Captain Edward Bridges Townsend (6C10)
| Date of Birth: | 30 May 1861 |
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| Date of Death: | 7 Nov 1932 |
| Generation: | 7th |
| Residence: | Waterlooville, Hants |
| Father: | Vice Admiral Sir Samuel Philip Townsend [6C01] |
| Mother: | Bridges, Emma Maria |
| Spouse: |
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| Issue: | |
| See Also: | Table VIC ; Scrapbook ; Lineage ; Ancestors' Tree ; Descendents' Tree |
Notes for Captain Edward Bridges Townsend RN
Married 25 August 1898 (1). Kathleen Mary Henrietta Townsend [6B39] (2) was the daughter of Horatio Hamilton Townsend [6B05] JP of Woodside (3), Co Cork and Cordangan Manor (4), Co Tipperary.
Edward was educated at Christ's College, Finchley, London 1872 -1874, when he would have been aged 11 to 13. The school records show his father's address as Mistly Lodge, Middleton Park, Queenstown, however at this time he was serving on HMS Nymphe in the Far East. This in part might explain why his parents chose Christ's College as Edward's maternal uncle came from Essex and appears to have had his business in Old Broad Street, London. The school records also show that Edward was a keen sportsman and was a member of the Old Boys Club from 1880, playing rugby for them against the School whilst he was studying at Kings College Hospital in London.
Following Christ's College Edward was educated at the United Service College, Westward Ho!, North Devon, where he was a contemporary of Rudyard Kipling. Edward's brother, Cuthbert Hanson Townsend [6C13] was also educated at United Service College. Following this he trained as a doctor at King's College Hospital, London and entered the Royal Navy as a surgeon on 21 August 1884 (5).
Edward started his naval career as a surgeon in HMS Rover 1885-86. Promoted to Staff Surgeon on 21 August 1896 (6), he served on the battleship HMS Canopus in the Mediterranean on her first commission after being launched. Just under seven years later Edward was promoted to Fleet Surgeon on 30 May 1903 (7) and a year later was appointed to the training ship HMS Britannia in April 1904. In 1913 Edward was appointed Medical Officer HMS Vernon and remained there until he retired as a Surgeon Captain RN on 30 May 1916.
Clearly Edward was an artist for two naval paintings of his (8) were sold at Sotheby's, New York, in 1997.
Edward died in the Royal Navy Hospital at Haslar, Portsmouth and Kathleen remained at Boundary Oak, Waterlooville, Portsmouth after his death. Probate on his will was granted on 27 March 1933 and is listed in the National Archives of Ireland to his executors - Catherine (Kathleen?) Townsend, Rev Ernest Horace Townsend [6C12] and Dr Horace Samuel Townsend [6C24]. His estate was valued at £20-1s-3d. (Principal Registry of the High Court - ref CS/HC/PO/4/86/8004.)
Edward's cousin Evelyn Townsend [6C22] was also a Surgeon RN.
(1) Entry in the diary of Agnes Townsend [334] - 'August 25 1898 Surgeon (Staff) Townshend RN married Miss Kathleen T - H H T's daughter'.
(2) Kathleen was born on 20 September 1876 and died on 4 March 1956.
(3) The entry for Woodside in the University of Galway Landed Estates Database records "Occupied by John Carleton in 1814 and by the Reverend E.M. Carleton in 1837. By the early 1850s the house was occupied by Horace Townsend and held by him in fee. It was valued at £40.”
(4) The entry for Cordangan in the University of Galway Landed Estates Database records " Cordangan was a Cooke family residence in the 18th and 19th centuries, occupied by John Cooke in 1814 and in the early 1850s by Thomas Cooke. The property was held from the Smith Barry estate and in the mid 19th century the buildings were valued at £26. In 1906 in the possession of Lord Barrymore and valued at £53.” (5) London Gazette 25390 page 3870 dated 26 August 1884.
(5) London Gazette 25390 page 3870 dated 26 August 1884.
(6) London Gazette 26771 page 481 dated 25 August 1896.
(7) London Gazette 27561 page 3576 dated 5 June 1903.
(8) Lot 483. HMS Rover and HMS Seaflower; a pair, both watercolour on glass, circular each diameter 6.5 cm.