Captain Horatio (Horace) Townshend (5D23)

Date of Birth: 6 Apr 1837
Date of Death: 15 Jun 1904
Generation: 6th
Residence: Kincraigie, Courtmacsherry, Co Cork
Father: Reverend Horatio Townsend [5D02]
Mother: MacCartie, Jane Florence
Spouse:
  1. MacCartie, Jane
  2. Poole, Joanna
Issue:
See Also: Table VD ; Scrapbook ; Lineage ; Ancestors' Tree ; Descendents' Tree

Notes for Captain Horatio (Horace) Townshend JP.

Horace's father died of a fever just seven months after he was born and his mother married William Burton Leslie (1) of 'Kincraigie', Courtmacsherry, Co Cork, in 1845 when Horace would have been eight years old.

Alumni Trinity College Dublin from Co Cork and Kerry 1593-1860 in Dr Casey's Collection records that Horace was educated at Cheltenham College before he entered Trinity College, Dublin, on 15 November 1856 aged 19 as a pensioner who paid a fixed sum annually for his studies.

Married 1st 8 January 1859. His cousin, Jane (Bessy) MacCartie daughter of Justin MacCartie JP (2 & 3) of Carrignavar, (4) Co Cork, Barrister. See Burke's Irish Landed Gentry 1912 - M'Carty. Jane's aunt, Jane Florence MacCartie, married Horace's father, Horatio Townsend [5D02]. Married 2nd 17 April 1879 (5). Joanna Poole (6) was the second daughter of Major Hewitt Poole (7 & 8) JP, 3rd Battalion The Royal Munster Fusiliers, of Mayfield, (9) Co Cork and granddaughter of Joanna Meade Townsend [5D04] wife of Thomas Poole.

Horace purchased his commission as an Ensign in the 99th Regiment of Foot on 24 November 1857 (10) which was then stationed in Ireland. The Regiment was ordered to Aldershot in 1858 and whilst there earned its reputation for being extraordinarily well drilled and turned out.

Following its tour of duty at Aldershot, the regiment rotated to India in 1859 and Horace was promoted to Lieutenant in July that year (11). After serving in various Indian stations, the 99th was ordered to China to join General Sir Hope Grant's force during the Second Opium War. Assigned to the 2nd Division, commanded by Major-General Sir Robert Napier, the 99th took part in the Third Battle of Taku Forts and the Battle of Palikao. The regiment also participated in the Tai Ping Rebellion and the sacking of the Summer Palace in Pekin at the end of the Second Opium War in 1860. After the war the 99th moved to Hong Kong where they remained until 1865. Horace left the army (12) that same year having purchased his Captaincy in March 1863 (13).

Family tradition maintains that Horace returned to Ireland with a Pekinese, allegedly one of the Royal breed, which he gave to his stepmother. The regimental history of The Wiltshire Regiment (successors to the 99th) records that the 99th took a Pekinese dog, which had belonged to the Chinese Empress, to England where it was presented to Queen Victoria.

There are several references in Francis Guy’s various Directories from 1875 to 1913 and from these it can be deduced that Horace took an interest in local affairs. The Directory for 1875-76, as do all the others, shows that he lived at Courtmacsherry – “Townsend Horace Captain, Courtmacsherry”. The Directories for 1907 and 1913 specifically refer to 'Kincraigie' - his stepfather's old house. The announcement, in the Irish Times of 2 November 1901, of the marriage of his eldest daughter also shows Horace's residence as 'Kincraigie'.

Francis Guy's City Directory for 1884 records that Horace was the Vice Chairman of the Poor Law Guardians in Clonakilty and his cousin Horace Payne-Townshend [5D12] was an ex officio member. The Directory also records that Horace was a ‘Conservator of Fisheries’ for Bandon ‘B’ District and was still shown as being so in 1891. Page 91 of this latter Directory shows that Horace was also a ‘Baronial Director’ of the Timoleague and Courtmacsherry Extension Light Railway.

Page XIX of the 1896 Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society lists Horace as a member along with his kinsmen Richard Baxter Townshend [5D15], Charlotte Payne-Townshend [5D27], Horatio Hamilton Townsend [6B05] and Edward Richard Townshend [6C04].

Horace was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1896 and this is shown on page 158 of Guy's Directory for 1907.

Page 483 of The Calendar of Wills and Administration 1858-1922 in the National Archives of Ireland records that Probate of the will of "Horace Townshend late of Kincraigie Courtmacsherry County Cork Retired Captain”, who died on 15 June 1904, was granted at Cork on 8 September 1904 to "Robert Henry Leslie and Hewitt Richard Poole Esquires". Effects £9,469 8s 4d. Re-sworn £10,536 8s 4d.

(1) He was agent to the Earl of Shannon and treasurer of the Lislee Relief Committee, Courtmacsherry during the potato famine of 1846-51. The entry for Kincraigie in the University of Galway Landed Estates Database records "William Burton Leslie was leasing land and out-offices from the Ladies Boyle at the time of Griffith's Valuation. The property is labelled Woodview on the first edition Ordnance Survey map. The property later bacame Kincraigie where he lived with his wife, Jane Florence McCartie, the widow of Horace Townsend. Jane's son, also Horace, owned the house until the early twentieth century. Later the home of the Travers family and now a ruin."

(2) Justin was born on 19 March 1786. He married 29 May 1810 Isabella, daughter of Caleb Falkiner eldest son of Sir Riggs Falkiner. UH Hussey de Burgh's ‘Landowners of Ireland 1878' records "McCartie, Justin. JP, Carrignavar. Cork - 3435 acres £1025."

(3) The entry for McCartie in the University of Galway Landed Estates Database records "The head of this old Irish family in the early 18th century was Charles McCarty of Carrignavar, county Cork, who was succeeded in 1761 by his nephew Daniel. Daniel's grandson Justin McCarty married in 1810 Isabella daughter of Caleb Falkiner eldest son of Sir Riggs Falkiner 1st Baronet. In August 1851 parts of Justin McCarty and Robert McCarty's Carrignavar estate (8,493 acres) and their Cloghroe estate (3,080 acres) were advertised for sale and in March 1852 2,799 acres in the baronies of Barrymore and Cork were again advertised for sale. Carrignavar was held under a lease dated 25 March 1755 from Thomas Farren to Daniel McCartie for 999 years. At the time of Griffith's Valuation Justin McCarty held a large estate in the parish of Dunbulloge, barony of Barrymore. He also held land in the parishes of Moviddy, barony of East Muskerry and Whitechurch, barony of Barrymore. In the 1870s his son also named Justin McCartie owned 3,435 acres in county Cork."

(4) The entry for Carrignavar in the University of Galway Landed Estates Database records "The castle of Carrignavar was from the mid 17th century the seat of this the senior branch of the McCarthy clan. Bence Jones writes that Carrignavar is a late 19th century castellated house incorporating the remains of the old castle. Lewis refers to Carrignavar as the seat of Justin McCarthy in 1837 and Justin McCarthy junior was resident at the time of Griffith's Valuation when the buildings were valued at £28. Bought by John Sheedy in the 20th century and sold by him in the 1950s to the Sacred Heart Fathers. The house is part of their college complex."

(5) Entry in the diary of Agnes Townsend [334] - 'April 17 1879 Capt H Townshend married Miss Poole'.

(6) Joanna was born on 5 July 1838 and dsp 23 April 1910. Page 626 of The Calendar of Wills and Administration 1858-1922 in the National Archives of Ireland records that Probate of the will of "Joanna Townsend late of Mayfield Bandon County Cork Widow”, who died on 23 April 1910, was granted at Cork on 2 September 1910 to "Bessie Dean Freeman Poole Spinster". Effects £3,749 13s 6d. A copy of Joanna's obituary from the West Carbery Eagle of 7 May 1910 is reproduced in Horatio's 'Scrapbook'.

(7) U.H. Hussey de Burgh's ‘Landowners of Ireland 1878' records "POOLE Major HEWITT, J.P. late Captain South Cork Militia, Mayfield, Bandon. Cork 1795 acres £1020." 'Property owners County Cork 1870' records that Hewitt Poole of Mayfield, Bandon owned 1,795 acres.

(8) The entry for Poole (Mayfield) in the University of Galway Landed Estates Database records "Burke indicates that the estate at Mayfield was purchased by Thomas Poole, a descendent of the Cheshire and Gloucestershire families, in 1628. Hewitt Poole, of Mayfield, Bandon, owned over 1700 acres in county Cork in the 1870s, while other family members owned lessor amounts. At the time of Griffith's Valuation, Thomas Poole was among the principal lessors in the parish of Ballymodan, barony of Kinalmeaky."

(9) The entry for Mayfield in the University of Galway Landed Estates Database records "In the 1770s Poole Esq was resident at Knocknaville near Bandon. Thomas Poole held Mayfield in perpetuity at the time of Griffith's Valuation, when it was valued at £48. Both Lewis, in 1837, and Leet, in1814, also refer to it as his residence."

(10) London Gazette 22066 page 4021 dated 24 November 1857.

(11) London Gazette 22290 page 2837 dated 22 July 1859.

(12) London Gazette 23027 page 4942 dated 20 October 1865.

(13) London Gazette 22713 page 1299 dated 3 March 1863.

'Pooles of Mayfield' p 25 refers.