1885 - 1916
CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916
Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916
Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916
Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918
Pte 50122 James Robert Curry
- Age: 19
- From: Easington, Durham
- Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
- K.I.A Saturday 30th June 1917
- Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6
James Robert was born in the June quarter of 1898 in Easington, Durham, the son William James Curry and his wife Mary Ann (née Bunton). They were married on 15th August 1897 at St Edmund’s Parish Church in Bearpark, Durham.
His father died aged, just 25, in a mining accident in 1900.
His death was reported in the Newcastle Courant on Saturday 24th February 1900;
Shocking Pit Fatality at Easington. A lamentable accident occurred at the No. I shaft of the new colliery at Easington, East Durham, about two o'clock on Saturday morning, resulting in the deaths of two sinkers, named James Curry and Robert Arthur, and serious injury to another named John Dixon, also a sinker. It appears that the three men were working at the bottom of the shaft about forty fathoms deep, along with four comrades, when the "kibble" fell upon them. Mr Briggs, the master sinker, accompanied by several of the men, descended to the bottom, the dead and injured men being extricated as quickly as possible and sent to the surface. Arthur and Dixon were carried to their homes in the immediate vicinity of the accident, and Curry, who died after being extricated, was taken to his home at Easington Village. The deceased men are married and leave families. Dixon is also a married man. Other four men who were working in the shaft at the time had very narrow escapes.
[kibble - a large iron bucket or skip used to hoist coal]
His death was also featured in the Sunderland Daily Echo on Tuesday 20th February 1900;
THE FATALITY AT EASINGTON.
INQUEST AND VERDICT.
Yesterday an inquest was held before Mr Coroner Maynard at the King's Head, Easington Village, touching the deaths of the two sinkers, Arthur and Curry, who were killed by the falling of a "kibble" into No.1 shaft of Easington New Pit. Hindmarch, the man in charge of No. 1 shaft when the mishap occurred; the attendants at bank, and Mr Hogg, engineer, gave evidence. - The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death."
Also in the Sunderland Daily Echo on Wednesday 21st November 1900;
THE COMPENSATION ACT.
A QUESTION OF CONTINUOUS EMPLOYMENT.
At the Sunderland County Court, to-day, before Judge Meynell, Elizabeth Jane Arthur and Mary Ann Curry each claimed £300 for the deaths through accidents of their husbands. Mrs Arthur lives at 8, New Huts, New Winning, Essington, and Mrs Curry at Low Row, Easington.
Mr D. D. Smith appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr Goodger (Newcastle) appeared for the Easington Coal Company, and Mr Heath represented Joseph Green, contractor, joint respondents.
Mr Smith mentioned that the husbands had been engaged by Mr Green to assist in sinking operations at the Easington Colliery. While at work on December 22nd there was a rush of water into the pit, and they were compelled to lie off. Curry went and worked somewhere else, and Arthur was sent to the Black Boy Pit, owned by the same company, on the 8th January, by the contractor, Green, and continued to work there until February the 12th. On the 15th he was re-engaged to go back to Easington, and started, along with Curry, on the 16th. The next day, while working at the bottom of the shaft, both men were killed through a loaded tub falling from the top to the bottom of the shaft owing to the breaking of the chain.
His Honour pointed out that there must be continuous employment for 14 days according to the Act.
Mr Smith replied that in the case of the Arthur there was not more than one day intervening, and surely time must be allowed to get from one place to the other.
The Judge: I cannot alter the Act. He terminated the employment himself by leaving. You don't seem to have any case at all. In giving judgment for the respondents, his Honour said that, though it might be hard in Arthur's case, there was no continuous employment under the Act.
The 1901 Census shows James Robert aged two as a visitor with his mother at his Grandmother's house at Thorpe Water Works, Easington. His mother, Mary Ann Curry, is a widow, aged 29, born at Durham in 1872. His grandmother, is Jane Bunton, and is also a widow aged 49 having been born in Durham in 1852. Also present are James' uncles William, and James Bunton and two boarders.
On the 1911 Census James, aged 12, is shown as living with his mother at his Grandmother's house at Rosemary Lane, Easington.
He enlisted in West Hartlepool, Durham as Private 41757, of the 80th Training Reserve, left Gosforth Park on the 08th June, and after a transfer was serving in the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 50122 when he was killed in action on the 30th June, 1917, aged 19.
He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium.
The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.
The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.
His death was reported in the Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette on Tuesday 04th September 1917;
Pte J. R. Curry, King's Liverpool Regiment was reported killed on June 30th. His mother would be glad to have news of him from comrades, Stockton Road, Easington, Durham.
His death was also reported in the Empire News & The Umpire on Sunday 30th September 1917;
CURRY. - Private James R., 41757, 80th Training Reserve, left Gosforth Park 8th June; transferred to the 17th King's Liverpool, new number 50122, reported killed June 30. - Mother, Mrs. Curry, Stockton-road, Easington, co. Durham, would be glad of news from comrades.
He earned his two medals.
His Soldiers Effects, Army Pay of £2 18s 7d was shared by his mother Mary and his Uncles. A War Gratuity of £3 and pension of 15/- pw also went to his mother, Stockton Road, Easington.
On the 1921 Census at Stockton Road, his mother is aged 49, and living with her widowed mother Jane, and married sister Phyllis Johnson and family. She died, aged 91, in 1963.
James is also commemorated on the stained glass window in St Mary the Virgin Church, Easington.
We currently have no further information on James Robert Curry, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.
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