Thanks to messages from descendents in Gettysburg (who provided the photo below), Massachusetts and Ontario the following brief outline of one of the Townsley family lines in Brotherton can be pulled together - mainly due to the unusual middle name of John Fish Townsley.
In the Census of 1871 Elizabeth, a mate's wife (aged 30), was living at 63 Jacksons Yard (60 High Street), Brotherton, Yorkshire with children William (aged 7), John Fish (aged 5), Annie (aged 10 months) and niece Elizabeth Airey (aged 10). Elizabeth's husband was not found in Brotherton and was most likely working away.
It is thought that this Elizabeth Airey was the daughter of Thomas Airey, a canal boatman from Pontefract (aged 50), and Sarah Ann (aged 48) living at 155 High Street with daughter Sarah Ann (aged 13) at the same time. With them was father (in-law) William Townsley (aged 72) a farm labourer - so this helps confirm the view that Sarah Ann (aged 48) was a Townsley.
Ten years later we find the same Townsley family recorded in the 1881 census as - Elizabeth (aged 40 from Thorne) at Canal Bank, Knottingley with John F (aged 15), Annie (aged 10), George (aged 8), Mary E (aged 5), Sarah L (aged 1). With husband Charles (aged 41) and son William (aged 17) on board the vessel "Chase" at Grangemouth, Scotland. (Found thanks to having a national index for 1881).
Knowing that Charles was born around 1840 and had a father named William born around 1799, both from Brotherton, it is straight forward to check the earlier census records for possible families. And in the 1851 Census we have William (aged 52) at 57 High Street with children Elizabeth (aged 23), Charles (aged 11), Joseph (aged 9) and George (aged 7).
Going back to the 1841 Census we have William, a labourer (aged 37), and Mary (aged 35) in the High Street with children Elizabeth (aged 10), Mary (aged 6), William (aged 5) and Charles (aged 1). Clearly the ages are out but that is common in this the earliest census available - many ages seem to have been "estimated" rather than accurately recorded. At least the age for Charles agrees - and there are no other Charles entries in the town. It also provides the name of William's wife - Mary - who seems to have died sometime between 1845 and 1851.
Checking the only other early census year, 1861, there was a William, railway labourer (aged 63) and widower at 160 High Street who seems to fit. There was also a Joseph (aged 19), mate on the vessel Martha, at Brotherton in 1861 who could be William's son (and so Charles's brother).
Some of these names and dates are also supported by entries in those parish registers that have been indexed in the IGI and on the Family Search web site. Also the Pontefract & District Family History Society have a publication listing the baptisms at the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Knottingley. One of these is Annie Townsley born 9-May-1870, baptised 12-Jun 1870, parents Charles & Elizabeth. Added Nov 2002
There are records that indicate that Mary E (Emma) - aged 5 in 1881- had a twin sister (Elizabeth Joliffe Townsley). But she did not appear on the 1881 Census and so may have died as a child. It is this Mary that may appear in the 1891 Census in the following entry - Elizabeth Jolliffe, a widow (aged 60), in 168 High Street, Brotherton with Mary A Townsley her niece (aged 15), a milliner born Knottingley.
However both Mary E (Emma) and Mary A seem to be mis-interpretations of one Mary Joliffe Townsley who was born in January 1876 at Knottingley - almost certainly to "our" Charles and Elizabeth and the twin of Elizabeth.
There are still many gaps in to be filled but some the basic family tree is now becoming clearer. These families should have some present day Townsley descendents in England, and possibly some in the Airey, Fish and Joliffe families, but this particular story now moves to North America.
George, the son of Charles and Elizabeth, married a Hannah and went to Canada. They had 9 children who were, in no particular order, Charles, James, Joseph, Jessie, Margaret, Elizabeth, Anne, Martha and Ethel. Update December 2000 - Thanks to information from a descendent, we now know that George's wife was Hannah Sarah Harmer and that they probably married in England. Using this information it possible to guess that Hannah is the Hannah S Armer shown in the 1881 Census - since she is the only likely Hannah Armer or Harmer in Yorkshire. The census shows Hannah was born 1880 in Brotherton; daughter of Joseph and Margaret (H)Armer. Joseph being born 1862 on the Isle of Wight, Hampshire and Margaret born 1855 in Kippax, Yorkshire. Hannah was also shown to have a younger brother - John Watson (H)Armer, born 1881 in Newthorpe, Yorkshire.
Son Charles served in the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada during World War II. He died in service on 17 September 1944 (age 38) and his memorial is at Coriano Ridge War Cemetery, Italy. Son James married Elizabeth Mitton and at least one of their 10 children now lives in Massachusetts, USA.
George and Hannah Townsley with their children in the late 1920's or early 1930's
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