A HERO OF THE GRENFELL COMMUNITY
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The Face
Malcolm Duffy – The Face of Skill and Assurance
The Family
Robert Malcolm Duffy, known as ‘ Malcolm’, was born 9 April 1926 to Billy and Ruth Duffy, dairy farmers on The Comboyne (a small plateau above Port Macquarie).
Malcolm’s father was determined that all his children would receive a good education and moved the family to Sydney to ensure that would be possible.
Fortunately Malcolm was always clever, continuing his early education at Comboyne by securing a place at the academically selective North Sydney Boys High.
His final years of education were spent at Knox Grammar while his older brothers were at university.
Following school, with his older brothers enlisted in the war, Malcolm returned to Comboyne to work on the farm and at the local sawmill.
One of his jobs was to drive the bullock team. In Comboyne, he met Beryl Graham, who had been appointed as a teacher there.
Beryl, born in Grenfell on September 20, 1924 to Thomas and Muriel (nee Bell) Graham, had been educated in Grenfell, first at the Beran Private School run by Miss Cousins and Miss Bembrick, then at the Grenfell Intermediate High School and finally, at Sydney Teachers’ College.
Malcolm and Beryl married in November 1947.
As Malcolm’s brother Jim had returned to the dairy farm after the war, and the farm could not support two families, Malcolm and Beryl decided to move to Grenfell where Beryl’s uncle had found a job for Malcolm at Grenfell Motors.
With their three eldest children, Robert 5, Graham 3 and Janet 9 months, Malcolm and Beryl arrived in Grenfell in 1954. Ross was born in Grenfell in 1955.
Malcolm immediately began his new job as motor mechanic at Grenfell Motors.
Beryl too returned to work, first as a casual teacher and then as a permanent staff member.
She was a quiet, dedicated teacher, strong in her views on meeting the needs of her students.
She was a passionate supporter of phonics, but on returning to school was told, ‘we don’t teach phonics anymore’.
When the Department of Education Inspector came to visit Grenfell Public School, Beryl took down all her phonics charts.
The day after he left, she put them all back up and continued her effective method of teaching.
On one occasion, her youngest son Ross felt she took her sense of treating all children equally and being seen to do the right thing too far.
As his third class teacher, Beryl was teaching the pupils ‘Dance’ and made Ross continue dancing even though he had a painful boil on his knee.
She told him she couldn’t be favouring him.
None the less, he had a happy year with his mother as his teacher, as did many other children.
As one former pupil said, ‘I have such fond memories of Mrs Duffy from school days.
She was always so encouraging and kind to me, which I've never forgotten.’ As a role model, she certainly influenced her daughter Janet, much to her brothers’ annoyance, because she always wanted them to ‘play schools’ with her.
Memories of Main Street
From 1954 to 1967, Malcolm worked at Grenfell Motors on the corner of Main Street and Short Street.
Always a ‘Ford man,’ he attended the Ford training schools in Sydney and Melbourne.
Malcolm worked with Bryce McColl, the spare parts manager.
Every time one of the children called in to see their father they were always told by Bryce, ‘he went mad and the police shot him’.
This was a very popular joke at that time – although disconcerting to hear the first time! While at Grenfell Motors, Malcolm began his involvement with the Ambulance as well, and started his role as an honorary Ambulance Officer.
The practical result of combining his two jobs resulted in Malcolm often first delivering a patient to the hospital, and then going back to the scene of the accident with the tow truck to bring the vehicle to the garage.
Malcolm completed his time at Grenfell Motors as foreman, and for a short time, worked for Loaders Bus Service as mechanic and driver.
In 1968, he returned to Main Street as a permanent Ambulance Officer, working first with Max O’Brien and then Bill Atchinson.
During his years as both an honorary and permanent Officer, Malcolm worked tirelessly, fundraising for Grenfell Ambulance through activities such as chocolate wheels and street carnivals. He was extremely happy - and relieved - when the state government took over the funding of the ambulance service.
The ‘ambos’ provided additional duties too, often going up to the hospital to bathe patients because of a shortage of staff.
Malcolm is remembered with special affection by the nurses because he always stayed longer and helped out with whatever was needed.
On a number of occasions, this included helping the doctor patch up casualties.
Everyone knew that once Malcolm appeared in the doorway, all would be well.
He would quietly and competently take responsibility for any emergency, always good humoured, reliable and reassuring.
Malcolm’s own family made considerable use of his ambulance skills throughout the years.
Graham dislocated his shoulder in primary school and Malcolm and Dr Symonds put it back in place.
Later, Graham dislocated his knee when someone jumped on him from the diving board at the pool.
This time, Dr Brown and Malcolm worked it back into place.
Janet was collected from high school after falling down the stairs and Ross was Malcolm’s patient when he broke his leg at football.
Malcolm was not impressed with the names his son called him as they hit the potholes on the way to Cowra Hospital.
On some occasions, when Malcolm was the only one on duty, he would call on one of his sons to help when a second person was required to move a casualty.
Ross feels that these experiences turned him off following in his father’s footsteps, as he came across some difficult patients demanding attention! In 1977, Malcolm became a Station Officer, leaving Grenfell as Relieving Station Officer in Lake Cargelligo, Molong and West Wyalong before moving permanently to Blayney Ambulance Station.
Malcolm retired from the ambulance in 1986 after major heart surgery.
Community Involvement
Malcolm had many abilities. Almost from the moment of his arrival in Grenfell, he put all these abilities into use for the benefit of the community, becoming heavily involved in a variety of activities and keeping up his involvement with them for all his time in Grenfell.
He became an Honorary Ambulance Officer, serving as a volunteer for the following 15 years.
He was a Scout Master and Scout Group Master in Grenfell for 20 years.
Malcolm built the ‘old bark school’ float for Robert’s class for the first Henry Lawson Festival and, in the following Festivals,constructed many floats for the Cubs and Scouts.
For many years, he was the lighting technician for Grenfell Dramatic Society performances at The Oddfellows Hall for productions such as ‘Oklahoma’ and ‘The White Horse Inn.’
Malcolm was a Weddin Shire Councillor for approximately 10 years. He was also a very active member of the Grenfell Rotary Club and continued as a Rotarian until retirement.
Over a number of years, he ran First Aid courses through the Ambulance Service, St John’s Ambulance and the Red Cross. When he could find the time, he helped the Grenfell Swimming Club, where his own children were excellent swimmers.
In 1982, he was appointed a Justice of the Peace.
Where are they now?
Unfortunately health problems meant Beryl stopped teaching in the mid-1960s. In her later years, she took great pride in the fact that she was one of four generations of teachers in her immediate family, starting with her grandfather and ending with her granddaughter.
In 1986, Beryl and Malcolm ‘retired’ to Nelson Bay. Malcolm immediately joined the Port Stephens Coastal Patrol and for the next 10 years served as chief engineer and coxswain, as well as holding the roles of boat master, quarter master, watch keeper and first aid training officer.
He also ran St John’s Ambulance first aid courses for a number of organisations.
During those years, he was the founding chairperson of the Nelson Bay Polyclinic Auxiliary. Beryl was active in the auxiliary as well as the Porcelain Painters and the Nelson Bay Community Arts and Craft Centre. Malcolm was awarded the Australian National Medal for Service in 1990.
In 1996, he was the Nelson Bay Apex Citizen of the Year, having been nominated by the Coastal Patrol.
He donated his $1,000 to the Coastal Patrol and the Polyclinic Auxilliary. Malcolm died on 29 April, 1996 after a short battle with metastasic squamous cancer.
Beryl remained in Nelson Bay and died in November 2007.
Eldest son Robert married Grenfell girl, Sandra Halls, and lives in Mudgee running a printing and sign business.
Their eldest daughter Sarah lives in Tasmania and is a Virgin Australia pilot, married to Matthew with three children, Stella 5, Esther 3 and Oscar 10 months.
Second daughter Kylie lives in Mudgee, is an Assistant Principal with partner Jade, and has a daughter Luca 3. Son Graham, with Jenny, lives at Salamander Bay and runs ‘Duff’s Bait and Tackle Shop’. Graham and Jenny have three children.
Their daughter Kristy, also at Salamander Bay, works in aged care, is married to Darren and has two sons Jett 15 and Mitchell 12.
Son Steven lives in Newcastle, is a boilermaker, rigger and truck driver, married to Ell and has a son Arlie 3.
Second son, William, lives in Salamander Bay and is a partner in a small steel company. Janet has retired from teaching and lives in Mudgee. Ross lives in Nelson Bay and works with brother Graham in the bait and tackle shop.
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Thanks to Janet Duffy (janetduffy787@gmail.com) for her contribution to ‘Faces in the Street.’