Elizabeth "Betsie" Martin Currie

Other Events and Attributes:

• Birth: Abt 1858, Liverpool, Lancashire
• Residence: 1861, Liverpool, Lancashire
• Residence: 1871, London
• Residence: 1891, London
• Residence: 1901, London; Age: 43; Relation to Head of House: Wife
• Death: 10 Nov 1924, London
• Departure: 10 Jan 1925, Liverpool, Lancashire; Age: 68
• Destination: Feb 1925, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Elizabeth married Percy Albert Molteno on 18 Sep 1889. Percy (son of John Charles Molteno, Sir and Elizabeth Maria Jarvis) was born on 12 Sep 1861 in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland; died on 19 Sep 1937 in Zürich, Switzerland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. John Charles Jarvis Molteno was born in 1890 in London; died in 1903.
2. Donald Jervis Molteno was born on 27 May 1893 in London; died in 1970.
3. Elizabeth Margaret Molteno was born in Jul 1894 in London; died on 15 Feb 1967 in Painswick, Gloucestershire.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Title: For sevices in connection with the Zulu War
• Occupation: 1842, Liverpool, Lancashire; Working for Cunard Lines
• Occupation: 1862; Established the Castle Line
• Residence: 1871, London
• Member of Parliament: 1880; Liberal MP for Perthshire
• Member of Parliament: Between 1885 and 1890; Unionist Member for West Perthshire
• Shipping Disaster: 1896, Off the Breton Coast, 245 on board only 3 saved; Sinking of the Drummond Castle (Board of Trade Inquiry in South Africa)
• Residence: 1901, London
• Death: 13 Apr 1909, London

Notes:

A remarkable Scottish entrepreneur who was an outstanding example of Victorians who built up great businesses from nothing, who then entered politics (Sir Donald became a Liberal M.P. for a Scottish seat in the late 19th century), and who also spread their activities, commercial as well as diplomatic, internationally. Sir Donald founded what became the Union Castle shipping line which ran the mail boat service between England and South Africa.

A friend of the Cape Prime Minister, John Charles Molteno, he became his brother-in-law when Percy Molteno married Sir Donald’s daughter, Bessie, although in point of fact Sir John had died the year before this marriage. Sir Donald was a friend of the great Liberal leader, Gladstone, but broke with him politically over the question of Home Rule for Ireland. He bought three estates in the Scottish Highlands, including Glen Lyon which he left to his daughter, Bessie Molteno. He also used his great wealth to build up a major collection of Turner paintings, from which his descendants have continued to benefit for four generations.


For more about Donald Currie see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Currie

Donald married Margaret Miller. Margaret was born in 1831 in Lancashire; died in 1905. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: 1871, London
• Residence: 1901, London