Currelly, C. T. (Charles Trick)

• Currelly, Charles

Charles Trick Currelly (Jan. 11,1876 – Apr. 10, 1957) was the first Director of the Royal Ontario Museum of Archaeology and Professor of the History of Industrial Art (later changed to Archaeology) at the University of Toronto from 1914-1946.

Currelly was born in Exeter, Ontario, attended Harbord Collegiate Institute in Toronto and then Victoria College, graduating with his degree in 1898. He then went to Manitoba to work as a missionary for two years, before returning to Toronto to do an M.A. at Victoria College. In 1902 he travelled to Europe and joined the staff of the Egypt Exploration Fund as an assistant to the famous archaeologist, Flinders Petrie.

Currelly established a reputation as a well-respected archaeologist and collector. In 1906 the University of Toronto appointed him official collector of antiquities, and later, Curator of Oriental Archaeology. Around this time Currelly and Sir Edmund Walker, president of CIBC, joined forces to petition the Ontario Government to provide the money to establish a museum in Toronto. They were guaranteed this support in 1908 and in 1914 the Royal Ontario Museum was opened to the public.

Charles Currelly retired from the ROM as of July 1, 1946 . In 1956, he published his memoirs, I Brought the Ages Home, in which he tells the stories of his travels and his work at the ROM.