Reverend Horace Crawford Townsend MC (643)
| Date of Birth: | 3 Feb 1870 |
|---|---|
| Date of Death: | 14 Apr 1940 |
| Generation: | 7th |
| Residence: | Craigs, Co Antrim |
| Father: | Rev Canon Horace Webb Townsend [634] |
| Mother: | Crawford, Charlotte Anne |
| Spouse: |
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| Issue: | |
| See Also: | Table VI ; Scrapbook ; Lineage ; Ancestors' Tree ; Descendents' Tree |
Notes for Reverend Horace Crawford Townsend MC
Horace was born in Abbeystrewry, Skibbereen, Co Cork.
Married 31 October 1899 (1) at the Galle Face Church, Colombo, Ceylon. Mary Edith Grace Young (2) the youngest daughter of William Alexander Young, of Kintullagh House, Ballymena.
Horace was educated at Trinity College, Dublin (BA 1892) and began his clerical career in 1893 in St. Patrick’s Church, Ballymena as curate were he remained until 1897 when he moved to Ceylon to serve with the Church Mission Society in Ceylon 1897-1899 and in Diocese of Colombo 1899-1903. Failing health forced Horace home following which he was appointed rector of Craigs (4) Parish Church, Antrim on 25th January 1904.
The April 1911 Irish Census records Horace as a Clerk in Holy Orders aged 41 living in Dunminning, Antrim with his wife, daughter, a relative named Catherine Kirkpatrick and a domestic. The house, owned by Catherine Kirkpatrick, consisted of sixteen rooms, a stable, a coach house and a further eight outbuildings.
Horace was appointed Chaplain 4th Class to the Forces in December 1915 and was on the Western Front from January 1916. He was awarded the Military Cross (5) for gallantry in January 1917 which was presented to him by King George V at Buckingham Palace. In November that year his parishioners presented him with a silver tray and silver lamp to mark their appreciation of his gallantry. A year later Horace was mentioned in dispatches by Sir Douglas Haig (6). He relinquished his commission on 13 March 1918 (7) and returned to the living at Craigs (Cullyback) where he spent te rest of his life.
Horace was a member of the Ancient Blue Masonic Lodge 537
(1) Entry in the diary of Agnes Townsend [334] - 'Oct 31 Rev Horace Crawford Townsend to Miss Mary E G Young'.
(2) Edith was born in Co Antrim in 1873.
(3) 'Slater’s Royal National Directory of Ireland, 1894’ records under the heading ‘Alphabetical Directory of Belfast’ - “Young William A. linen merchant (James & Robert Young), Kintullagh, Ballymena” and under the heading ‘County Magistrates for the Province of Ulster - Co Antrim’ - “Young William Alexander, Kintullagh House, Ballymena.”
(4) Slater’s shows that "Rev. Alexander T. Kirkpatrick MA" was the vicar of Craigs in 1894.
(5) London Gazette 30111 page 5484 dated 1 January 1917.
(6) Horace's gallantry is commemorated in the BALLYMENA 1914-1918 website.
(7) London Gazette 60642 page 4805 dated 19 April 1918.