Henry Townsend (413)
| Date of Birth: | 1801 |
|---|---|
| Date of Death: | 7 Nov 1872 |
| Generation: | 6th |
| Residence: | Mount Alto, Cobh, Co Cork |
| 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 Henry Townsend
Married 4 January 1838. Annabella Westropp (1) was the youngest daughter of Robert Westropp (2) of Fort Anne, Co Clare. See Burke's Irish Landed Gentry 1912 - Westropp of Attyflin.(3)
Henry served for two years in the West Carbery Armed Association prior to his appointment as a Sub Inspector 3rd Class in the Royal Irish Constabulary (4) on 1 September 1823. Henry's Service Record is listed in his 'Scrapbook' and it shows he was appointed County Inspector of Constabulary 2nd Class on 4 July 1832 and County Inspector of Constabulary 1st Class on 4 May 1851. He served in Co Mayo, Co Clare, Co Armagh and Co Donegal during his 43 years in the RIC and his Service Record also shows that between 1843 and 1855 he attracted the displeasure of his superiors on twelve separate occasions! Somehow he remained in the service until he retired on full pay, aged 65, on 6 February 1866.
A return dated 2 March 1837 showing Stipendiary Magistrates, Chief Constables and Sub-Inspectors of Police in the ‘Enhanced British Parliamentary Papers on Ireland’ records that Henry was a Sub Inspector at Ennis, Co Clare, with 12 years and eight months previous service.
Henry died (5) at his home at Mount Alto in Cobh and was buried on 12 November that year. Page 647 of the Calendar of Wills and Administration 1858-1922 in the National Archives of Ireland records that Letters of Administration on the personal estate of "Henry Townsend late of Mount Alto Queenstown", who died on 7 November 1872, were granted at Cork on 6 December 1872 to "Annabella Townsend of the same place Widow of the deceased". Effects under £14,000.
On page 112 of the book Visitation of Ireland by Joseph Jackson Howard, Henry is shown as 'Major Henry Townsend'
Henry was a Freeman of the City of Cork. Between 1710 and 1841, when the power of admitting Freemen only by birth or right ceased, a total of thirty three members of the Townsend family were admitted as Freemen.
'Slater's Commercial Directory 1846' records in the entry for Clonmel "Townsend Mr, Henry. Springfield."
The list of subscribers to 'Samuel Lewis. A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland' shows "Townsend, Henry, Esq., Ennis, co. Clare."
Page 424 of Guy's City and County Cork Almanac and Directory for 1907 (and 1913) - Postal Directory County Cork Residents - records "Townsend Miss B, Mount Alto". She has has not been traced in these records.
(1) Annabella was baptized on 14 June 1815 and died on 14 November 1898. Entry in the diary of Agnes Townsend [334] - 'Nov 14 1898 Belle Townsend died - Henry's wodow (sic)'. When her son, Samuel Townsend [425], died in 1880 Annabella took out Letters of Administration on his estate. Page 712 of The Calendar of Wills and Administration 1858-1922 in the National Archives of Ireland records that Letters of Administration of the personal estate of "Samuel Townsend late of Queenstown", who died on 4 March 1880, were granted at Cork on 28 April 1877 to "Annabella Townsend of the same place Widow and Mother of said deceased". Effects under £2,000.
(2) Robert married in 1798 Dorcas, daughter of John Keily of Strancally Castle, Co Waterford and died in 1826. He was an officer in the Royal Irish Constabulary and was appointed High Sheriff Co Clare in 1804.
(3) The entry for Westropp (Attyflin) in the University of Galway Landed Estates Database records "Montiford Westropp settled in county Limerick in the mid 17th century. His son Montiford purchased the lands of Attyflin from the Chichester House Commissioners in 1703, formerly part of the estate of James II. The Westropps had estates in both counties Clare and Limerick. Their county Clare estate was mainly in the barony of Clonderalaw, parishes of Killofin and Kilmihil but they also had land in other baronies. Kierse writes that the Ross estate in the parish of O'Briensbridge, near Killaloe, county Clare, was purchased from the Pearse family who had held the 380 acres from the 17th century. On 27 May 1858 a sale was held of fee simple and fee farm estates in the baronies of Bunratty Lower, Tulla Upper and Clonderalaw, county Clare (approximately 7,000 acres), Clanwilliam, county Limerick (131 acres) and Fermoy, county Cork (386 acres) belonging to John Westropp. Colonel Henry White bought 2,500 acres in the barony of Clonderalaw. William O'Meara bought 143 acres of Knockbaneboy, barony of Tulla Upper, and advertised them for sale again in January 1863. In the 1870s the Massy Westropp of Attyflin estate amounted to 3,683 acres in county Clare, 592 acres in county Limerick and 387 acres in county Cork."
(4) Details of Henry's service in the RIC are extracted from the book "Royal Irish Constabulary Officers – A Biographical Dictionary & Genealogical Guide, 1816-1922" by Jim Herlihy. ISBN 1-85182-826-5. Published in 2005 by Four Courts Press, 7 Malpas Street, Dublin 8, Ireland.
(5) Entry in the diary of Agnes Townsend [334] - 'Nov 7 1872 Henry Townsend died'