Person Page - 451

     Dorothy never married - she looked after her mother, Susannah at Gentleman's Row, Enfield . When she became ill she was moved to a nursing home run by Jehovah Witnesses and all the family possessions were sold including pictures, and Bisley shooting cups. She worked for a gentleman called John Lamb, a marine engineer for Shell who was believed to be a descendant of Charles Lamb the essayist.² Dorothy Curchin was born on 15 August 1906 in Middlesbrough, Yorkshire, England.^1,3 She was the daughter of Henry Wallace Curchin and Susannah Verrill. In the census of 2 April 1911 in 39 Lothian Road, Middlesbrough, Yorkshire, England, she was listed as the daughter of Henry Wallace Curchin.⁴ Henry and his family left Liverpool on 31 October 1917 aboard SS St Louis arriving in New York on 10 November 1917 where they stayed for 10 days before travelling onto Australia arriving one month before their last child John's birth in January 1918 to be CEO for the Commonwealth Shipbuilding in Australia to reorganise the Australian Merchant Navy for five years. Their passage was paid for by the Commonwealth Government of Australia. The Master of the ship was J H Hartley and there were 223 passengers.

Henry returned home in 1925 settling in Middlesex, where he set up company Watson and Curchin. Henry also won many cups for shooting at Bisley.^2,5,6

Following his death in 1949, he joined other family members in the Curchin grave at Edmonton Cemetery.¹
She died in June 1999 in Enfield, London, England, aged 92 Old age and senility about six years after a fall when she broke her hip.^1,7 Her body was cremated and the ashes scattered on grave in Edmonton Cemetery, North West London, Grave 1680 in zone M.¹

     Margaret Curchin was born on 19 October 1910 in 39 Lothian Road, Middlesbrough, Yorkshire, England.^1,2,3 She was the daughter of Henry Wallace Curchin and Susannah Verrill. In the census of 2 April 1911 in 39 Lothian Road, Middlesbrough, Yorkshire, England, she was listed as the daughter of Henry Wallace Curchin.⁴ Henry and his family left Liverpool on 31 October 1917 aboard SS St Louis arriving in New York on 10 November 1917 where they stayed for 10 days before travelling onto Australia arriving one month before their last child John's birth in January 1918 to be CEO for the Commonwealth Shipbuilding in Australia to reorganise the Australian Merchant Navy for five years. Their passage was paid for by the Commonwealth Government of Australia. The Master of the ship was J H Hartley and there were 223 passengers.

Henry returned home in 1925 settling in Middlesex, where he set up company Watson and Curchin. Henry also won many cups for shooting at Bisley.^5,6,7

Margaret sailed aboard the ship Umvuma to Durban leaving London on 22 February 1935. Her family then fled Zimbabwe and went to Ontario.^5,8 She married Alec Lionel Tonkin on 27 April 1935 in The Cathedral, Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia, South Africa, after the banns had been read. Alec was an engineer.^1,9 Alec, Margaret and their three children sailed from Mombassa in Kenya to London aboard the ship Llangubby Castle arriving in London on 23 July 1948.¹⁰ Alec, Margaret and their son Michael sailed on board the ship Kenya Castle arriving in Southampton on 10 June 1952. They gave their address in UK as Flat 4, Fortescue Villas, Gentleman Row, Enfield.¹⁰ Alec, Margaret and their three children sailed from London to the Cape arriving on 27 March 1956 aboard the ship Rhodesia Castle. They gave their addresss in UK as c/o Imperial Tobacco in Bristol.¹⁰ Alec and Margaret sailed aboard the ship the City of London sailing from London on 26 October 1960 for the Cape. They gave their address as c/o Mrs Curchin, Flat 4, Fortescue Villas, Gentlemans Row, Enfield, Middlesex.⁸ She died on 22 January 1991 in Harare, Zimbabwe, aged 80 and is buried there.^1,11

     Ivan Harry Curchin was born on 4 January 1916 in 1 Percy Road, Winchmore Hill, London, England.^1,3,4 He was the son of Henry Wallace Curchin and Susannah Verrill. Henry and his family left Liverpool on 31 October 1917 aboard SS St Louis arriving in New York on 10 November 1917 where they stayed for 10 days before travelling onto Australia arriving one month before their last child John's birth in January 1918 to be CEO for the Commonwealth Shipbuilding in Australia to reorganise the Australian Merchant Navy for five years. Their passage was paid for by the Commonwealth Government of Australia. The Master of the ship was J H Hartley and there were 223 passengers.

Henry returned home in 1925 settling in Middlesex, where he set up company Watson and Curchin. Henry also won many cups for shooting at Bisley.^2,5,6

He married Grace Hall in 1939 in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England.⁷ He was a journalist on leaving Merchant Taylors School which he attended 1930-33.^2,8 Ivan was an excellent sportsman and won shooting trophies at Bisley.
After his marriage to Grace Hall in December 1939 he owned and ran Danesbury Nursery in Potters Heath, a successful market garden which specialized in growing mushrooms. He and Grace and his three children lived at 'White Gates' Codicote and later at a much larger property 'New Wood,' Rabley Heath.² He died on 20 May 1949 in Rabley Heath, Hertfordshire, England, aged 33 He committed suicide whilst the balance of his mind was disturbed.^1,2 He was buried in Edmonton Cemetery, Grave 1680 in zone M, Edmonton, London, England.¹ Following his death in 1949, he joined other family members in the Curchin grave at Edmonton Cemetery.¹

     John Curchin was born on 20 January 1918 in Victoria, Australia.^1,2 He was the son of Henry Wallace Curchin and Susannah Verrill. He was educated at the Winchmore Hill Collegiate School, Winchmore Hill, Middlesex from 1923 to 1930. The Collegiate School was a private school founded in 1906. John Curchin was the record holder for throwing the cricket ball 192 feet at the age of twelve in 1930 so he had always been competitive and successful. John also attended Merchant Taylors' School from 1930-34, which his brother Ivan had also attended. John and his father won many cups for shooting at Bisley.

Flight Lieutenant John Curchin DFC 42396 is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial, England. John was a Spitfire pilot who fought in the Battle of Britain and was posted missing in action. It was reported that he collided with a Meeschersmitt over the Straits of Dover. He was a hero (8.5 victories) of 600 and 609 Squadron. The London Gazette mention John Curchin on several occasions. The issues published on:

26/4/40 Confirmation of rank as Pilot Officer on probation
23/7/40 Confirmation of rank as a Pilot Officer
1/11/40 DFC Citation
18/7/41 Promotion from Pilot Officer to Flying Officer

Johnny Curchin and his chum Sydney 'Ropey' Hill, were known as the "Heavenly Twins", they flew together. From the 609 Squadron Operations Log, “Biggin Hill. June 1941. … It is sad to relate, however, that two of the pilots lost were the "Heavenly Twins" Johnnie Curchin and Sydney Hill. 609 was never quite such a gay Squadron again."^3,2,4 He died on 4 June 1941 in Dover, Kent, England, aged 23 He was shot down missing in action. He flew with 609 Sqadron and his service number was      42396. He was awarded the DFC and is commemorated on panel 29 of the Runnymead Memorial.^1,2,5

     Grace Hall was born on 8 October 1920 in Bethnal Green, London, England.¹ She married Ivan Harry Curchin, son of Henry Wallace Curchin and Susannah Verrill, in 1939 in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England.² She was working in a plastic machinery factory in 1950 in Chessington, Surrey, England. She married John T W Foreman in 1950 in Surrey, England, John was Grace's second husband.^1,3 Her husband John died on before 1972.¹ She married Erich Robert Klein in 1972 in Bridgewater, Somerset, England, Erich was Grace's third husband.^1,4 She died on 3 August 2003 in Somerset, England, aged 82 She died from Asphixia from an haemorraged duodenal ulcer whilst sleeping, following a series of strokes over a number of years.¹ She was buried on 11 August 2003 in Yeovil, Somerset, England.¹

     John Curchin was born on 6 July 1941 in White Gates, Codicote, Hertfordshire, England.^2,1 He was the son of Ivan Harry Curchin and Grace Hall. John was a recluse, never quite got over fathers death. He was nursed by his sister Christa in Croydon until his death. He never married.¹ He died on 13 February 2001 in Kenley, Surrey, England, aged 59 from brain cancer.^1,2,3 His body was cremated and the ashes scattered in Edmonton Cemetery, Grave 1680 in zone M, Edmonton, London, England.²

     John Woollams was born about 1851 in St Martins, Shropshire, England. He was the son of John Woollams. In the census of 2 April 1871 he was listed as the brother in law of Joseph Tunley John worked as a gardener.¹

     John T W Foreman married Grace Hall in 1950 in Surrey, England, John was Grace's second husband.^1,2 He died before 1972.¹

     Erich Robert Klein was born in Austria.¹ He married Grace Hall in 1972 in Bridgewater, Somerset, England, Erich was Grace's third husband.^1,2