This was high praise, but wasted, because later that year Currie wrote to Peter Brown requesting that the Governor grant him leave of absence "to proceed thither" to England because of "urgent private affairs". This was granted on 26 June and on 12 August, the third anniversary of the Foundation of Perth, Currie and his family left the colony on "Sulphur", not to return. However, two of his servants, Frederick and Mildred (Kitty) Ludlow, remained. In 1834 Ludlow kept a diary of a journey from Augusta to Perth and is credited with the discovery of the Capel River.