Edward Henry Townsend (411)
| Date of Birth: | 1798 |
|---|---|
| Date of Death: | 25 Apr 1857 |
| Generation: | 6th |
| Residence: | Whitehall (1) |
| Father: | Samuel Townsend [405] |
| Mother: | Baldwin, Mercy |
| Spouse: |
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| Issue: | |
| See Also: | Table IV ; Scrapbook ; Lineage ; Ancestors' Tree ; Descendents' Tree |
Notes for Edward Henry Townsend JP
Married 1823. Mary Cordelia Warren (2) was Edward's first cousin and daughter of Thomas Warren (2a) MP of Prospect Villa, Monkstown, Co Cork, by his first wife Anna Townsend [408]. See Burke's Peerage - Warren.
Edward went to Brasenose, Oxford and throughout his life remained very bookish and studious. Nevertheless he was an accomplished designer and builder of racing yachts ('Blonde' (3) 29 tons and 'Medina' 48 tons) and raced them extensively throughout Britain, winning many trophies. He was also the Secretary of the Royal Cork Yacht Club for many years. In a letter (4) dated 4 July 1840 to his distant cousin Isabella [5D08], John Townsend [622] wrote "I was looking over the list of the Cork Royal Yacht Club & I think that there were not less than a dozen Townsends in it; only one however who owned a vessel - namely John FitzHenry Townsend's 'Growler'". Sadly no record of this yacht or of 'Medina' has been found in the archives of the RCYC. Their archives do show "Blonde (29 tons) owned/raced on 8th August 1833 by E. Townsend for a prize of £30 - won by 'Paul Pry' in a fleet of seven." 'Blonde' was raced again the following day. The records show that by 1834 this yacht had been sold to another owner.
The Southern Reporter and Cork Commercial Courier of 15 July 1828 records that Edward, Jonas Morris Townsend [222] and Richard Townsend [236] were members of the ‘Record Jury’ at the County Cork Summer Assizes.
The County and City of Cork Almanac 1843 shows on page 132 that Edward was a Justice of the Peace - "Townsend Ed, Whitehall, Skibbereen". His cousins Richard Townsend [221], Jonas Morris Townsend [222], Henry Townsend [223] and Richard Townsend [236] are also listed in the Almanac. A similar account appears in Aldwell's General Directory 1844-45 in the Skibbereen entry on page 411 - "Townsend Edward J.P. Whitehall”. ‘A List of Justices of the Peace in Ireland’ published in Dublin in 1844 omits to show Edward as a Justice.
The Cork County Election of 16 July 1841 returned Daniel O’Connell and Edmund Roche as MPs. This result was challenged by Nicholas Leader and Robert Longfield who claimed there were serious irregularities during the election. The Select Committee set up to investigate this published their report 27 May 1842 and found in favour of O’Connell and Roche. The Poll Books, recording how electors had voted, were included with this report and show that John Townsend [316] (entry 48 on page 182), Richard Boyle Townsend [332] (entry 62 on page 183]), Thomas Townsend [319] (entry 38 on page 182), Edward Henry Townsend [411] (entry 40 on page 182), Chambre Corker Townsend [5D01] (entry 70 on page 183), Philip Townsend [613] (entry 75 on page 200) and Robert St Lawrence (husband of Elizabeth Townshend [235] {entry 110 on page 183}) all voted for Nicholas Leader and Robert Longfield. The report shows that the value of Whitehall, where Edward was living, was £50.
'Griffiths Valuation of Ireland 1848-64' shows Edward owning land in the Parishes of Aghadown and Creagh and property in Skibbereen.
Edward inherited Whitehall from his father in 1836 and, according to his nephew Samuel Nugent Townsend [432], "buried himself in his books up to his last days at Whitehall". He died in Oxford.
In his autobiography (5) Edward Mansel Townshend [630] describes Whitehall as he saw it when he visited in 1882. “Whitehall, is a delightfully romantic old House, looking out to Cape Clear, from a Cove of Roaring Water Bay, amid ‘Carbery and its Hundred Isles’, The rooms are almost palatial in size, all of them 15 ft., high, on the ground floor, and the Drawing Room and Dining Room, each 25 ft., long, by about 18 ft., wide, preceded by an Ante room, about 15 ft. square and as high."
There is a memorial plaque to Edward it Abbeystrewry Church ”Sacred to to the memory of Edward Townsend Esq of Whitehall who departed this life April 29th 1857. This monument is erected as a tribute of the deepest affection by his wife and children.”
(1) The entry for Whitehall in the University of Galway Landed Estates Database records "Edward Townsend held this property in fee at the time of Griffith's Valuation, when it was valued at £22. Lewis noted it as the residence of S. Townsend in 1837. In 1906 it was owned by the representatives of Samuel R. Townsend and valued at £21. Bence-Jones indicates that it later became the property of the Alleyne family." Horatio Townsend [5D00] describes Whitehall on page 342 of his book 'Statistical Survey of the County of Cork' - "Whitehall, the seat of Samuel Townsend, Esq. stands on the east side of Rincolisky, or Roaringwater Bay. It enjoys every advantage of land and water, but from the nature of its situation is unfavourably circumstanced for the growth of trees. The upper part of the ground commands one of the grandest prospects to be found any where, an immense expanse of water extending from Cape Clear on one side to the Mizen-head upon the other. The depth of this great bay is proportioned to its breadth, its shores are diversified by many jutting points and headlands, on several of which are ruined castles, and its ample bosom is inlaid with a great number of verdant islands, of different sizes and shapes. The cape forms a fine termination to the land view on the left, and the rocky summit of Mountgabriel appears to great advantage in the back ground on the right. Some of the islands are large, and contain a great many inhabitants; others small, and used only for summer feeding, are remarkable for the richness of their pasture. Exclusive of these considerations, they are extremely useful in breaking the force of the sea, and forming many secure stations for vessels." The property was sold out of the family in the early 20th century by Piers Townsend Hughes-Townsend son of Charlotte Frances Townsend [422].
(2) Mary died on 20 March 1883. Entry in the diary of Agnes Townsend [334] - 'March 20 1883 Mrs T. Whitehall died'.
(2a) The entry for Warren (Warren's Court) in the University of Galway Landed Estates Database records "Robert Warren, an army officer, established himself in the East Carberry area of county Cork in the mid 17th century. In May 1703 his son Wallis Warren bought Kilbarry now known as Warren's Court. It was part of the confiscated estate of the Earl of Clancarty. In 1699 Wallis Warren also bought East and West Curryclogh from Henry Eal of Romney [enrolled 1703]. His grandson Robert Warren of Warren's Court and Crookstown House, county Cork, was created a baronet in 1784. The Warrens of Codrum and Crookstown are descended from younger sons of the first marriage of the 1st Baronet. John Borlase Warren, later 4th Baronet, held 1700 acres in the townland of Sillahertane, barony of Iveragh, from the Orpen family in the early part of the nineteenth century. Over 10,000 acres of the estate of Adrian Taylor, in which members of the Orpen and Warren families had an interest, were offered for sale in the Encumbered Estates Court in May 1855. Sir Augustus Warren's estate in county Kerry in the 1870s amounted to over 8700 acres. His estate in county Cork amounted to 7,787 acres at the same time and was located in the barony of West Muskerry parishes of Kilmichael, Ballinadee, Clondrohid, Inchigeelagh, Kilmurry and Macroom, the parishes of Cannaway and Moviddy, barony of East Muskerry and the parish of Murragh, barony of Kinalmeaky. His brothers Captain Warren of Passage, Cork and Robert Warren of Ashgrove owned a further 1,477 and 530 acres respectively and other family members had smaller amounts. Henry E. Warren, a grandson of the 1st Baronet, was one of the principal lessors in the parish of Kilmoe, West Carbery at the time of Griffith's Valuation. Over 700 acres in the barony of Barretts, the property of Massy Hutchinson Warren, was offered for sale in the Encumbered Estates Court, in April 1854. Lands at Cloonvickavrick, barony of Muskerry, leased to the Webb family in 1717, were advertised for sale in April 1877, the estate of the Reverend John Webb."
(3) See the entry for Edward's father, Samuel Townsend [405], concerning the possible use of 'Blonde' for transporting arms.
(4) Llanvapley Papers.
(5) ‘A Protestant Auto-Biography by the Rev E Mansel Townshend'.
For other Warren connections see Richard Townsend [221] daughter of Henrietta Anna Townsend [242], Elizabeth Hildegardis Townsend [244], John Townsend [318], Anna Townsend [408], Augusta Amelia Townsend [424].
'An Officer of the Long Parliament' Ch X p.238-39 refers.