This is a picture of my father, John McCurley, taken sometime during his army service in India between 1931 and 1934. He sent the postcard to his grandmother, Mary-Ann Redican, when he arrived back in the UK in January 1934. Following his discharge he was assigned to the Reserve and was called up in June 1939. He served in Europe with the British Expeditionary Force and was evacuated from Dunkirk in 1940.
Photographs and details courtesy of James McCurley.
Picture Stockton Archive 
Hi John,
What a lovely picture. My great aunt was Mary Ann Redican (her sister and my great grannie Alice Fullerton nee Cox was her younger sister). I think their mother Catherine Cox lived with Mary Ann at 37 Waverley Street after her husband Daniel died. My great grannie lived at number 24 I think (that’s where her daughter, my grannie, Annie Fullerton was born). So glad I chanced on this picture!
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Hi Josephine. Nice to see your comments. Mary-Ann Redican nee Cox was my great grandmother. Her daughter, Mary Jane Redican, was my grandmother.
Mary Jane married Andrew McCurley and their son John, depicted, was my father.
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Hi Josephine, I’m Jim McCurley’s cousin and he alerted me to your response to the photograph of his dad, who was my mother’s eldest brother. I’ve done some research into the history of the Redicans, but have had problems with their Irish heritage, but I’m fairly sure that they were from Leitrim. I’ve been more successful with the Cox pedigree, having traced them back to County Derry. I have a lot of Redican and Cox images, if you’re interested, and quite a lot of social-history detail involving, Derry, Northumberland and Stockton. I’ve one photograph of two young women. I was advised that they are Annie (bn 1893) & Mary Elizabeth (1890-1928) Fullerton. They were the daughters of John Fullerton & Alice Cox.
Regards
Andy Wood
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Sorry Josephine. For County Derry, read County Roscommon. It was the McCurley clan that was from Derry
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Hi James, I think he has the look of my dad, Terry peacock who was Rose Ann Redican youngest son. Are you still in Canada? Pollie Evis nee Peacock.
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My father Richard Winn enlisted at Durham 27th Sept 1920. On route to India took 25 days by boat. He served in India and China, came home 1928 and then served in the reserve. He took part in the campaign for the liberation of Norway.
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There’s a detailed description of the sea voyage to India in Juliet O’Connor’s book ‘Letters from India’. She was born in Stockton and went out to India for some ten years.
https://bookgoodies.com/a/1727463048
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My grandmother was Clara Bennett.
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Interesting to see this. My Grandmother from Stockton-on-Tees had relatives with the name McCurley and this looks like John is a relative. I’ll have to do a little more searching
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Hi John I have left a comment for James as the John in the picture would have been my dads cousin on his mothers side but my dad was not born til may 1938 he was the youngest grandchild of Mary Jane Redican. Did you manage to trace any information?
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Hi Pollie.
I’ve just come across your posting. I remember your dad Terry Peacock from my childhood, as well as your grandmother, my great-aunt Rose Ann, who used to mind me during the summer school break. Your dad was the grandson of Mary Ann Redican; Mary Jane was my grandmother and your dad’s aunt. I also knew your husband’s dad, Brian Evis, who lived next door but one to me in Ellicott Street, Parkfield. I hope all is well.
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Hi John. I just saw your postings, sorry for the delay in response. Checking my family information I see that Anne Jane (Annie) McCurley, my grandfather’s older sister, married a James Bennet in 1895 at St. Mary’s Church in Stockton, which I believe may make make Annie your great grandmother.
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Lovely picture and nice that he made it home after Dunkirk. My Uncle Jack was assigned to the DLI unit posted between the coast and the Germans to ‘hold them at bay’ until men could be evacuated. Nice to see a photo of someone who made it and know my uncle gave his life for something good.
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