James Curran (1829-1925) was a long standing blacksmith at Redbank. James settled in Araluen in the mid 1860s and married Bedelia O’Donnell on 27 May 1869.
James was born in County Armagh, Ireland about 1829, the son of Bartholomew and Mary Ann Curran. He arrived in Australia in about 1863. He was a blacksmith, as was his father, and his sons Bartholomew and James.
James died in Araluen on 1 November 19251FindaGrave.com, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/175879816/james-curran. Accessed 5 April 2024. from cardiac failure. The Daily Telegraph2Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1883-1930), Wednesday 4 November 1925, p 8. published ‘CURRAN. — November 1st, at his residence, Araluen, N.S.W., James Curran, late Blundell’s Grange, County Armagh, Ireland, in his 96th year.’
The Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal3Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888-1889; 1895; 1897-1954), Friday 6 November 1925, p 2. reported ‘One of the pioneers of the district in the person of Mr. James Curran died at Araluen on Sunday night last at the age of 96 years. At the time of his birth there was no record of ages kept, and there are those who, rightly or wrongly, believe he was older than the stated age. Anyhow, he came to Araluen about 1862, then in the zenith of its golden glory …The deceased, who carried on a blacksmithing business, and who had a host of friends, leaves two sons and four daughters to mourn his loss.’
Bedelia (Delia) O’Donnell (1847-1927) was born at Bally Shannon, County Donegal, Ireland in about 1847, the daughter of Michael O’Donnell and Rose A. Scanlon.4Personal knowledge from Family via Moruya Historical Society. Her father Michael was a miller and the son of Joseph and Mary O’Donnell. Her father Michael died in 1878 in Braidwood, and her mother Rose died in 1917 in Sydney. Bedelia arrived in Australia about 1857 aged 10, and died in Araluen 4 April 1927. In April 1927, the Sydney Morning Herald5Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842-1954), Monday 11 April 1927, p 12. reported ‘CURRAN.—April 4 at her residence, Araluen, Delia Curran in her 83rd year RIP.’
Both Bedelia (Delia) and James Curran are at rest in the Catholic Cemetery, Araluen.6FindaGrave.com, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/175879815/bedelia-curran. Accessed 5 April 2024.
James Curran, a blacksmith is noted in the 1875–76 Greville’s Official Post Office Directory7Greville’s Official Post Office Directory for 1875–1876 https://www.ihr.com.au/secure/html/greville75.html. Accessed 4 April 2024. (p18) in Araluen.
An article titled the Old Hands of Araluen, the Richmond River Herald8Richmond River Herald and Northern Districts Advertiser (NSW : 1886-1942), Friday 22 April 1927, p 2. reported ‘They live long and die happy down there says Mr. George Ellis, of Moleton, who, after an absence, of 45 years recently paid a visit to Araluen [about 1919]— the home of his boyhood days… The strokes of Jim Curran’s hammer still ring “with measured beat and slow” at the village smithy, but Jim Curran of yore is no longer the presiding genius at the anvil. He has had to give way to youth in the person of his son, James, Junr; who has assumed control, with the father as “striker”. The son has passed the allotted span of man; the father is 92 — surely a record. “The old man is slipping a bit the ‘youthful’ one sadly informed the visitor, “he doesn’t work like he used to; I’ll have to pension him off soon”.‘
James and Bedelia had nine children – Bartholomew, Mary Ann, Edward, James (Jim), John, Sarah, Elizabeth, Margaret and Bodelia. It is possible Mary Ann and Edward were twins and Bedelia and Margaret likewise.
1. Bartholomew Curran (1870-1887).9FindaGrave.com, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/174295868/bartholomew-curran Accessed 5 April 2024. The Goulburn Evening Penny Post10Goulburn Evening Penny Post (NSW : 1881-1940), Saturday 26 February 1887, p 5. reported in February 1887 ‘On Tuesday week last Mr Bartholomew Curran, blacksmith who has been working for his father in Araluen, while proceeding with his tools to Smith’s claim to shoe some horses had occasion to jump a fence and in doing so a splinter ran into his thigh. He returned home and became so ill that Dr. Cummings was sent … on Saturday morning he died of lockjaw… The deceased who was about 17 years of age was a very steady and industrious lad and well-liked by all, his parents being highly respected in the Valley. Braidwood Dispatch.’
2. Mary Ann (Sis) Curran (1875-1937). In August 1937 the Catholic Freeman’s Journal11Catholic Freeman’s Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1932-1942), Thursday 12 August 1937, p 23. reported ‘It is with deep regret that we are called upon to report the death of Miss Mary Curran, eldest daughter of the late James and Delia Curran, of Araluen. Deceased, who was born there 61 years ago, was a sister of respected residents, Mr. Jack and Miss Margaret Curran, of Moruya, and Mrs. [Elizabeth] H. Davidson, of Sydney. For many years she was the trusted housekeeper at the local Presbytery for the Rev. Father McCormack.’
3. Edward G. Curran (1875-1875) 12FindaGrave.com, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/174295869/edward-g-curran. Accessed 5 April 2024.
4. James (Jim) Francis Curran (1877-1934). In April 1934, the Braidwood Review13Braidwood Review and District Advocate (NSW : 1914-1954), Tuesday 10 April 1934, p 3. reported ‘The death took place at his residence, Moruya, early on Wednesday evening of Mr. James Curran…The late Mr. Curran was born in Araluen 56 years ago, and when a child dislocated his hip, an injury from which he never fully recovered. Despite this disability he mastered his father’s trade, and when only 12 years of age he could shoe a horse almost as well as any man. After some years of black smithing he was compelled to relinquish work, as, through endeavouring to save, his injured limb, the other leg suffered a strain. Subsequently he went to Moruya to live with his brother Jack and sister. He is survived by one brother, Jack, and three sisters, Misses Maggie and ‘Cis’ Curran (Moruya) and Mrs. Herc Davidson (Sydney).—Examiner.‘
5. John Curran (1879-1949). The Braidwood Review [Braidwood Review and District Advocate (NSW : 1914-1954), Tuesday 28 June 1949, p 3.] published an obituary in June 1949 stating ‘Mr. John Curran, who died on Saturday week at the Moruya District Hospital, had worked in the Premier Butchery for 23 years and was well known and liked throughout the district. Born in Araluen seventy years ago, he worked first in that town for a butcher named Smith and then for the late Mr. Andy Keys. When the latter came to Moruya he came with him. Deceased was the son of James and Bedelia Curran, who came to Araluen from Ireland. He had four sisters and two brothers, all of whom died before him… His many friends in the Araluen district will regret to learn of the passing of Jack Curran. He was a fine, quiet type who was held in the highest respect by all who knew him.’
6. Sarah Jane Curran (1881-1931). Sarah Jane was born in 1881 in Braidwood, NSW and died in Sydney in 1931. The Curran family were very strict Catholics and when Sarah became pregnant to Edward Rose, a non-Catholic, they refused to let her marry him. Sarah left home to live with Edward Rose at Inverell. Sarah and Edward had three children – Doreen, Cecily and Reginald.
- Doreen (Rene) Curran (1907-1976). Doreen (known as Rene) was born on 15 May 1907, Inverell, NSW. Doreen, or Rene, as she was known, was raised by her unmarried aunts and uncles– Sis (Mary Ann) and Mag, Jim and Jack Curran in Araluen, and Rene attended school there. Later the family moved to Moruya, where they had a shop opposite the Catholic School in Queens Street. Rene worked as a housemaid in hotels in Moruya. On 17 April 1929 she married John Sidney Louttit, and they had two children. Rene died on 23 July 1976 in Melbourne and is buried in the Moruya Cemetery.
- Cecily Curran (1909-1910). Cecily was born in 1909 and died in 1910 in Inverell, NSW. Cecily died following burns received when a candle caught fire to her hair and clothing.
- Reginald J. Curran (1910-1978) born in 1910, Inverell. Reginald Curran married Gloria Scully and had children. He died in Sydney on 28 October 1978.
7. Elizabeth Curran (1884-1941). Elizabeth married Hercules I.E. Davidson on 22 February 1908. Elizabeth died in 1941 at Kingsford. Hercules (Herc) Iberia Eden Davidson was born in1885 in Eden and died on 23 March 1954 in Bexley. Herc first married Elizabeth Curran and next married Kathleen Heather Lyon in 1945 in Auburn, Sydney.14Moruya Pioneer Directory (A-H). Compiled by Kay Fensom Boyce. Moruya and District Historical Society, NSW. 2000, p 181. Herc had a shirt factory in Sydney and during WWII made uniform shirts for the armed forces.
8. Margaret Curran (1888-1947). Maggie (Margaret) was cook at the Criterion Hotel (later Pearly Shells). In March 1947 the Braidwood Review15Braidwood Review and District Advocate (NSW : 1914-1954), Tuesday 18 March 1947, p 2. published an obituary stating ‘death of one of the town’s well known women in the person of Miss Margaret Curran at the age of 59 years, says the Moruya ”Examiner”. Mag, as she was familiarly known by young and old alike, was of a very jolly personality, being ready to have a joke with any one she met. Born at Araluen, she spent the larger part of her life there, coming to live in Moruya with her other sister and brothers Jack and Jimmy about 20 years ago, and in that period, made many friends… the remains being laid beside those of her sister Sis, brother Jim, who predeceased her by some years. One brother Jack is left to mourn the loss of a really devoted sister. Mrs. Jack Louttit is a niece, and cared for her aunt till the end came’.
9. Bedelia Curran (1888-1989) was born in 1888 and died in 1889.