. 

    Michael Cullinan (father to my paternal grandmother, Kelleen Cullinan-Curran) bought part of Marlbed North, a 7000 acre station for his 20 year old son, Andy (Andrew Edward Cullinan:1896-1984) in 1920. 

    One version of the purchase of the land is told below by Sue (unsure of surname) in a letter to Rhonda (unsure of surname) in 2001.

    Story retold from Charolais Agriculture Magazine
    by Sue (niece of Tom) & Col in a letter to Rhonda in 2001.

    Gwen Stannard (Curran, D., 1990, The Family History of James Cullinan) tells another version of the land purchase, writing that Andy and his dad, Michael travelled to Marlbed North near Birchip and paid 3-7-6 (pound, schilling and pence) an acre for it. She says that they named it Glenora.

  • Cuff

    Mary Ann Haywood Cuff was the third wife of my paternal great grandfather, Michael Cullinan (father of Kelleen Cullinan-Curran). They married in 1914 in Wentworth, New South Wales and remained married till Michael’s death in 1924.

  • Burungie Station

    Burungie Station was north of Broken Hill, New South Wales.

    Michael Cullinan and Mary Ann Haywood Cuff

    In 1921, Michael Cullinan purchased a western lands lease in the triangle formed by Menindee, Broken Hill and Wilcannia for 6 pence per acre. The name of the lease was Burungie Station, NSW, Australia.

    Information sources:

    • Private notes by Doug Curran.
    • Gordon Curran in The Family History of James Cullinan (1990). 

    Michael made Jack Plant the station manager. He then lived with Jack Plant and Jack’s daughter, Doll in Broken Hill. No mention is made of his wife, Mary Ann Cuff.

    Source: Gordon Curran, The Family History of James Cullinan, 1990

    In 1924, Michael Cullinan died at 72 years of age. His wife (Mary Ann Haywood-Cuff) and brother were left an annuity of 1 pound per week, his three daughters, 500 pounds. The surplus of the estate was left to his grandchildren.

    Michael Cullinan will details

    Source: Sunday Times, NSW, 29-03-1925