Sir Donald Currie

1825 - 1909

Bust of Sir Donald Currie in Dunkeld Cathedral
©2010 Gazetteer for Scotland

Shipping magnate and politician. Born in Greenock, Currie formed the Castle shipping line (1862) which operated between Britain, India and South Africa. He later took charge of the Union-Castle Line following the amalgamation with Arthur Anderson's (1792 - 1868) rival Union Line in 1900. His knowledge of South Africa led Currie to be appointed by the British government to resolve boundary disputes with the Boers. Living in Garth House (Glen Lyon), he served as Member of Parliament for Perthshire between 1880 and 1900 and was knighted in 1881. Currie paid for a major restoration of Dunkeld Cathedral in 1908, in gratitude to the Minister's daughter, who had nursed him through a serious illness.

He died in Devon (England).

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