Sir Donald Currie was a Scottish shipowner, politician and philanthropist.
22 Facts About Donald Currie
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2.
Donald Currie was born at Greenock, Renfrewshire, on 17 September 1825, the third son of ten children of James Currie and Elizabeth, daughter of Donald Martin, all of Greenock.
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Donald Currie's parents moved to Belfast in 1826, and Currie was sent at seven to the Belfast Academy, and subsequently to the Royal Belfast Academical Institution; at both schools he distinguished himself.
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Donald Currie established branch offices at Bremen and Antwerp, returning to Liverpool in 1854.
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Donald Currie soon became recognised as one of the highest authorities on shipping.
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The new mail contract was signed on 5 October 1876 and Donald Currie created the Castle Mail Packets Company, with the offices located at the Castle Shipping Line headquarters.
7.
Donald Currie defined the boundaries, and arranged the terms of agreement.
8.
Donald Currie supplied the home government with the first news of the disaster of Isandhlwana during the Zulu war in January 1879.
9.
Donald Currie introduced them to Lord Carnarvon, supporting their appeal; but his advice was not taken.
10.
Donald Currie's ships carried altogether 172,835 men to and from South Africa, together with thousands of tons of stores, and this without an accident.
11.
In 1880, Donald Currie had entered parliament in the Liberal interest as one of the members for Perthshire.
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Donald Currie represented West Perthshire as a Liberal Unionist from 1886 until his retirement from parliament in 1900.
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Donald Currie remained on intimate social terms with Gladstone, who was on several occasions between 1883 and 1895 his guest with other distinguished persons on one or other of his ships for summer cruises.
14.
Donald Currie purchased from Lord Macdonald the island of Scalpay, off Skye, and the adjacent islands of Longa, Guillamon and Pabay.
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Donald Currie delighted in sport in his deer-forests, on his grouse moors, and salmon rivers.
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Donald Currie bestowed numerous benefactions on the United Free church of Scotland and the presbyterian church of England.
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Donald Currie restored at a large cost the choir of Dunkeld cathedral.
18.
Donald Currie contributed a fourth of the cost of an athletic field for the Belfast students.
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Donald Currie helped, too, to pay off the debt of Fisherwick presbyterian church, Belfast, of which his father had been a member.
20.
Donald Currie died on 13 April 1909 at the Manor House, Sidmouth, Devonshire, and was buried in the churchyard of Fortingal, beside his Highland home.
21.
Donald Currie was married in 1851 to Margaret, daughter of John Miller of Liverpool and Ardencraig, Bute, who survived him.
22.
James' son and Donald's nephew James Currie FRSE was a prominent amateur mineralogist and botanist.