Thyra Eleanora BERTHELSEN

Introducing Thyra

When Thyra Berthelsen was born on 11 December 1877 in Pialba, Queensland, her father, Jørgen, was 37 and her mother, Elin was 26. Thyra was their second-born child, and first daughter in a family which ultimately grew to nine children. She was born at “Danevang”, a farming community of Danish immigrants who pioneered the area around Nikenbah by clearing and planting the scrubland. The settlement was later renamed Pialba.

Thyra married William Curtis on 17 March 1897 in Bundaberg, Queensland. William, the son of Thomas Curtis who arrived in South Australia from California in 1872, was initially engaged in copper mining and later became a Land Ranger in Bundaberg.

Siblings

• 1. Alfred Magnus Waldemar was born in 30 May 1876, in the Hervey Bay town of Pialba, Queensland.

  2. Olga Sophie, 24 May 1881, Pialba.

  3. Ida Matilda, 14 February 1883, Pialba.

  4. George Christian, 5 October 1885, Bundaberg, Queensland.

  5. Nellie Katrina, 21 March 1887, Bundaberg.

  6. Sissa Elizabeth, 14 September 1889, Bundaberg died 7 October 1891.

  7. An un-named male, 15 January 1892, Bundaberg died the same day.

  8. Arthur, 23 January 1893, Bundaberg died a week later on 30 January.

Death of Mother

Ellen’s sudden demise at age 41, on 25 January 1893, only two days after giving birth to Arthur, her ninth child, was a devastating blow to Jørgen and his young family. Elin and Jørgen had only been married 19 years. Thyra was only 11 years old when her mother died and took on the role of caring for her father and siblings.

Marriage

Thyra met her prospective husband William in Bundaberg and later moved to Brisbane where they lived at Greenslopes.

Children

• 1. Elizabeth “Lizzy” Ellen, born 30 September 1897.

Death of Father

Jørgen Berthelsen, then residing at Kinagin, Kolan River west of Bundaberg died on 30 September 1917 aged 77 years.

Death of Thyra Eleanora

Thyra (née Berthelsen) Curtis died on 13 October 1949 aged 72 years and was buried in Brisbane’s Balmoral Cemetery. William predeceased his wife and died on 5 April 1931. He is buried with Thyra.

Part 2

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