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From: Patricia Adams <>
Subject: [SHEFF] TOWNSEND
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2006 13:57:39 -0700 (PDT)


Hi,

I am new to the list and am working on a TOWNSEND family for a friend and wondered if anyone could help out with a story that has been handed down in her family.

At this time I have the family originating in Warwickshire, at least as far back as a marriage in 1816. However, Henry TOWNSEND b.c.1831 and his wife Martha Ann, must have migrated to Sheffield prior to his son William's birth in Sep Qtr 1856. On the 1861 census, Henry was listed as a Comb Manufacturer, employing 5 men, 2 boys and 3 girls. On later census records, he was reported as a Jewellery Manufacturer, and living in Ecclesall Bierlow. It is Henry & Martha Ann's son, William Henry, that I am interested in.

William Henry Townsend b.1856 married his 1st cousin, Emma Townsend from Kenilworth, Warks, marriage registered in Jun Qtr 1878 in Ecclesall Bierlow. Between them they had 4 children. The eldest two born in Sheffield in 1879 and 1880 respectively. The third in a district of Sydney, Australia in 1887, and the fourth in Sheffield in 1893, yet there is not one census record that shows them together! In 1881 he is recorded as married, age 24 and yet he is at his parent's home in Ecclesall B. whilst his wife is with her mother in Kenilworth. At that time he is recorded as a Commercial Traveller "Edge Tools". There is no other record of him after that, but in 1891 his wife Emma, who is still in Kenilworth, is shown as married and as "Wife of an Ironmonger". In 1901 she and her children are back in Ecclesall B. where she is still recorded with a status of married. She was employed as a telephone exchange operator.

The family story is that William was said to have become involved in Irish politics and was found to be mixed up in some kind of assassination plot. Because of this he was transported to Australia, however he was also supposed to have ended his days in Broadmoor, but no-one knows when that was. How much of this is fact or how much is changed in the story telling, we do not know, but I have just received a copy of his daughter's Australian birth certificate, so we definitely know they were there in 1887!

Does anyone have an inkling as to what this may be about, or any ideas as to where I can search for information?

Thanks, and I am sorry this was so long-winded!

Patricia in Ontario, Canada


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