Cecil Howard DUFFY (Born 1888)

[cando]

I did also wonder if he was illegitimate and his birth not registered.  I have searched pretty thoroughly even using simply Cecil and mother Annie and then 1887 and 1888.  Bit late for me.  I will have a look at some other directories tomorrow but I really don't hold out much hope.  If his father was an engineer or Anglican minister I would have thought he would have been listed.

Cando 

[wivenhoe]

What else is on the marriage certificate 1915 please...residential address, occupation, church, witnesses, age..etc

[markdrogers99]

please see attached marriage certificate.

Copyright image removed

[mabeljessie]

Hi,
A marriage certificate and death certificate are only primary sources of information for certain facts - that a marriage or death took place. All other information on them has to be questioned as it is hearsay evidence including the names of the people involved especially when no other certificates were in those times were required to prove your name or identity.

I have incidents in my family tree where mother's had died in childbirth so the names got confused on marriage certs. Or death certificates where there were so many children that they had several attempts to get them right. I even had one who hypenated their name adding his mother's maiden name.

I recently attended a conference where we were told how people changed their ages up or down depending on the need, they upgraded their occupation or rank to impress the new family or in Australia changed from convict to free settler.

I would consider looking at all the possible variations for his name and his father's name in case the name was registered as something quite different. If you know the family and the family history and think about it for awhile it may become obvious to you. I am not being silly here think of the naming patterns etc. I haven't yet looked at your tree but it is better if you think inside it for awhile.

Many people of that generation had names that they were given and names that they used, so this too can confuse matters.

Cheers

[tropicalj]

It would be interesting to see a copy of his  funeral notice in  the newspaper of the day  to see if any family members are name in  the notice.

Whoever gave the death information  must have known something about him,


I tried all variants of his  name to search for a birth as no doubt did others,  I  ruled out  the child born  in  1888  to Samuel Duffy and Clara  by  finding  his death. 


Jenn

[wivenhoe]

The WW2 record at NAA has Cecil Howard Duffy in Berlin in 1946.

He would be nearly 60 by then, job description clerk.

Pre-war job description is labourer.

I am sure that such postings would be highly regarded and sought after.

How did he get that sort of posting....language skill perhaps?.

[markdrogers99]

Duffy gave his dob as 19.04.1894 when enlisting with Australian Army.. 6 yrs younger than he really was.

At discharge from the British Army in 1920 he was a Captain with a Military Cross. He was then recruited in Apr 1920 by a Major as a specialist instructor with the Royal Irish Constubalary (RIC) and based in Ireland until the RIC were disbanded by the UK Government in Mar 1922.

I am awaiting his UK military file from Ministry of Defence though understand there is a newspaper article from Jun 1922 inficating he was ran out of Ireland at gun point by the IRA and put on a boat to Holly Head, where he was found penniless and with no belongings. Am starting to think he could have been in intelligence whist based in Ireland as the RIC were to keep the IRA at bay in order for Irish independence to be stopped.

I believe Duffy had the experience to work in Berlin working with the Australian and British militaries.

[judb]

In his attestation papers signed 14 Feb, 1946 he gives his occupation as 'clerk' which is the occupation he gave consistently on electoral rolls 1931-1942. Papers signed 1939 also have occupation as clerk.  Ages given by those enlisting are often altered to fit with requirements of the military.

http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/using/search/index.aspx

The idea of him being in intelligence would fit well, but it will be interesting to find out the info from the UK military file. I have just read a book about a couple having to leave Ireland at about 1920 as they were on a death list, because of the trouble re independence. They left very hurriedly and with little money.  Do you know which paper the article was in?

Judith

[markdrogers99]

The newspaper is the Westminster Gazette an article date is June 1922 I haven't been able to locate a copy though have been told it will be in the military file that is being sent to me. If you cab locate the article would be very keen for the link. The article I've been told references his name.