Richard Townsend (5A37)
| Date of Birth: | 9 Feb 1890 |
|---|---|
| Date of Death: | dsp 17 Aug 1973 |
| Generation: | 8th |
| Residence: | Newtown, Sydney, Australia |
| Father: | Edward Carr Townsend [5A01] |
| Mother: | Cool, Annie |
| Spouse: |
|
| Issue: | None |
| See Also: | Table VA ; Scrapbook ; Lineage ; Ancestors' Tree ; Descendents' Tree |
Notes for Richard Townsend (Dick)
Richard was born in Newtown, Sydney and married first in 1918. Nothing is known about Louisa except that she died, six months pregnant, in 1919 during the influenza epidemic. He married secondly in 1937. Agnes Findlay (1) was a widow.
Living his whole life at 106 Darley Street, Newtown, Sydney, having inherited the property on the death of his parents, it is thought that Richard continued with the family transport business. He was involved in the construction of the Worragamba Dam (1948-60) following which he retired. It was during his retirement that he 'adopted' a little girl called Robyn Belcher (2) who wrote of him "I am not a blood relation but much closer as we adored one another.I knew my Grandfather as Daddy Dick, might sound strange to you, but not to me. His father was Edward Carr Townsend and his mother was Annie Cool and we lived in Newtown, near Sydney. I would like to tell you what a wonderful Grandfather he was to me. I thought he was my father when I was learning to talk as my father was in the navy and we lived with my grandparents, hence the name Daddy Dick."
A competent rugby player, Richard twice visited England with the Australian Rugby League (ARL) to play front row forward. He was also in the first ARL team to visit New Zealand. He is listed as "107. Townsend Dick. 1919" on the 'Australian Rugby League Players Register'
Richard died at Koogarah, NSW and left his estate to Agnes' granddaughter.
(1) nee Gehringer.
(2) Now Robyn Kirkpatrick of Toowoomba, Queensland, who provided most of the information in Richard's notes.