Henrietta Townsend (5D10)

Date of Birth: 1 Aug 1806
Date of Death: dunm 15 Feb 1887
Generation: 5th
Residence: Weston Lodge, Clonakilty
Father: Reverend Horatio (Horace) Townsend [5D00]
Mother: Corker, Katherine
Spouse: Unmarried
Issue: None
See Also: Table VD ; Scrapbook ; Lineage ; Ancestors' Tree ; Descendents' Tree

Notes for Henrietta Townsend. It appears that she was also called Harriet.

Henrietta lived at Weston Lodge, Clonakilty - page 189 of Francis Guy’s County & City of Cork Directory 1875-76 records "Townsend Miss Harriet, The Square". She was clearly very popular as family correspondence (1) from the latter part of the 19th century often makes mention of the pleasure of staying with her at Weston Lodge.

In his will Katherine's father devised to her and her sisters "the sum of £1,000 secured by Mr Creagh’s bond shall be divided equally amongst my daughters Katherine, Isabella, Susannah, Harriet and Caroline." (2)

Henrietta spent nearly all her life helping others less fortunate than her, particularly, the poor and needy. 'Lewis' Topographical Directory 1837' records that in Rosscarbery "the parochial female school house was built by Lord Carbery and an infants' school is supported by Miss Townsend". This is almost certainly Henrietta who would have been 27 at the time and her family would have been living at Derry just outside Rosscarbery. She was a deeply religious and devout woman who continued her good works to within a month before her death.

Aged 35 Henrietta took a break from her good work and decided to visit her brother-in-law Edward Hume Townsend in India.(3) Thus, on 23 July 1841 she left Portsmouth on board the ‘Childe Harold’ accompanied by her brother Richard William Townsend (Dick) and sister Katherine Townsend (Kate). They arrived in Cape Town on 21 September 1841 and there met with Edward, his wife Susan Townsend, and Edward’s mother, Henrietta wife of Rev Richard Hume Townsend (Mrs RT). Edward at the time was Collector and Political Agent at Belgaum, India, with the British East India Company taking his long leave in South Africa. His mother aged 60, had set out from Ireland in 1839 to join Edward in South Africa. During the course of her journey she rode across the isthmus of Suez on a donkey and was lost in the desert for a time, having ridden ahead of her party.

Having spent five months touring Cape Colony (as it was then known) visiting friends, Henrietta, Edward and his family left South Africa on 1 Mar 1842 on board the ‘Dartmouth’. Her brother Richard, her sister Katherine and Edward’s mother (Mrs RT) returned to Ireland taking with them Edward’s three eldest children - Richard Hume Townsend, Katherine Jane Townsend and Susannah Elizabeth Townsend. They arrived in Bombay on 13 May 1842 and were met by Edward’s friend Mr Webb whom he first met when he landed in Bombay on 12 Jun 1822. From Bombay they sailed to Vengurla and from there moved overland to Belgaum, Edward’s, principal station, arriving there on 31 May 1842.

During the course of the following 22 months Henrietta, Edward and his family visited several principal towns and sites of historical or natural interest in Maharashtra and Karnataka; all the while with Edward conducting his business as Collector and Political Agent. The last entry in Henrietta’s journal is dated 6 March 1844 at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahabaleshwar|Mahabaleshwar] in Maharashtra; My book is nearly done… I want to keep a little room for Poona, whither I hear we go next. Henrietta’s sister, Isabella Townsend was married to Major Edward Townsend who was stationed at Poona at about this time. On several occasions whilst there he met his cousin Edward and in a letter from Poona to his mother dated 5 February 1850 Major Edward wrote "he (Edward Hume) looks very well; that is two thirds of him, the other third being invisible in a long beard and green spectacles”.

Henrietta’s funeral was held on 19 February 1887 and the Dean of Ross, Very Rev IM Reeves, gave the Address. Her coffin was carried from her house to St Fachtna's Cathedral in Rosscarbery on the shoulders of those whom she had helped during her life.

Henrietta was executor of the will of her sister Isabella Townsend, who was living with her at Weston Lodge the time of her death. Page 331 of The Calendar of Wills and Administration 1858-1922 in the National Archives of Ireland records that the will of "Isabella Townsend late of Weston Lodge, Clonakilty", who died on 19 October 1865, was proved at the Principal Registry on 1 December 1865, by "the oath of Henrietta Townsend of Weston Lodge, Clonakilty". Effects under £1,180.

The death of Henrietta was recorded in the diary of Agnes Townsend - 'Feby 17 1887 Harriet (sic) Townsend - aged 80'. There is a long and moving obituary to her in the 'Cork Constitution dated 22nd February 1887' - a copy is in her scrapbook.

Page 666 of the Calendar of Wills and Administration 1858-1922 in the National Archives of Ireland records that the will of "Henrietta Townsend late of Weston Lodge Clonakilty County Cork Spinster", who died on 15 February 1887, was proved at the Principal Registry on 23 April 1887 by the "Reverend John Hume Townsend of Hern Lodge Tunbridge Wells Surrey Clerk the sole Executor". Effects £4,842 6s 4d. John Hume Townsend [635] was also sole executor for Henrietta's sister Katherine Townsend [5D06].

(1) Llanvapley Papers.

(2) Derry Papers. 5D00/14. Last will and testament of Rev Horatio Townsend dated 12 December 1828. Codicils 11 September 1830 and 25 April 1831. Probate 26 May 1837.

(3) Henrietta's journal of 336 pages of quarto size manuscript, was transcribed in 2022 by Larissa Tompkins, daughter of Jill Townsend. It is reproduced in full on the page Recollections and, edited and abbreviated, on the page Experiences in India 1822-1845.