Years ago I read in Alan Atkinson's Book,
Camden: farm and village life in early New South Wales, about the story of a young Curry ancestor who was tragically burnt to death in a house fire.
When Trove came online I found newspaper reports that gave me a fuller picture of the accident. I won't paste a copy of the articles to this post as their copy quality is poor but I will paste a transcription of this article:
1862 'CAMDEN.', Empire (Sydney, NSW : 1850 - 1875), 9 May, p. 5, viewed 16 September, 2013, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article60475137
MAY 7TH -FATAL ACCIDENT.- A little child, only
sixteen months old, named; Ellen Currie, daughter of Daniel Currie, farmer, of Cobbitty Paddock, near Cam-
den, was burnt to death during the absence of her mother, on Sunday last, the 4th instant. The mother had shutdeceased and another child up in a room, while she wentto the paddock for the cows, and it would seem that theelder child managed to open the door which led to theroom in which was the fire. The poor woman, on herreturn, found the child in flames, running to meet herabout a rod from the house, and so severely burned, thatdeath terminated its sufferings shortly after. A magis-terial inquiry was held on Monday, by W. Antill, Esq.,brother of our district coroner, and a verdict of acci- dentally burnt returned.
On the weekend I was doing some more Curry research and found an article about another Curry Infant,
Doris Maude Curry, who is the first-cousin once removed of
Ellen Curry (1861-1862) mentioned in the previous article. Doris was my second cousin twice removed and Ellen was my first cousin three times removed.
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| 1918 'CHILD SUCCUMBS TO BURNS.', The Bathurst Times(NSW : 1909 - 1925), 18 July, p. 2, viewed 16 September, 2013, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article121229751 |
And here is a transcription of that article:
Doris Maude Curry, infant daughter of Mr. Thomas Joseph Curry, of Hope'sCreek, near Oberon, who accidentallysustained injuries through burning, hassuccumbed. It appears that the deceased was left in the kitchen with heryoung brother, aged three years, whilstthe mother was engaged outside feeding fowls. Therewas an open fire in the Kitchen at which the child's' cloth-ing caught fire, after which the two
children ran to the front door of thehouse, and by their cries attractedtheir mother's attention. Mrs. Curryran to the assistance of tho child,took her in her arms and immediatelywrapped a 'blanket round the childwith the object of extinguishing theburning clothing. A realtive namedGeorge Roberts who was riding past atthe time, was attracted by the criesand smoke issuing from the front door.He assisted the mother in renderingfirst aid, and subsequently conveyedthe sad news to the child's father, whowas engaged at Tillsbury — about four
or five miles distant. The' father returned with all haste, and upon seeingthe condition of the child at once conveyed her in a sulky to Oberon, whereshe was rendered every possible attention by Dr. E. E. Griffiths .Upon' ar-rival at the doctor's surgery, the child was found to have extensive burns about the face, abdomen, and legs, andto be suffering very much from shock.
