Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Annie Maxwell Forsyth was born about 1844 in Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland – the daughter of James Forsyth, an engine keeper, and Jane Malcolm.
She came to New Zealand with her mother and siblings about 1860 and they settled in Dunedin.
Annie married Donald Smith Currie, a shipping clerk, on 23 February 1866 at her mother’s house in Dundas Street and they had eight children, two who died in infancy.
In 1882 Donald resigned his position to 'go into business'. His business venture did not appear to go well.
In 1884 and again in 1885 he was fined for drunkenness – in 1885 Annie took out a prohibition order against him.
In October 1885 they were subject to a mortgagee sale of their home in Castle Street.
Donald seems to have left for Australia as, in 1894, their son Ernst was charged with 'failing to support his mother'.
Donald died in Victoria, Australia in 1904 and Annie died on 15 December 1910 in Dunedin.
Annie is buried with her infant daughters in the Northern Cemetery, Dunedin.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
DCC Cemetery Records http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries-search
Family Search https://www.familysearch.org
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Presbyterian Research Centre https://www.presbyterian.org.nz/archives/
BDM Victoria https://online.justice.vic.gov.au
Click on sheet number to see the 1893 petition sheet this signature appeared on. Digital copies of the sheets supplied by Archives New Zealand.
Community contributions