"Bill" Albert William CURTIS
Born 20 January 1905 in England [P171]
Son of William CURTIS and Florence HEXT [P171]
Married Dr. Muriel Alice LESTER in England [P171]
Anglican Rector of a Parish in Bristol, England in 1930 [4: 6-Sep-1930]
Departed Southampton, England with his wife on the Jervis Bay and arrived in Fremantle, Western Australia on 21 August 1930 [63]
Arrived in Coorow in early September 1930 to fill the position of Rector in the newly formed Coorow-Carnamah Parish [4: 19-Jul-1930]
Church of England (Anglican) Rector who resided in Coorow and conducted services throughout Coorow and Carnamah [4: 19-Jul-1930]
Embraced the regions of Carnamah, Inering, Winchester, Billeroo, Waddy Forest, Coorow, Marchagee and Gunyidi [4: 19-Jul-1930]
In addition to the regions he embraced he also conducted Anglican services in Latham [5: 15-Jul-1932]
Arrived and was welcomed to the district at the Church Hall in Carnamah on Monday 8 September 1930 [4: 6-Sep-1930, 13-Sep-1930]
The Coorow-Carnamah Parish had been formed out of the southern portion of the Three Springs Parish [4]
Rev. E. Godfrey JAQUET of Three Springs attended and handed over control of the new Parish [4]
Among those present at his welcome in Carnamah were Charlie and Maggie KROSCHEL, Frank and Mary BADRICK, [4]
Mick and Vi BAKER, James SAUNDERS, Mrs Norma CLARK, Mrs Jessie THOMPSON, Mrs Hetty GETHING, [4]
Percy TEEDE, D. E. REW, Mrs Emily GREEN, Rev. Charles HEADEN Rev. Ernest JAQUET and Rev. H. V. BRAY [4]
He was welcomed to the district by Coorow-Waddy residents at a function in Waddy Forest on 12 September 1930 [4: 27-Sep-1930]
The first known service he held was in the Town Hall in Carnamah at 8 p.m. on Sunday 14 September 1930 [4: 13-Sep-1930]
During the third week of November 1930 the Ven. Archdeacon C. L. RILEY stayed with himself and his wife in Coorow [4: 22-Nov-1930]
On 12 August 1931 officiated at the burial of Carnamah pioneer Donald MACPHERSON at the Winchester Cemetery [1]
Also officiated at a number of other burials at the Winchester Cemetery in Carnamah in 1931, 1932 and 1933 [1]
The Coorow-Carnamah Parish gave him a new Ford car to assist him in travelling throughout his parish [P171]
Baptised Frank and Mary BADRICK's daughter Kelva in Carnamah on Sunday 28 September 1930 [4: 4-Oct-1930, 11-Oct-1930]
In 1932 his Ford car was registered with the Carnamah District Road Board with license plate CA-181 [4: 12-Nov-1932]
Scoutmaster of the Coorow Scout Troop [P171] [5: 29-Sep-1933]
Led the Coorow and Waddy scouts at the first District Rally held at Centenary Park in Carnamah on Saturday 2 July 1932 [5: 8-Jul-1932]
Made a speech of eulogy at the farewell to Frank and Mary BADRICK at the Carnamah Hall on 1 November 1932 [5: 4-Nov-1932]
Presented the book prizes of the Coorow Sunday School at the Coorow Christmas Tree on Saturday 17 December 1932 [5: 23-Dec-1932]
On 20 April 1933 he accidentally cut his foot with an axe however with difficulty still attended his Church services [5: 5-May-1933]
Presided over the AGM of the Carnamah-Coorow Anglican Church at the Church Hall in Carnamah on 26 May 1933 [5: 2-Jun-1933]
In 1933 he conducted services in Carnamah, Winchester, Billeroo, Waddy Forest, Latham, Coorow and East Marchagee [5: 2-Jun-1933]
On Sunday 25 June 1933 baptised Geoffrey N. POOLE at Billeroo and Patricia BAKER at Carnamah [5: 30-Jun-1933]
During his time in Coorow he was very good friends with Heinie and Mrs Eliza BOTHE [P138]
His son David Myles CURTIS died under the age of one year on 14 July 1933 and was buried at the Karrakatta Cemetery [2]
Attended the Carnamah Anglican Church's Bazaar held in Carnamah on Saturday 12 August 1933 [5: 18-Aug-1933]
With his wife, travelled to Perth in August 1933 to attend the Annual Clergy Retreat and Anglican Synod in Perth [5: 1-Sep-1933]
Won 1st prize for Peas in the Vegetable section of the Coorow-Waddy Agricultural Show on 7 September 1933 [5: 15-Sep-1933]
Attended and spoke at the send-off to Tom MORCOMBE at the Waddy Forest Hall on Saturday 13 January 1934 [5: 19-Jan-1934]
In January 1934 he and his wife spent a fortnights holiday with Archdeacon and Mrs RILEY in Waterman's Bay [5: 19-Jan-1934]
Member and Padre of the Waddy Forest Provisional Group of Toc H in 1934 [5: 16-Feb-1934, 4-May-1934]
As a visitor attended a meeting of the Carnamah Provisional Group of Toc H on Tuesday 13 February 1934 [5: 16-Feb-1934]
Accompanied Frank R. BRYANT on a road trip from Marchagee to the coast at Sandy Cape in February 1934 [5: 16-Feb-1934]
Participated in the debate between the Carnamah and Waddy Forest groups of Toc H on Tuesday 27 March 1934 [5: 30-Mar-1934]
On Good Friday during Easter of 1934 he conducted services in Three Springs and Arrino [5: 30-Mar-1934]
Conducted services in Carnamah, Winchester, Coorow, Waddy Forest and Marchagee on Easter Sunday in 1934 [5: 30-Mar-1934]
Gave the address at the Anzac Commemoration Service at the Carnamah War Memorial on Wednesday 25 April 1934 [5: 27-Apr-1934]
He gave another Anzac address to his fellow members of the Waddy Forest Toc H on Wednesday evening 25 April 1934 [5: 4-May-1934]
Attended his last fortnightly meeting of the Waddy Forest Toc H on 10 May 1934, at which he received a presentation [5: 18-May-1934]
With his wife, was the recipient of a Farewell Evening at the Coorow Hall on Saturday 19 May 1934 [5: 18-May-1934]
About 250 people from Marchagee, Latham, Waddy Forest, Carnamah and Coorow attended their send-off [5: 25-May-1934]
At their farewell they received three presentations, including a silver mounted oak tray from the people of Coorow [5]
Held his last Anglican Church service/s in the Carnamah-Coorow Parish on Sunday 20 May 1934 [5: 4-May-1934]
He and his wife left Coorow by train on Monday 21 May 1934 so he could take up the position of Rector at York [5: 13-Apr-1934, 25-May-1934]
Rector in York, Western Australia from 1934 until about 1938 [P171]
Around 1938 shifted with his wife and two children to the metropolitan area where he was Rector of Andrew's in East Claremont [P138]
During a portion of the Second World War he served as Chaplain to the 11th Battalion who were in camp at Dandaragan [P138]
In 1943 or 1944 he took up the position of Rector of Saint Peter's in East Fremantle and remained there until 1946 [P138]
In 1946 returned to England with his wife and their children, eventually settling in Ealing, London where he Vicar [P171]
In the 1970s retired with his wife to Nottingham, England and in the 1980s shifted to Salisbury, England [P171]
Father of David, Rosemary and Christopher [P171]
Died 9 April 1989 in Salisbury, England [P171]
From The North Midland Times newspaper, Friday 21 July 1933:
"During the week the infant son of the Rev. A. W. and Mrs. Curtis, of Coorow, passed away."
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Albert William Curtis' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 15 November 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/albert-william-curtis [reference list] |
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