Born:
28 Sep 1835, sixth child and fifth son of James Charters Currie and Rosanna Clement. Christened at St Vincent Street Scotch Church, Stepney on 25 Oct 1835.
Life:
In 1855, age 19, went to the Crimea.
In 1863, age 27, living in London and travelling up to Dalbeattie to see father.
Before 1865, married to his first wife. July 1865, birth of his son James Charters (Jim).
Between 1865 and 1872, his first wife died. Matthew lived in Twickenham, Middlesex, at that point.
21 May 1872, when Matthew was 36 and Jim 7, they emigrated to Perth in Ontario, Canada on SS Hector from London to Quebec. On 18 October that year he married another emigrant, 32 year-old Jane (known as Jeanie) Robertson, born in Ayr (second daughter of James and Jane Robertson, Mill Street, Ayr). They had 3 children, Matthew born about 1873, Jeanie M S about 1878 and Rose Ann Clement 20 Aug 1879.
Matthew gave his employment variously over the next decades as painter, caretaker (of the Perth Collegiate Institute) and gardener.
1n 1881 they were living at Drummond Township, Perth.
In 1895, Jeanie and Rose were training to be teachers and Matthew (son) was working for the YMCA in Sherbrooke, Quebec province. Jim married Ada McLaren, daughter of J M McLaren, hotel owner of Smiths Falls on 2 May 1895. Geraldine was born 6 months later (15 Nov 1895).
In 1896, Matthew (son) fell ill from consumption and died in November aged 23. The two girls also died of consumption, aged 22 years, in 1900 and 1901.
In 1901, Matthew (age 65) left his wife and daughter and moved to Smiths Falls to live with son Jim, wife Ada, daughter Geraldine (5) and sons Cecil McL (born Jan 31 1898) and James O (born 27 Jan 1901). No sign of wife Jeanie or Rose in this census yet - they may have been in Gravenhurst where Rose attended the TB Sanatorium before her death in September 1901. James O ended up called Olin and lived in Smiths Falls, Cecil became a minister and lived in Edinburgh Scotland. They also had another daughter Christine, unmarried in 1932, who lived in Montreal, as did Geraldine now married to Mr H Gray.
Died:
Matthew died in 1903, aged 67 and Jeanie in 1925, aged 86. Matthew and his second family are all buried at Elmwood Cemetery, Perth, Ontario, as are son Jim and wife Ada:
Jean M S Currie age 22, 5 Feb 1900, daughter of Matthew
Matthew Currie age 23, Perth 4 Nov 1896, son of Matthew
Mrs Matthew Currie age 86, Perth and Ayr Scotland, 9 Nov 1925, wife of Matthew
Matthew Currie age 67, Perth 7 January 1903
Rosie Currie 22, 6 Sep 1901, daughter of Matthew
Burial records in Elmwood Cemetery Perth:
Mrs Ada Currie (McLaren), 66, Perth 3 Oct 1940, wife of James C
James Charters Currie, 66, Smiths Falls 8 Jul 1932
Sources:
James Charters Currie's Diary on the death of his wife and daughter 1850
Letters to and between James Charters Currie and Rosanna Currie (née Clement)and their children
Letters to and between Alexander Currie and Jessie Currie (née Johnston) and their children
British birth, baptism and marriage records
Canadian Census records
Canadian Cemetery records
Many thanks to Lynne Rooney of Ontario for her research help.