Born on the *11th or 15th August 1888 at Elderslie, Tas (reg. Brighton) – daughter of David Donald CURTAIN & Maria Agnes McGUIRE – who married in Tas 13/1/1874
*[BDM index 15/8/88; Passenger List 1958 11/8/88]
Harriette had a twin brother, Brian Arnold who died 1888
David was born in 1831 at “Glounakeel”, Rockchapel, County Cork, Ireland, and arrived in Tasmania with his brother John (both farm labourers) on the 18/8/1857 on board the Sir WF Williams. He purchased the property “Meelin” at Elderslie in 1872 and remained there until his death on the 24/8/1924, aged 93 years. Maria had predeceased him on the 12/9/1923, age 68.
Siblings:
David George Vincent b.1874 – d.14/10/1940 New Norfolk, Tas;
*Mary Kate [Mary Katherine Beatrice, ‘Kit’] b.16/9/1876 Elderslie – WW1: Sister, AANS – marr Ronald Hamilton SUMNER 1926 Sydney – d.1/11/1932 at Misericordiae Hospital, Nth Sydney;
Margaret May b.1877 – Postmistress, Ida Bay 1901 – marr Erskine A. TYLER 30/12/1903
*Louisa Marcella b.14/9/1879 Elderslie (reg. Brighton 1880) – WW1: Sister, AANS – d.17/4/1962 St Kilda, Vic;
*Hannah/Anna Maria (aka Nancy/Nance) b.15/10/1880 Elderslie – Postmistress, Elderslie 1901 – WW1: Staff Nurse, AANS – marr David Main KEITH 14/8/1923 Vic – d.20/6/1966 at hospital – late of Cremorne, NSW;
Edward Allen b.1883 – Boer War: Tpr, 2nd Imp Bushmen – d.13/1/1950 Qld
Annie Isabel – marr F.W. DALCO 14/1/1905 Hobart
Emily Ellen b.c1889 – Postmistress 1914 – marr Chas A WILSON 5/7/1922 – d.1952 Vic, age 63
*James Donald b.15/6/1890 Elderslie – WW1: Dvr 22119, 23 Howitzer Bde – 3rd MTS, 1915-1919 – d.25/5/1965 Tas;
Ida Evelyn b.5/6/1892 “Meelin” – d.20/5/1898, age 6 in a drowning accident
*Nicholas Leviston b.10/6/1894 Elderslie – Farmer – WW1: Sgt 1684, 1st LH, 1915-1919 – marr Una M Raspin 1/3/1923 Tas – WW2 – d.1995, buried Pontville Catholic Cemetery, Tas
Irene Agnes
Brian Cornelius b.26/9/1897 Elderslie – WW2
Religion: Catholic
Educated Broadmarsh State School, Tas
Postmistress at Taroona, Tasmania until joining the nursing staff of the Queenstown Hospital as a probationer in Nov 1908
Trained Lyell District Hospital, Queenstown, Tas & Zeehan District Hosp (5yrs)
Senior Nurse, Zeehan District Hospital, Tas 1/12/1911 – Dec1913
Qualified A.T.N.A. July 1913
1914 ER: Nurse – Women’s Hospital, Carlton, Victoria
WW1:
Joined the AANS on the 16/7/1915 – the month before her 27th birthday
Embarked 17/7/1915 on the A67 Orsova with the 2nd AGH for Egypt
Detailed for transport duty 25/8/1915 – reported back for duty with 2nd AGH 1/12/1915
Admitted to the Military Infectious Diseases Hospital at Shubra with Parotitis on the 26/12/1915, and discharged back to duty with the 2nd AGH on the 3/1/1916
Admitted to the 1st AGH at Heliopolis 11/3/1916 with mild influenza and transferred to Helmeih on the 23/3/1916
Married Capt Aldous Campbell ARNOLD, AAMC on the 7/4/1916 at St Mark’s Church, Choubrah (Shubra), Cairo, Egypt
Returned to Australia 11/4/1916 on the Runic on nursing duty – appointment terminated 18/4/16 on the ship
Harriette then sailed to England, where she nursed at the Queen Mary’s Hospital, Rockhampton, until her return to Australia with her husband on the Ascanius 23/9/1919 – 10/11/1919
Listed on the Brighton Soldiers Memorial, Tasmania
Child: Suzanne Joyce (Sue) b.6/1/1922 (S.R.Nurse) – marr Stanley IRWIN
Resident Mayfield, Newcastle 1920 – 1943, Lambton 1949, Woollahra 1954 – 1974
Member of the Newcastle Country Women’s Association
Secretary of the Merewether Seaside Home Committee run by the Newcastle CWA 1937 (Comm Memb 1941)
President of the Newcastle Women’s Voluntary Services 1939, 1940
Trips to the UK:
Harriette & Suzanne sailed to the UK on the Dominion Monarch, arriving Southampton 11/3/1947
[Sue travelled to UK on the Port Dunedin 7/6/1952]
Harriette returned to Australia on the Stratheden from London, passing through Fremantle on the 30/5/1956
Harriette & Suzanne returned to Australia on the Dominion Monarch, embarking UK on the 6/12/1958
Died 6/6/1974 NSW (late of Woollahra)
Privately cremated 7/6/1974
Aldous born 1887 St Leonards, NSW – son of Richard Aldous (Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, d.1923) & Annie Emma ARNOLD
[siblings, all born St Leonards, NSW: Marjory Graham b.1884 – d.1940 Bowral; Lois Montague b.1885; Ralph Irving b.1888, Station Overseer – 2nd Lieut (754), 2nd LH – 15th Bn, KIA 8/8/1916, VB Memorial; Geoffrey Penrose, b.1890 St Leonards, NSW, Doctor, - Capt (MC), AAMC, 1916-1919 – d.1955 Paddington; David D b.1892; Sydney J b.1893]
Doctor: Graduated from The University of Sydney – Bachelor of Medicine 1909, Master of Surgery 1910
WW1: Capt to Maj – AAMC – ICC; 2nd LH; 14th AGH – served Egypt & Palestine throughout the war – embarked for UK 7/2/1919 on the Kaiser-i-Hind on duty
WW2: Member of the Military Medical Board
Died 15/4/1949 at the Royal Newcastle Hospital, NSW
Obit: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/134352173
Zeehan and Dundas Herald (Tas), Fri 20 Nov 1908 (p.1):
PERSONAL
Miss Harriet Curtain, youngest daughter of Mr D. Curtain, Meelin, Elderslie, who has joined the nursing staff of the Queenstown Hospital, was, until recently, postmistress at Taroona, Tasmania.
Zeehan and Dundas Herald (Tas), Fri 31 May 1912 (p.2):
ZEEHAN HOSPITAL MATTERS
ROYAL COMMISSION – FOURTH DAY’S SITTING
……………………………………………………………………………………
Harriette Honora Curtain, sworn, said she had been senior nurse at the Zeehan Hospital since December 1, 1911, and prior to that was at the Queenstown Hospital, leaving the latter institution during the strike period. ………………………………………………..
Zeehan and Dundas Herald (Tas), Sat 5 Jul 1913 (p.2):
The many friends of Nurse H.H. Curtain, of the Zeehan District Hospital, who proceeded to Hobart recently to sit for her final examination for a general certificate of the Australian Trained Nurses’ Association, will be pleased to learn that she has received word of her success. Nurse Curtain, who is at present acting matron of the Zeehan District Hospital, finishes her five years’ training in December next, but she is already far advanced in her profession, and we are certain that her splendid capabilities will win her ample recognition in the future.
Zeehan and Dundas Herald (Tas), Thur 14 Aug 1913 (p.2):
ZEEHAN DISTRICT HOSPITAL
………………………………………………………….
The matron (Miss Williams) resumed her duties during the month, and expressed her pleasure at the manner in which Nurse H.H. Curtain had carried out her duties as acting matron during the month; the medical superintendent (Dr McRae) having alos recorded his appreciation of the work done. We would recommend that an honorarium of two guineas be passed to Nurse H.H. Curtain. ……………………………………………….
Zeehan and Dundas Herald (Tas), Tue 9 Dec 1913 (p.2):
PRESENTATION OF ADDRESS AND PURSE OF SOVEREIGNS
NURSE CURTAIN THE RECIPIENT – A PLEASANT GATHERING
Honest effort and unselfish labor are ever worthy of reward, and it was that spirit doubtless which prompted the subscribers of the Zeehan District Hospital and the public generally to arrange a function intended to convey to Miss H.H. (Addie) Curtain the high regard she occupies in the minds and hearts of all who are acquainted with her after she has ministered to the sick for the last two years. The function took place in the Masonic Hall last night, ……………………………………….
On the eve of Miss Curtain’s departure from their midst ……………………….
………………………………………………………………………….
Miss Curtain was connected with the Lyell District Hospital (Queenstown) prior to coming to Zeehan, and before leaving for Victoria, where she is going to study the higher grades of her profession, she will proceed to Queenstown to say goodbye to those whom she knew when portion of the groundwork of her training was being laid.
Zeehan and Dundas Herald (Tas), Tue 15 Jun 1915 (p.2):
Miss H.H. Curtain, formerly staff nurse at the Zeehan District Hospital who has been appointed staff nurse in connection with the Australian Imperial Forces, reported herself for duty at Hobart yesterday. Miss Curtain expects to go to the front in a few weeks.
Zeehan and Dundas Herald (Tas), Fri 2 Jul 1915 (p.1):
A FAMILY OF NURSES
FOUR CURTAIN GIRLS FOR THE FRONT – A PROUD RECORD
There are few, if any, families in Australia that have given four daughters to the noble profession of nursing, and we doubt whether the honor can be divided with the Curtain family of Tasmania in providing three and likely to provide a fourth – nurses for the front.
………………………………………………………………………………….
Miss H.H. Curtain was also on the local hospital staff, and, like her sister Kate, was connected with the Queenstown Hospital. In a letter to a friend the little lady says – “It behoves us as nurses to go to the front and do all we can for our poor boys who are, many of them, giving their lives for their country. It is a duty we owe to ourselves as well as to the cause of humanity to care for the wounded, and to soothe the last moments of the dying, for what is life, after all, without some sacrifice made for others? And to care for the wounded is something of a service to chivalry, therefore go, and we feel proud and privileged in going.”
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http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/83857754
The Mercury (Hobart) Wed 24 May 1916:
MARRIAGES
ARNOLD- CURTAIN – On April 7, 1916 at St Mark’s Church, Choubrah, Cairo, Egypt, by the Rev Father Pendergast, C.F., Aldous Campbell, Capt, AMC, AIF, eldest son of R and A Arnold, Milson’s Point, Sydney, to Harriette Honora (Addie), AANS, AIF, youngest daughter of D and M Curtain, Merlin, Elderslie
Zeehan and Dundas Herald (Tas), Fri 23 Nov 1917 (p.2):
A letter was received yesterday by a local resident from Nurse L.M. Curtain, formerly of Zeehan who is visiting her old home, “Meelin,” Elderslie, in the South of the State, after long and arduous war services. It is possible that Nurse Curtain will be detailed for home service for a time at all events, as she has been on the sick list, owing, no doubt, to the lengthy term of earnest and especially devoted work which she has put in. Nurse Curtain’s sister “Addie,” who married Dr Arnold, of Newcastle, N.S.W., when in Egypt on active service, is now in England, where the doctor will probably re-join her. The Curtain sisters, which include four nursing sisters, all of whom have been simultaneously on active service, have established a Tasmanian record, both as regards work accomplished, travel, and diversity of experience. The State may well be proud of them.
Zeehan and Dundas Herald (Tas), Thur 13 Mar 1919 (p.2):
A Former Zeehan Nurse:
Many Zeehan friends will be interested to learn that Mrs Arnold (nee Miss Addie Curtain), formerly on the staff of the Zeehan District Hospital, did not permit her marriage to interrupt the course of her war work. She is at present at the Queen Mary’s Hospital at Rockhampton, England, where there were at the time of writing nearly 1000 limbless cases. Her husband, Dr Arnold, of Newcastle (NSW), is in France but he with many others will doubtless be on the way home soon. By the way, it may be interesting to add that Mrs Arnold was recently presented to Their Majesties the King and Queen.
Zeehan and Dundas Herald (Tas), Thur 18 Dec 1919:
Welcome Home and Presentation:
A welcome home was given at Elderslie last week to Sister H.H. Curtain (now Mrs Arnold), a former valued member of the Zeehan District Hospital staff, and a great favourite with the people of Zeehan and district. …………………………………………
Mrs Arnold, as Sister Curtain, was the youngest of four sisters who enlisted at the outbreak of war, and all of them served in Egypt when Gallipoli held the eyes of the world. Her marriage with Major Arnold, A.M.C., took place at Cairo in 1916, after which Mrs Arnold returned to Australia, but shortly afterwards left for England, where she became attached to Queen Mary’s Hospital, Rockhampton. Her services were recognized by the Royal Patroness, to whom she was presented, and who pinned on her breast a beautiful badge in white enamel, bearing the Queen’s initials in gold, under the Royal Arms. Mrs Arnold left next day for Sydney to join her husband, who is at present on the staff of the Military Hospital, Randwick.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miner’s Advocate (NSW), Sat 4 Oct 1941 (p.6):
TOYS FOR CHILDREN’S SHOP
[Photo]
Every animal that came out of the Ark has been included in the collection made by the Comforts Fund workers for the Children’s Shop planned to be held at the end of the month. Mrs A.C. Arnold, Supervisor of the depot, has been convenor of this toy-making section. Originality and colour are the keynotes. Yesterday she brought the first big consignment of them to the depot from her home, where they have been made.
The Sydney Morning Herald, 13 Jun 1974:
DEATHS
ARNOLD, Harriette Honora (nee Curtain) – A.A.N.S. 1914-1918, June 6, 1974, wife of the late Aldous Campbell Arnold, mother of Suzanne Irwin, grandmother of Matthew and mother-in-law of Stanley Irwin, of 239 Edgcliff Road, Woollahra. Privatel cremated June 7, 1974.
