Obituaries Australia

Deep regret was expressed in Horsham when it became known, that Mr. Con [Cornelius John] Curran, of Gilgandra, formerly of Horsham, had died at his home in Gilgandra at midnight on Sunday. The deceased was one of the best-known residents of the Wimmera, and during his long residence in the district he was held in the highest esteem by all classes of the community. His genial temperament and uprightness in business had made him a favorite with every one with whom he came in contact, and when he left Horsham slightly less than five years ago his departure was the cause of general regret. The deceased, who was a brother of Messrs. Michael Curran, of Millicent, S.A., and Edward Curran, of Pimpinio, and an uncle of Mr. J. F. Curran, of Horsham, was born in 1852, while the ship Reliance was bearing his father, mother, and brothers to Australia. The family landed in South Australia and remained at Gawler till 1863, when a move was made to Mount Gambier. At the latter place Mr. Con Curran was apprenticed to a blacksmith, and he worked at his trade and on farms until 1875. He then removed to the Wimmera, and took up land at Pimpinio, which he worked, with his brothers as neighbours, until 1885. He afterwards purchased the freehold of the Albion Hotel, in Firebrace-street, and carried on business for about 20 years. Selling out to the late Cr. Thomas, Mr. Curran lived privately for about seven months, when he purchased the property on part of which the present Exchange Hotel now stands. He sold portion of the land to Messrs. Puls Bros, and renamed the Hotel—then known as the Railway—which afterwards was carried an as the Exchange. During a goodly part of his residence in Horsham the late Mr. Curran participated largely in public affairs. He was for several years, a borough councillor, and occupied the Mayoral Chair for two terms (1897 and 1898). He was a member of the committee of the Horsham District Hospital, a member of the Western Wimmera Irrigation Trust, and a vice-president of the Horsham Agricultural Society. In June, 1908, he sold the Exchange Hotel to Mr. J. J. Hennessy, and left with his family, for Gilgandra, where he conducted the Royal Hotel with great success. Of late his health had been very unsatisfactory, and during the past year he had twice entered St. Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, where operations were performed, but he gradually sank and passed away in the bosom of his family on Sunday at midnight.

The deceased leaves, in addition to his widow, a family of eight. The eldest son, Con., who was a partner with Mr. J. F. Curran in the Horsham butchery business, died in 1907. The survivors are Mrs. Garden, of Ballarat, Miss Annie Curran, Mr. Gil Curran, formerly captain of the Horsham Football Club, Mr. Jack Curran, Mrs. Carroll, Mrs. O'Keefe, Mr. Ivan Curran, and Miss Eva Curran. — Horsham Times.