Roy Edward Curtis was born 1917 in Taree, New South Wales, Australia to Alfred George Curtis (1887-1974) and Gladys Adelaide Shoesmith (1896-1968) and died 1975 New South Wales, Australia of unspecified causes.
Roy Curtis with unknown woman, cnr Castlereagh and King Street, Sydney, looking north, c. 1936
Roy Edward Curtis was born on February 23, 1917 in Laurieton, NSW. His parents were Alfred George Curtis (1888-1974) and Gladys Adella or Adelaide Curtis, nee Shoesmith (1896-1968).
He had four brothers, Robert Noel Curtis (1913-1985), Cecil A(lfred) who died in infancy (1916) John William (1921-?) and Albert Ronald (b. 1925). He also had a sister, Ada E(lizabeth) F(anny) who also died in infancy (1913).
After working for a time as a Cook/Houseman to radio personality George Edwards ("The Man With a Thousand Voices") and Sydney bookmaker Jack Shaw, he joined the Citizens Military Forces in 1940. He was promoted to corporal in 1941. He was posted to 5 Australian Base Ordnance Depot in Moorebank and remained with the unit until being medically discharged in 1944.
From 1944 he worked as a chef in clubs in Sydney. He lived most of that time with Thomas William Gough and his family, first in Paddington, then Randwick (early 1960s)and then finally in Casula (1965-72). He was the godfather of Thomas William's son, Thomas Roy. He later lived with Fred Fontaine in Drummoyne and finally Sid McVernon in Thirlmere.
In 1975 was hospitalised in Camden, NSW, where he died of congestive heart failure on July 3 of that year. He is buried in the General Cemetery, Camden.
Footnotes (including sources)
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