William James Duffy

[Elma]

I am trying to help my cousin find out more about her G-Grandfather and his ancestors.

We know on the 1911 census William James Duffy was married and living at 32 Century Street, Trealaw, Wales. It is before this date we are not sure.
According to the 1911 census William James Duffy was born c 1875 in Ayr-Ayrshire.
Family anecdotes say he had an Irish accent!

A census of 1881 in Ayr Scotland, shows a William Jas Duffey born c 1875 living with his mother Ann Duffy she was born c 1855 born in Wales. Occupation A Private Soldiers Wife.

A census of 1891 RG12; Piece: 4528; Folio: 110; Page: 8; shows a William Duffey born c 1875 in Scotland living with his grandparents Benjamin and Esther Hay (mistranscribed to Fay). I am not sure how this all links up and who are William James's ancestors?

Can anyone help, we would be so grateful for any suggestions.
Elma

[janbooth]

Hi Elma,

There is a marriage on the GRO Index in the September qtr 1897 at Swansea reg district, vol 11a, page 1232 for a William James DUFFY and one of the other names on the page is that of an Elizabeth Robina BAIN. If you obtain this marriage certificate it should at least give his father's name and profession which will enable you to trace further back with certainty.

Having a quick look on Scotland's People website shows a birth in 1875 at Ayr for a James William DUFFY - could they have put his forenames round the wrong way perhaps??

Janet

[Elma]

Sorry Jan
Yes we do have the marriage certificate, it says father John Duffy deceased a waiter.
I am just looking at Scotland's People as suggested, struggling a bit with the viewer?
Thanks ELMA

[grisel]

Scotland's people also has a birth of a William James Duffy 1875 in Ayr district. - but when you search for a Duffy surname birth in Ayr 1875 with no forename specified there is only 1 match. Perhaps both William James and James William refer to the same person.

[janbooth]

More information on the HAY family. Looking further back at the census records for Benjamin HAY, it looks as if the Esther on the 1891 census could be his second wife. The 1861 (Tenby), 1871/81 (Penally) census records show him as married to a Sarah and they do not appear to have had a daughter Ann. Could she have been the daughter of Esther and her first husband? Sarah HAY's death registration is in the September qtr 1888 at Pembroke reg district.

There is a marriage record on the GRO in the March qtr 1889 at Pembroke reg district of a Benjamin HAYES and one of the other names on the page is that of an Esther FURLONG. The 1871 census of Angle, Pembrokeshire (RG10/5519, folio 35, page 1) shows a Charles (? Ancestry has the forename transcribed as Charles but it has been overwritten on the original document) FURLONG married to a Hester who just happens to have been born c1835 at Carew, Pembrokeshire the same as Esther HAY in the 1891 census. Charles and Hester have 4 children but again no Ann. I cannot at the moment find an appropriate marriage for Charles (?) & Esther/Hester but I can find an Hester PARKER born c1835 at Carew in the 1861 census of Angle - coincidence or what!

I wonder if this could be Hester's first marriage - the GRO have a registration in the December qtr 1861 at Pembroke of a Thomas FURLONG and a Hester TASKER. Doing an 1871 census search for a Thomas FURLONG brings up the Charles entry above with a correction underneath it to a Thomas FURLONG.

But here I come to a bit of a full stop as I still cannot find an appropriate Ann born c1855.

Janet

Census records courtesy of TNA

[Elma]

Thanks Janet and Grisel
I have been looking at Scotland's People and the birth of James William Duffy was at The Barracks, Ayr, it records his father as John Duffy Private ?Regiment. Mother as Martha Duffy married 8th Sept 1873. That is looking good (possibly).
I will look at the Hay's now Jan. Does Martha help?
Many thanks again Elma

[Elma]

Getting there I think, with your help.

John Duffy married Martha Hayes on 8th September 1873 at the Barracks Ayr. However Martha's parents were Hugh Hayes and Ann Hayes MS Davis, presumably this means maiden name Davis. They were married in the catholic chapel.

ELMA

[janbooth]

Elma,

Benjamin & Sarah HAY certainly had a daughter Martha according to the 1861 census of Tenby (RG9/4153, folio 49, page 46) where it shows her as aged 7. She is still with them in the 1871 census, aged 17, birthplace Tenby. Perhaps she was a Martha Ann and went by her 2nd name in the Scotland census or perhaps the enumerator just got it wrong. Have you tried Findmypast for any military records for John DUFFY. I had a quick look and there seemed to be a few John DUFFY records.

Janet

[Elma]

The water is muddy. Just when I thought things were looking good.
So many coincidences. If Martha left Wales to go to Scotland after the 1871 census. Her marriage to John Duffy in 1873 is possible.

I have looked at the army records but nothing jumps out. At his marriage in 1873 John gives his age as 32 years a private in the
1/21 Regiment if that makes any sense. He is living at the Barracks in Ayr.

On the 1881 census of William James Duffey and mother Ann, it looks like Ann's husband is absent and she is not recorded as a soldiers wife. It is very difficult to read though and maybe she is still living at the Barracks as it records institution and other soldiers.

At his Marriage John's parents were recorded as James and Mary Duffy, her maiden name possibly Flinn.

Martha's parents were recorded as Hugh and Ann Hayes, maiden name Davis, all very Welsh!

Looking at marriages of Benjamin Hay there is one in 1851 Pembroke with a possible wife as Sarah Davis. If Sarah was the mother of our Martha she would have been alive at the time of Martha's marriage. That doesn't even consider the problem of Martha/Ann.

How to unmuddy the water? I feel this may be our family but how to link it?
ELMA

[janbooth]

There is a birth registration on the GRO for a Martha HAY in the December qtr 1855 at Narberth reg district which is not too far from Tenby where the family were in the 1861 cenus.

There is an Army Service Record on FMP of a John DUFFY born c1841 in Kilbride, Tullamore, Offaly in the 21st Foot and was a private who served in the West and East Indies but was at home between November 1870 and November 1881 - I wonder if this could be your John? I'm afraid I don't know enough about Military Regiments to say whether this fits with the description in his marriage record but I am sure there are experts in this field on the Forum. There is a death registration for a John DUFFY in the June qtr 1887 at Tullamore reg district, aged 47 but who knows whether this is your John DUFFY.

However, another possibility is a family in the 1851 census of St George Manchester living at Angel Street which consists of a James & Mary DUFFY both born in Ireland and sons James aged 14 and John aged 10 both born Manchester but then he is still in Manchester in the 1871 census living with widowed mother Mary and is described as a Chairmaker which doesn't really fit.

Still not a lot of help but will ponder some more.

Janet