Courtesy of Tameside Local Studies & Archive Centre

(L to R) 1914 Star; British War Medal; Allied Victory Medal with oak leaf; Delhi Durbar medal; Long Service and Good Conduct Medal; Order of the Nile

Patrick was born on the 16th March 1868 in Oldham. His father, James, was born in Ireland in 1835 and was a tailor by trade. Patrick’s mother details are not known but his father is listed as a widower in the 1881 census. They lived at 7 Gould Street in Manchester with James’ sister, Margaret, who was also a tailor. Patrick had three siblings - Kate, Thomas and James. Thomas worked as a callender (a person who finished cloth by passing it through heavy rollers) and James worked as a labourer. They also had a boarder called Mary Graton who was born in 1831 in Ireland and worked as a tailoress.

Patrick married Mary Ann who was born in 1874. They had four children together - Catharine, Ellen, Herbert and Francis Thomas.

Patrick joined the Army in 1887 as an officer. He initially joined the King’s Own Royal Regiment before being transferred to the 4th Battalion of the Manchester Regiment in 1900. He then served in the Boer War. By 1909 he was both a Lieutenant and Quartermaster, an officer responsible for a battalion’s supplies. He was present at the Delhi Durbar of 1911, a ceremony to commemorate King George V succeeding as Emperor of India.

During the First World War Patrick served with the 1st Battalion of the Manchester Regiment in France, Belgium and the Middle East. He had the distinction of being ‘mentioned in dispatches’, meaning an act of gallantry of his was described in a report to high command. This is acknowledged by the oak leaf attached to the ribbon of his Allied Victory Medal. He was also awarded the Order of the Nile for his service in Egypt.

Patrick’s medals were donated to the museum collections in 2012.

Patrick’s son Herbert also served with the Manchester Regiment in Palestine during the 1930s, and in Burma during the Second World War. His son’s medals were also donated to the museum collections and his biography and medals can be found on this website.