Curran Wright History

Category: Family

  • Josephenna Theresa Wright – Castlemaine

    1945 – Josephenna Theresa Wright (nee Cramer) is living in Castlemaine.

    • Josephenna is living in the Castlemaine Benevolent Asylum. She is diabetic and has gone blind.
    • Castlemaine Benevolent Asylum initially provided refuge to poor and homeless people. Then from 1900, aged and frail people, and people with disabilities.

    1958 – Josephenna Theresa Wright dies. She is 85 years old.

    Further information on Castlemaine Benevolent Asylum

  • Herbert Curran and Kelleen Cullinan

    My paternal grandparents, Herbert Curran and Kelleen (also known as Queenie) Cullinan met in 1918 at the Pooncarie Ball (in New South Wales, Australia).

    Herb and Queenie wedding day

    They married on June 4, 1919 at Mullingar Station (New South Wales), in a dual wedding with Herb’s mate, Ernie Page who married Herb’s sister, Annie Herbert. Herb was 22 years old, Kelleen was 20 years old.

    Herbert and Kelleen lived at the following places during their life together:

    • 1919 Curlwaa (corner of Channel and Poplar roads, lot 5, section 2), Victoria. This was a dried fruit and citrus block.
    • 1920 Mullingar Station, Pooncarie, New South Wales
    • 1921 – Telegraph Hotel, Pooncarie, New South Wales
      • Herb and Kelleen lived in the original slab hotel building (erected 1875 – demolished 1925) which had an iron iron roof, and was located on McKinley and Mallara Street. 
      • The existing Telegraph Hotel (see image below) began life in 1922, the year Herb and Kelleen moved to Benetook Avenue. This hotel was completed in 1925.Telegraph Hotel, Pooncarie

    1925 Telegraph Hotel, Pooncarie (Photo by Greg Curran 2009)

    • 1922 – Benetook Avenue, Mildura, Victoria
      • Mud brick or adobe house, destroyed in Murray River floods in 1956 (Curran, D. The Family History of Michael Curran1836-1997)
    Benetook Avenue, Mildura, 2011
    Benetook Avenue, 2011
    • 1925 – Cowra Avenue, Mildura
    • 1926 – 1939 66 Eighth Street, Mildura
    • 1939 – 1972 Thirteenth Street, Mildura (Herbert and Kelleen)
      • This was a fruit block (grapes and citrus)
    13st Mildura (next to rail-line) in 2011
    • 1972 (1st November) Herb dies of a heart attack
      • He is buried at Mildura Lawn Cemetery
    • 1972 – 1993 Thirteenth Street, Mildura (Kelleen)
    • 1993 Kelleen dies.
      • She is buried at Mildura Lawn Cemetery
    At their 13th Street. Mildura property

    See Herbert Curran page for additional photos.

  • Michael Curran

    Michael Curran is my 2nd great grandfather (paternal side). He is the father of my great grandfather, Patrick Curran.

    Michael’s date of birth in 1881 is unknown. 

    He married Anne Doyle on 16 August, 1857 in the parish of Delvin (Meath Diocese in County Westmeath) Ireland. The first witness was John King and the second witness was Cathleen Nolan. 

    They lived in Ballagh, County Westmeath where he worked as a shepherd for Mrs Cleary. They raised five children, Mary Byrnes (1858/1859? – ?), Michael Curran (1860-1943), Anne Dalton (1863 – ?), Patrick (1865-1954) and John Curran (1867 – ?).

    Map of Ireland, showing Mullingar
    Ballagh, near Mullingar

    On June 27, 1881 Michael was with friends at the house of Mary McKeon, an aunt of one of his friends on Delvin Road, Rathconnell. On leaving the house he was attacked by Patrick Daly – with a pitchfork, a spade, and a knife. Daly stabbed him 20 times and Michael died the next day. He was 45 years old.

    Delvin Road, Rathconnell

    Michael is believed to be buried in Rathconnell cemetery, Ireland. 

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

  • Victoria Hotel, Tolarno

    Patrick and Isabella Curran moved to the Victoria Hotel, Tolarno in 1901 as licensees. In 1902, there was a theft from the hotel (see article below). 

    Theft at Victoria Hotel-102-rusheenweb
    1902 Theft at Victoria Hotel. Source: rusheensweb.com – Pooncaira

  • Isabella Herbert

    Isabella (also known as Bella) Herbert is my paternal great grandmother, mother of my grandfather, Herbert Curran. She was born on 17 November, 1866 to Margaret James and John Herbert in Wallaroo, South Australia.

    She met Patrick Curran, her husband in Menindee, New South Wales. They married on 5th April, 1896. She was 30 years old. For further information on their life together, see Patrick and Isabella’s page.

    Isabella died on 1 August, 1937 and is buried in Pooncarie cemetery in the Anglican section, row A, plot number 23.

    Patrick_Isabella_Curran1896
    Patrick_IsabellaCurran2
    Isabella, labelled as ‘Granny Curran’, Kelleen Curran (my paternal grandmother), Gordon Curran (baby of Kelleen). Around 1920.
    Isabella Herbert’s birth certificate
    Isabella Herbert’s death certificate
    Isabella’s grave in Pooncarie Cemetery. Photo: Greg Curran, 2009.
    Original photo of Isabella Herbert grave.