Donald Currie
Sir Donald Currie GCMG | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | 13 April 1909 London, England, United Kingdom | (aged 83)
Nationality | Scottish |
Citizenship | British |
Occupation(s) | Shipowner, politician, philanthropist |
Known for | Union-Castle Line |
Sir Donald Currie
Early life and career
He was born at Greenock, Renfrewshire, on 17 September 1825, the third son of ten children of James Currie (1797–1851) and Elizabeth (1798–1839), daughter of Donald Martin, all of Greenock. His parents moved to
In 1862, determining to start for himself, he established the 'Castle' shipping company, which consisted at first of sailing ships plying between Liverpool and
Development of the Union-Castle line
The line grew steadily in strength and importance, and he resolved on a line of steamers from the United Kingdom to Cape Town, the first of which, the Iceland, a vessel of 946 tons, started on her outward trip on 23 January 1872. At the time the Union Steamship Company, founded in 1853, carried on the principal trade between the United Kingdom and South Africa and had the contract for the mail service.[1]
In 1876, the Cape parliament resolved to divide this service equally between the old company and the new. Ultimately in 1900, the two were amalgamated under the name of the Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company, Limited, the joint concern being managed by Messrs. Donald Currie & Co. Before Sir Donald's death the fleet of the united company consisted of forty-seven steamers, with a gross tonnage of 295,411 tons. The enormous improvement of communication between the United Kingdom and South Africa was largely due to Sir Donald and his ships.[1]
Currie soon became recognised as one of the highest authorities on shipping. In 1875, he was elected chairman of a committee of ship-owners to consider proposed changes in laws affecting the mercantile marine, and he was responsible for important amendments of the Merchant Shipping Act of 1876.[1]
Although the Cape Prime Minister
Initially forbidden by the contract from amalgamating, keen competition ensued between the companies. This competition led to their shipping services running at unprecedented speed and efficiency. However the contract eventually expired and several decades later, in 1900, Castle Shipping Line and Union Line would merge and become the Union-Castle Line.[3]
Political service in South Africa and Britain
His knowledge of South African affairs often proved of advantage to the British government. In 1875
In 1877,
Member of Parliament
In 1880, Currie had entered parliament in the
Glenlyon and Fortingall
In 1880 Currie purchased the Garth estate in Perthshire. In 1884, he added to this great property the adjoining Glen Lyon estate, and in 1903 that of Chesthill. He also purchased from Lord Macdonald the island of Scalpay, off Skye, and the adjacent islands of Longa, Guillamon and Pabay.[1]
To his tenants on all these properties Currie proved a generous landlord. New breeds of cattle and sheep were introduced, and large sums expended on the erection and improvement of churches, schools, and cottages. He delighted in sport in his
Philanthropy
In his later years Currie was munificent in public gifts. In 1904 he gave to University College Hospital, London, £80,000 for a school of final medical studies, and £20,000 for a nurses' home and a maternity students' house. To the University of Edinburgh he gave £25,000 for 'The Donald Currie Lectureship Endowment Fund,' and £6000 for the enlargement of the Students' Union. He also bestowed numerous benefactions on the United Free church of Scotland (he had 'come out' with his minister at the disruption of 1843) and the presbyterian church of England. He restored at a large cost the choir of Dunkeld cathedral. To Belfast, where he spent his boyhood, he was especially generous. To the 'Better Equipment Fund' of Queen's College there he gave £20,000, a gift which 'The Donald Currie Laboratories' there commemorate. He contributed a fourth of the cost of an athletic field for the Belfast students. In the Belfast Royal Academy, his first school, he founded scholarships at a cost of £2000, and, scholarships in the Royal Belfast Academical Institution at an expense of £1000. He helped, too, to pay off the debt of Fisherwick presbyterian church, Belfast, of which his father had been a member.[1]
He died on 13 April 1909 at the Manor House, Sidmouth, Devonshire, and was buried in the churchyard of Fortingal, beside his Highland home.[1]
Family
Currie was married in 1851 to Margaret, daughter of John Miller of Liverpool and Ardencraig, Bute, who survived him. He left three daughters, who erected at a cost of £25,000 a university hall to their father's memory in the University of Cape Town, of which the foundation stone was laid by the duke of Connaught in 1910.[1]
Donald's brother, James Currie (d.1900) ran James Currie & Co and founded the shipping company the Currie Line in
Later life and honours
Currie was the recipient of many honours. In 1880, he was awarded the
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Hamilton 1912.
- ^ Murray, M: Union-Castle Chronicle: 1853–1953. Longmans Green, 1953. p.74
- ISBN 1-146-67157-1
- ^ "The Story of Leith - XXXI. The Commerce of Leith". www.electricscotland.com.
- ISBN 0-902-198-84-X. Archived from the original(PDF) on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
- Attribution
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Hamilton, Thomas (1912). "Currie, Donald". In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography (2nd supplement). London: Smith, Elder & Co.
External links
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Donald Currie
- Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 7 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 649.