Charles Christopher Curry was born on July 4, 1915, in Green Turtle Cay, Abaco to Reginald Bruce Curry (1884-1966) and Brunhilda Drucilla Sawyer (1885-1949).

His siblings included Ana Rosamund (1912), Cecilia Whilmina (1919), William McIntosh (1921) TWINS Paul Thomas and Marion Pauline (1924).

In April 1938, Charles married Enid Blanche Moncur (1920-2007) daughter of William George Rawson Moncur and Dianna Lowe.

Their children included Edwina Carolyn (1938), Eudene (1940), Charles Christoher Jr (1945), Patricia (1952), Eugene (1959),

The Methodist Heritage year 1986, Celebrating 200 years of Methodist Missions 1786-1986, Souvenir Booklet recounts…

Charles Christopher Curry was born at New Plymouth, Green Turtle Cay, Abaco, July 4th, 1915. The eldest child of Reginald Bruce Curry and Branhilda (nee Sawyer). He was educated at the Green Turtle Cay Public School, and later became a teacher there. On April 5, 1938, he married Enid Blanche (nee Moncur), and they were the parents of 14 children.

From 1942 to 1955, Charles served as local constable at Green Turtle Cay. He became a local preacher in 1954, and offered as a candidate for the ministry the following year. His candidature was accepted at Synod in 1955, and he went to Jamaica for training at Caenwood Theological College.

In 1956, after completing a year of training, Reverend Curry was stationed at Stanyard Creek, Andros, and was appointed Superintendent of the Andros and Windward Mission in 1957. In this appointment he resided at Orange Creek, Cat Island, and served Simms, Long Island, Binnacle Hill, Acklins, and Matthew Town, Inagua.

In 1972, he was appointed to Wesley Methodist Church in the Nassau Circuit, where he served, with distinction, for six years.

In 1978, on the first ballot, he was elected Chairman of the District and took up office that same year. He filled this high office with the humility and friendliness for which he was renowned, gaining the respect of Methodists, young people, his colleagues and the nation at large.

In early September 1980, while conducting a series of installation services in the Eleuthera district Rev Curry became ill. He was flown by mercy flight to night Nassau and admitted to the intensive care unit of the Princess Margaret Hospital, where he died at 8:00 p.m. on September 6, 1980.

The funeral service was held at Ebenezer Methodist Church in Nassau, on Friday, September 12, 1980. Among those attending was the President of the MCCA Conference, the Governor-General, the Prime Minister, Methodists from throughout the district, and friends from abroad. He was buried in the Ebenezer church yard.

In 1982, the Abaco Circuit installed a plaque in honour of Rev. Curry in the Green Turtle Cay Church. Finally in December 1983 the Curry Memorial Methodist Church located in Southern New Providence was dedicated and named in honour of the late Rev. Charles C. Curry, first Bahamian-born Chairman of the Bahamas/Turks and Caicos Islands District of the Methodist Church.

A GLIMPSE INTO THE PAST – Rev. Charles Christopher Curry

By Rev. Charles Sweeting (2018)

In recent years we have focused on the early history of Methodism and its coming to the Caribbean (direct from England; 1760 onwards) and the Bahamas (via the Loyalists who came from America in 1786). We must continue to share this, and rejoice in those faithful men and women who planted Methodism in these lands.

The first/second weekend in December each year we join with the congregation of Curry Memorial as they celebrate their history.

Rev. Charles Christopher Curry was the first successful candidate for the Methodist Ministry in the Bahamas. Many had been called before him and, faced with huge stumbling-blocks, they entered the United Methodist Church in America, or joined other denominations. One notable example was Talmadge Sands, with his roots in Ebenezer. His mortal remains are buried in a prominent spot in the Ebenezer Cemetery. He had been accepted for training and was nearing the completion of his training in Jamaica when stumbling-blocks were put in his way. He transferred to Zion Baptist and had a distinguished career in ministry in that church in the centre of Nassau.

When Rev. Curry was called into ministry social change had begun to happen in the Bahamas, as a result of the untiring efforts of the Bahamian people. By the early 1950s, the “tide” had swelled to the point there was no stopping it. Though Rev. Curry was married with a growing family when he experienced his call to ministry, he and his wife Enid were determined to overcome whatever they had to. When his training was completed, Rev. Curry was appointed to what was without doubt the most difficult Circuit in the Bahamas: The Windward Mission. It was comprised of congregations in Andros (the “headquarters”), Inagua, Acklins, Cat Island and Long Island.

In 1958, Rev. William Makepeace, District Chairman, decided that as an outworking of the Race Relations Resolution passed in the House of Assembly in 1956, a team of black and white young preachers should go to Andros, and Rev. Emmette Weir and myself (the second and third of the Bahamians who successfully candidated for Ministry, with Rev. Dr. Colin Archer soon to follow) were placed in Staniard Creek, Andros – the main residence for the Curry family in the early 1950s). We were immediately aware of the huge impact that Rev. Curry and his family had on Andros.

The Synod of 1978 was a momentous one for Methodism in the Bahamas. It was held in Freeport, Grand Bahama – and Rev. Charles Christopher Curry was elected to become the Chairman of the District.

During his ministry at Wesley, Nassau, he had a vision for a congregation in South Beach, an area of New Providence with a rapidly-growing population. Persons in the area were organized and began meeting in two of the homes of godly Methodists in the area. Eventually land was secured and the congregation began meeting in a tent. With Rev. Curry’s accession to the Chairmanship of the District, the work towards building a chapel there was accelerated. Sadly, Rev. Curry was taken seriously ill while officiating at a service inducting Ministers into charges in Eleuthera at the start of the 1980-81 Church Year and he died in Nassau a few days later, on 6th September, 1980.

The District without hesitation decided that the church being built in South Beach would be known as Curry Memorial Methodist Church, recognizing the legacy of Charles Christopher Curry..

Estella Curry Lowe recalls…

Charles Christopher Curry was indeed a true man of God and perfect gentleman. Occasionally on a Sunday afternoon he would visit my grandfather Harry Roberts, who was also a pastor. My grandfather loved his visits. Charles was the Constable in Green Turtle Cay when I was in school and while he was the kindest gentleman I ever knew, all of the school kids stood at attention when they saw him coming. Again, I say, a Great Man.

Reg Eldon reflects…

An amazing humble man. A servant leader and peaceful Bahamian Minister. He had a stroke in The Methodist Church in Palmetto Point, Eleuthera, while officiating at the Induction Service for the later Rev. Patterson A. Deane and Rev. William R. (Bill) Higgs as ministers in the South Eleuthera Circuit of The Methodist Church. Curry Memorial Methodist Church was named in his honour. It is located on Zion Blvd in South Beach. The current pastor is Deacon Tezel Anderson.