Australian Royalty: Genealogy of the colony of NSW

Patrick was a labourer until he enlisted in the British Army 3rd Regiment of Foot (known as the Buffs) for unlimited service at Sligo on 14 Sep 1805, aged 19. He served as a private for 5 years, 203 days, as a Corporal for 6 years 37 days, and as a Sergeant for 10 years 197 days.

After his enlistment, Patrick went to the Isle of Wight and then to Bexhill, Sussex where he joined the 1st Battalion of the Buffs on 17 Mar 1806. The regiment then marched to Liverpool and crossed to Dublin early in 1807.

Private Duffy was granted forulough and rejoined his unit early in March and was reportedly posted to the Grenadier Company. The company then marched to Cork and embarked on transports on 22 Sep 1807 and remained on board until the ships departed in December for Madiera, where they landed on Christmas Eve. After some action, the Grenadier Company departed Spain for England in mid Jan 1809.

After his marriage, Patrick went to Spain again with the regiment to fight in the Peninsular War and was described as a brave soldier. He was wounded by a musket ball in the left thigh at Albuera, Spain in 16 May 1811 in a particularly fierce battle led by Marshal Beresford against Marshal Soult.

He was also wounded in the right thigh by a musket ball at 'Hillette, France' on 2 Mar 1814. This action was known as the 'combat of Aire' in the south eastern region of France and occurred during Wellignton's pursuits of Marshal Soult during the closing stages of the Peninsular War. Records of the battle and local ordinance maps show the battle to have occurred at 'Houriellet', transcribed as 'Hillette' in the despatches to London.

Patrick, then a corporal, had his wife with him during the whole of the campaign and their second son was born in France in 1814. Another son, John Francis, according to his obituary in 1894, claimed that he had been born off the coast of France in 1818.

On 3 Feb 1830, Patrick signed a long petition to the Governor applying for a grant of land. He stated that he had been left in New South Wales when the Buffs went to India, on the recommendation of Colonel Stewart. He had been 'discharged in consequence of ...length of service and large family...was a non commissioned officer in the Buffs nearly 18 years during which time and the whole of his service Petitioner maintained an unblemished character' and '...is now labouring under veyr sever attacks of Rheumatism and other bodily debilities occasioned by the fatigues and wounds indured during the peninsula campaign...'

One hundred acres were granted and Patrick began to clear the land. A dispute arose with neighbours who claimed that portions of the land had been allocated to them. After the Surveyor General admitted an eror had been made, Patrick was authorised to select another plot on 6 Sep 1831 and this time, took possession of 100 acres at Couth Colah (now (2009) Thornleigh.

On 23 Sep 1832, James Milson, who held land near Duffy, wrote to the Surveyor General concerning the making of the road 'Duffy's Lane'...'since that time a complaint had been made by Patrick Duffy ond one Sweeney, holding a ticket of leave, that the road which was originallly marked out by Mr Abbott is inconvenient to them and insist on having a new line on road...as these persons are every day threatening and interrupting my men in their work. I shall feel obliged to your finally settling the point of dispute'. The road along the top of the ridge was then marked and confirmed. It exists today (2009) as Duffy Avenue, Thornleigh, running from Pennant Hills Road to Westleigh.

Edward Muldowney per Earl Grey, which arrived on 31 Dec 1836, was assigned to Patrick and recorded with him a year later.

It was not until 30 Nov 1839 that a notice appeared in the Government Gazette announcing that deeds for the frant would be issued to Patrick and asking if any other party had any claim. Patrick's son Peter Joseph wrote and claimed that his father had given him 14 acres, but Patrick wrote that he wanted the Deed for the whole property, which he had called 'Inglewood', issued in his name alone. This was done on 13 May 1840.

Patrick's three eldest sons had by this time left home, but each is recorded in his own right as a householder living nearby, probably on portions of their father's original grant.

The Sydney Morning Herald of 13 Apr 1854 recorded the deaths of 'Major General William Stewart late Colonel of the 3rd Regiment of Buffs, aged 85, died 8 April 1854' and 'At his residence, Pennant Hills on the 11th inst. in the 68th year of hisa ge, Patrick Duffy, late Sergeant of His Majesty's 3rd Buffs and father of P.J. Duffy of the firm Duffy and Mitchell, Timber Dealers, leaving a large family to deplore their loss'.

He had died only 7 weeks after his wife Bridget.