Mary Duckfield

Early Blood Transfusions in Britain

South Wales Evening Post

Bloody transfusions were still uncommon in the United Kingdom during the 1930s, with the first recorded procedure carried out only in 1918. Against this backdrop, the response described in the South Wales Evening Post newspaper in June 1936 stands out as an early example of public willingness to support a medical emergency.

The 1936 Swansea Police Response

In an article titled “BLOOD TRANSFUSION – SWANSEA POLICE RESPOND TO A CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS”, the paper reported that the death of Mrs. Mary Duckfield, long resident of Coleridge House, Swansea, prompted a remarkable act of service. During her final illness at Swansea Hospital, an urgent appeal for blood donors was issued, and members of the Swansea Borough Police—including colleagues of her son‑in‑law, Constable Edward A. Lodge, a well‑known police instrumentalist—responded immediately.

Mrs. Duckfield, who had lived in Swansea for twenty‑five years, was born at Rossmult, Upper Church, County Tipperary. She was widely respected for her charitable work on behalf of Nazareth House, the Royal Lifeboat Institution, and St David’s R.C. Church, where a Requiem Mass was to be celebrated before her burial at Oystermouth Cemetery. She left two daughters and one son, and among her wider family was a nephew, Duckfield, known locally as a Glamorgan cricketer.

Origins: Mary Mullooly of Tipperary

1901 Census

Born Mary Mullooly in 1882 in Tipperary, Ireland, she first appears in surviving records in the 1901 Census, listed as a 19‑year‑old servant in the household of Alfred M. Hayes, at 271 Athol Street, Liverpool.

Marriage and Early Family Life

In 1904, Mary married Edward Alfred Duckfield in Thurles, Ireland.

1911 Census

By the 1911 Census, the family had moved to Swansea and were living at 6 Edward Street. Edward Alfred, aged 34, was employed as a Labourer in the G.W.R. Sheet Department, while Mary, aged 29, was at home with their children: Kathleen Mary (6), John Edward Michael (4), and Eileen Frances (1 month). Also present was Edward’s brother, Harold Duckfield, aged 20.

Edward Duckfield
Attestation Papers

Edward Duckfield’s First World War Service and the Burnt Documents

During the First World War, Edward served in the forces. His surviving Attestation Papers show clear signs of damage—an important detail that reflects a wider national loss of military records.

The service records of First World War soldiers were originally stored at the War Office Record Store in Arnside Street, London. In September 1940, during the Blitz, an incendiary bomb struck the building, causing a devastating fire. Around two‑thirds of the 6.5 million records were destroyed. The surviving portion—now known as the “burnt documents”—were left charred, water‑damaged, and in many cases barely legible. Edward Duckfield’s papers fall within this damaged collection, explaining their fragile and incomplete condition today.

Life at Coleridge House, Swansea

1921 Census

By the 1921 Census, the Duckfield family were living at Coleridge House, Swansea. Edward Alfred, 43, was then a Ship Breaker employed by Cohn Ship Breaking Co., King’s Dock, while Mary, 39, worked as a Caretaker, employed by the Engineering Equipment Co., Mount Street. Their children—Kathleen (16), John (14), and Eileen (10)—were all present, with the younger two still attending school. A boarder, Daniel Riley (41), also lived with them.

It was through her daughter Eileen, who married Edward A. Lodge, that the family became connected to the police force mentioned in the 1936 article.

Edward A. Lodge: A Swansea Policeman of the 1930s

Although surviving documentation on Constable Edward A. Lodge is limited, the references that do exist—particularly the 1936 South Wales press coverage—allow a clear picture to emerge of a respected and well‑established member of the Swansea Borough Police during the inter‑war years.

Constable Lodge appears in the 1936 report not merely as a relative of the Duckfield family but as a recognised police instrumentalist, a role that places him within the long tradition of the Swansea Borough Police Band. Police bands were prominent in civic life during the 1920s and 1930s, performing at parades, charity events, and official ceremonies. Lodge’s inclusion suggests he was not only a serving constable but also a visible figure in the public‑facing cultural life of the force.

By the mid‑1930s, the Swansea Borough Police was a well‑organised urban force, with divisions covering the town centre, docks, and outlying districts. Constables typically served long careers, often living within the communities they policed. Lodge’s marriage to Eileen Duckfield, daughter of Mary and Edward Alfred Duckfield of Coleridge House, places him firmly within the social fabric of the St Thomas–Mount Pleasant–Brynmelyn area, where many officers and their families resided.

The 1936 newspaper article highlights the high regard in which Lodge was held by his colleagues. When the urgent call for blood donors was issued during his mother‑in‑law’s final illness, it was members of his own division who responded immediately. This reaction reflects both the close‑knit nature of the Swansea force and Lodge’s standing within it.

The Glamorgan Cricketer: Richard George Duckfield

Richard George Duckfield (left) credit - Glamorgan Cricket Archives

The newspaper’s reference to a Glamorgan cricketer points to Richard George Duckfield (1907–1961), one of the county’s most accomplished batsmen of the inter‑war period. His career coincided with Glamorgan’s emergence as a competitive first‑class side, and his achievements earned him a lasting place in Welsh cricketing history.

Duckfield made his debut for Glamorgan County Cricket Club in 1930, quickly establishing himself as a reliable right‑handed batsman. His most productive years came between 1932 and 1938, during which he regularly exceeded 1,000 runs a season, a benchmark of high‑class county batting. Known for his calm presence at the crease and his fluent off‑side play, he became a cornerstone of the Glamorgan line‑up.

His greatest achievement was his monumental innings of 280 against Surrey, which stood for a time as the highest individual score ever made by a Glamorgan player. This record‑breaking performance symbolised the county’s growing confidence and ambition during the 1930s.

By the time he retired in 1938, Duckfield had scored exactly 7,000 first‑class runs. His decision to retire stemmed from a sudden loss of confidence in his fielding—a psychological barrier he felt compromised his value to the team. Despite this, his legacy as one of Glamorgan’s early batting greats remains secure.

For the Duckfield family of Swansea, his sporting prominence added a further note of distinction—one that the 1936 newspaper article rightly highlighted when reporting the death of Mrs. Mary Duckfield.