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Telling the Wright Stories 2

Wright-Curnow connection. # 1 & #2. (Later also Hilda Wright & Arthur Curnow)

Jonathon Wright (b1840), son of Henry William Wright (b1806) and Mary Ann (b1808).

Jonathon married Eliza Ann Milton in 1863/4. Jonathon died at age 35 in a train accident on

February 9th 1876. and Eliza Ann Wright remarried George Smith. The couple lived in the old

Smith home with a thatched roof on Section 4001 (It was said George had a drink problem) Two

of the daughters of Eliza and Jonathon would marry two sons of Thomas (b1838) and Elizabeth

Curnow.(b1839)

The Train Accident.

Lithograph picture showing crashed wheat trucks was drawn from sketch of Mr W.H. Batchelor of

Kooringa and published in the Illustrated Adelaide News March 1876

It was Burra’s first serious train derailment three miles south of Burra at Peake’s Crossing,

Springbank. The H class engine was used on the Burra track shortly after the line opened in 1870.

Jonathon had received his Certificate of Competency as an Engineman with the South Australian

Railways on 24th January 1876. Jonathon was the first driver to drive a train from Burra to

Adelaide. John Warren was stoker and William Holmes ganger. Instead of walking the line and

keeping a lookout as instructions required, it is said Jonathon had invited the ‘trike-man’/ ganger to

hop up on the front of the engine. There had been a storm the night before and all operating the

train were killed instantly when the engine plunged into a twenty-foot gap caused by a washaway

of the embankment. (See Register 10th, 11th of February and 12 Feb. for report and Inquest.)

.

Edna Brumfield (nee Washington) was a grand daughter of Eliza Ann Wright, (wife of Jonathon

the train driver) Edna offered the following stories.

Jonathon had cleaned all shoes and lined them up on the table to surprise his wife. This was the last

thing done in the home before the accident. (superstition said it was bad luck to place shoes on a

table). No help was offered to the widowed person in those days. Eliza was a very strong

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independent person and turned down some business offer?? She went out washing and nursing.

(Her sister Milly was good with the little ones and may have helped her sister) At some stage Eliza

was publicly recognised as the district midwife who could be called out at midnight if needed.

According to Doris Helps, Eliza would have supervised over 100 births, including all the Helps

boys. After the accident she went to Light (We know it as Lower Light I guess) She re-married and

lived in the Smith home at Burton. Later she lived with the Washington’s because her daughter

Elizabeth Alice (b 1876) had married Ambrose Washington. Eliza Ann Smit died on 10 December

1927 at the age of 86, at the Washington’s home Virginia according to Edna Brumfield (nee

Washington)

Children of Jonathon and Eliza Ann Wright.

(1) Mary Hannah Wright (b1865) married William George Thompson (‘Strawy,’ because he

carted loose hay, was a heavy drinker with domestic problems) Children were: Walter. (2)

Bertha, married Les Worden of Angle Vale 7 April 1913. (she sent card to Auntie Eva of their

children Mervyn and Rex. She was a cousin to Edna Washington) Ivy. married Albert Taylor. (sent

Christmas card to Eva 1922. Albert. (card sent to Eva from Bert) Les. (to first World War. All of

these children were cousins to Eva Curnow and kept in close contact. Eva was a daughter of John

and Amelia Curnow (nee Wright) Thompson, Taylors inter-related. Ivy Thompson married Albert

Taylor.

(3) Amelia Wright (Milly) (b1867) married John Lewis Curnow on 27 August 1890 at

Primitive Methodist Church, Salisbury.

(4) William Henry Wright (b1868) married ? Children: Harry, Dorothy, Ron.

Jonathon (b1871)

(5) Eliza Ann Wright (Sis) married Samuel Curnow at Zoar B.C. Methodist Penfield by Rev

R.C. Yeoman.

(6) Elizabeth Alice Wright (b1876) born at Lower Light. Married Ambrose Washington and

was mother to Edna Washington. (who married Arnold Brumfield)

Wright Relatives at Lower Light (Uncertain where these folk fit into the family line.)

Source: “Light around the Light. A History of the Malalla District Council Area Pub. 1985.p 24.

(Lower Light before turn of century known as Light town.)

Edmund William Wright 27/5/1868. was resident on Section 31,92,199 near the Light River.

This is where wife of Jonathon was staying before the train accident (See letter below Nov 21

1875.) It seems she also returned there after the accident. Arthur James Wright from Adelaide and

Melbourne also had purchased Section 20 for £100 sterling for 67 acres---later to become the

township of Wild Horse Plains.

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Wilf Magor on Walter Wright

Walter Vivian Wright was brother to William Leonard Wright, uncle to Douglas Wright, and great

uncle to the Ted Curnow generation. A phone call to Wilf Magor, (b1905 ?) on 7 January 1985 by

Ted Curnow revealed the following:

Wilf Magor worked for Walter for 5 years. Walter stuck by Wilf and this needs further talk and

explanation????

Walter Wright had a bike shop at Prospect. 96 Prospect Rd. Mr Tull was the owner who collected

the rent. Bert Williams managed the shop for a while.

The shop faced the road and about 1921 Wilf (16 or 17 years old) lived in the house out the back

and worked for Walter. Walter later started a garage at the back of the shop that Hedley Day ran as

foreman. They repaired cars and motor bikes. Staff included Wilf Magor and 2 others. It was

successful and a partnership with Mr Walker was arranged and a proper garage was built across the

road for £1000. No petrol was sold.

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Also shortly after a shop on Main North Rd at Nailsworth, eastern side of Main Rd. It was two

story. It only operated for a few months.

Walter had a MOON car. Wilf not sure if he purchased it. It was a brand new 1924 model.

Christmas Greeting for Uncle Doug Wright to Ted Curnow. 2006.

“ In the picture your great uncle Walter 2nd from the left, had this retail shop at No 262 Rundle St

when I was a lad. The shop had bicycles on display for sale, new and used. Radios were relatively

new and these were also available. There was a display of 2nd hand radio valves, transformers and

other bits and pieces. The workshop was upstairs and when I was added to his staff one of my first

jobs was to assemble the bike frame and braze the joints. So this was my introduction to the trade.”

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About Fewster Family

EDWIN FEWSTER married Hester Horwood. Edwin was an original pioneer from

Gloucestershire. The family had a history in the horse transport/ coaching business.

THOMAS FEWSTER married Mary Ann Starr.

They lived at Parkside and Thomas was 38 years old when married Mary. He was an Osler at the

change station at Bolivar. The children of Thomas: Hilda, Evelyn, Lydia Horwood, Thomas

Eleazer—taylor at Kent town.

Source: Kay Holbrook (nee Fewster) 1 Limpsfield Ave, Hawthorndene 5051. Ph 08 82785007.

(Thomas Harold was father of Kay Holbrook)

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About Arthur Wright and USA (brother to William Leonard Wright)

(See “Pioneering Para Plains” p72)

Here we have evidence that William Leonard applied to become a member of Alexander Dowie’s

church. See Letter April 22, 1904.

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