Bryan Townsend (323)
| Date of Birth: | Unknown |
|---|---|
| Date of Death: | dunm 1868 |
| Generation: | 6th |
| Residence: | Crookhaven, Co Cork |
| Father: | Doctor Richard Townsend [315] |
| Mother: | Jennison |
| Spouse: | Unmarried |
| Issue: | None |
| See Also: | Table III ; Scrapbook ; Lineage ; Ancestors' Tree ; Descendents' Tree |
Notes for Bryan Townsend
Item Ref RLFC/3/1/2964 in the National Archives of Ireland relates to a letter dated 4 June 1846 from the "Rev William A Fisher and Bryan Townsend, secretaries of the Kilmoe Relief Committee (in the Barony of Carbery West), regarding the inadequate funds and Indian meal at the disposal of the committee". It is known that Bryan lived in Crookhaven, which is in Kilmoe parish, thus it can be assumed that this item relates to him.
Eliza Townsend [5D05] and her husband, Lionel Fleming, also lived in the parish of Kilmoe at Ballydevlin House from 1819 to 1837 and, whilst there is no supporting evidence, presumably knew Bryan, for the parish is very small and as a magistrate Lionel would have had dealings with the famine relief committee.
Page 258 of 'An Officer of the Long Parliament' records that Bryan and his sister Anne Townsend [324] lived in poverty but were helped out on a regular basis by other members of the family, in particular Dr Charles Armstrong brother in law of John Fitzhenry Townsend [250]. The Dean of Cloyne wrote "that poor old Bryan, was in all his poverty, the very model of a gentleman in character and bearing, and had no small share of uncultivated ability". He died in obscurity at Crookhaven, Co Cork. John Fitzhenry and Lionel Fleming were both Freemasons and this might have been a catalyst for helping Bryan and his sister.
There is a belief in the family that Colonel Bryan [200] was so grieved by the death of his son Bryan [203] that he set a curse on any of his descendants who used the name. Bryan [329] died in infancy and Bryan [347] was severely paralysed.
'Pooles of Mayfield' p. 237 refers.