Families in Cumbria

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Townsley Family History

A region with significant numbers of Townsley entries includes the Cockermouth, Whitehaven & Workington registration districts of what is now Cumbria - formerly Cumberland.

There are Townsley connections with the area that go back, at least, to the 1760's. Some of these early families have been partially traced through parish records - and later ones by entries in the census. However there are many births and marriages recorded for Townsleys that have not been linked into their family lines or their spouses identified.

This is an attempt to summarise the basic information and help descendants find the individuals they are searching for - since I don't seem to have any relatives in the area myself. The lists show simply the first name(s) and the quarter (Mar, Jun, Sep, Dec) plus year of the birth or marriage registration (this can be some time after the actual event).

Birth & Marriage Registrations in Cockermouth, Whitehaven & Workington

Sep 1837 to 1911

These are accessible online at FreeBMD with more years are being added regularly

Births From 1911 as indexed at the FRC London

Edith A Sep 1911 (mother nee Boyd), Martin Sep 1911 (mother nee Moore), Samuel Jun 1912 (mother nee Wood), Martha A Sep 1912 (mother nee Lowther), Henry Dec 1913 (mother nee Boyd), Albert Jun 1914 (mother nee Townsley), Nancy Sep 1915 (mother nee Boyd), Elizabeth Dec 1915 (mother nee Boyd), Joseph W Jun 1916 (mother nee Wood), Martha Jun 1918 (mother nee Boyd), William Jun 1918 (mother nee Harrison), John R Sep 1918 (mother nee Barton), Dorothy Dec 1918 (mother nee Lowther), Marjorie Dec 1918 (mother nee Lowther), Harold Dec 1919 (mother nee Harrison), Leonard Mar 1920 (mother nee Wood), Henry Sep 1920 (mother nee Bird), Gordon Jun 1921 (mother nee Bell),  Mary A Jun 1924 (mother nee Murphy), Allen B Sep 1924 (mother nee Townsley), May Jun 1925 (mother nee Lowther), John Jun 1925 (mother nee Townsley), Charles E Sep 1925 (mother nee Johnson), James R Jun 1926 (mother nee Murphy), Rachael Sep 1926 (mother nee Harrison), John B Jun 1927 (mother nee Bell), Eleanor Sep 1927 (mother nee Ditchburn), Esther M Dec 1927 (mother nee Townsley), Mabel Dec 1928 (mother nee Ferriady), Aline Mar 1929 (mother nee Murphy), Doreen Dec 1929 (mother nee Torney), John Mar 1930 (mother nee Moody)

Marriages From 1911 as indexed at the FRC London

Robert Dec 1915 (wife Sarah Milligan), Robert Jun 1917 (wife Mary Harrison), Elizabeth Jun 1917 (husband Edgar Walker), Agnes Jun 1919 (husband Robert Donowhue), James Mar 1920 (wife Mary M Bird), Joseph Jun 1920 (wife Christianna Bell), Charles Sep 1920 (wife Mary Johnston), Margaret Tomlinson Sep 1920 (husband Joseph Howarth), Margaret Dec 1920 (husband William James), Isabella Dec 1921 (husband Hodgson), Eliza Mary Sep 1923 (husband Bainbridge), Mary Dec 1923 (husband Moore), William Dec 1923 (wife Murphy), Charlie Henry Dec 1923 (wife Mary A Speirs), Ellen Jun 1925 (husband Walker), Mary Dec 1926 (husband Anderson), John G Mar 1927 (wife Ditchburn), Catherine Mar 1928 (husband Tom Walker), George Jun 1928 (wife Jean F Ferriady), Edward Dec 1928 (wife Jane Moody), Robert Mar 1929 (wife Sophia M Torner), Jane Sep 1930 (husband Joseph Cartmell), Martha A Sep 1930 (husband William Lowther)

These lists of names do not include the reference information required to order any birth or marriage certificates required from the local register office or nationally from the Family Records Centre (FRC). However most of the FRC references numbers have been recorded and can be looked up for you.

Notes:

  • From 1911 the names of the mothers were provided on births and soon after spouses on marriages - so we know that a dozen or more Townsley families could be in the area between 1911 and 1930
  • From 1922 some Townsley birth entries start appearing in the nearby Carlisle registration district. However it seems that these are connected to a Townsley family from Yorkshire rather than Cumberland
  • There are also a small number of Townsley entries in the Penrith registration district
  • At least one family, that of James (birth registered Jun quarter 1902) is thought to have emigrated to the USA
  • These lists of names do not include the reference information required to order birth or marriage certificates from a local register office or the national centre. However knowing the year and quarter of the registration should make them easier to look up
  • There is at least one book that covers the Townsley families of Cumbria - see the TownsleyFamily website

Family Trees

Very few of the known birth and marriage registrations have been successfully linked into any larger family trees. However these are some provisional trees that seem to span at least four generations.

Descendants of John Townsley


1 John Townsley aka: Tounsley b: abt Nov 1839 Whitehaven, Cumberland d: Aft. 1891
. +Elizabeth Davidson? b: abt 1839 Workington, Cumberland m: abt Aug 1860 Cockermouth, Cumberland d: Aft. 1891
... 2 Henry Townsley b: abt Nov 1861 Cockermouth, Cumberland d: Aft. 1901
...... +Esther Moore b: abt 1866 Harrington, Workington, Cumberland m: abt Feb 1887 Whitehaven, Cumberland d: Aft. 1901 Father: William Moore Mother: Eliza x
........ 3 Robert Townsley b: abt 1885 Harrington, Workington, Cumberland d: Aft. 1901
........ 3 Elizabeth Moore Townsley b: abt Feb 1888 Harrington, Workington, Cumberland
........... +Pearson or Woof m: abt Nov 1909 Penrith, Cumberland
........ 3 John William Townsley b: abt Feb 1890 Harrington, Workington, Cumberland d: Aft. 1901
........ 3 William Moore Townsley b: abt Feb 1892 Harrington, Workington, Cumberland d: Aft. 1901
........ 3 Charles Townsley b: abt Aug 1896 Harrington, Workington, Cumberland
........... +Mary Johnston b: abt 1899 Whitehaven, Cumberland ? m: abt Aug 1920 Whitehaven, Cumberland
............. 4 Mary E Townsley b: abt Nov 1921 Whitehaven, Cumberland
............. 4 Charles E Townsley b: abt Aug 1925 Whitehaven, Cumberland
........ 3 Janet Townsley b: abt Feb 1899 Harrington, Workington, Cumberland
........... +John Harrison b: abt 1899 Whitehaven, Cumberland ? m: abt Feb 1935 Whitehaven, Cumberland
........ 3 Henry Townsley b: abt Nov 1900 Harrington, Workington, Cumberland d: Aft. 1901
... 2 William Townsley b: abt 1862 Workington, Cumberland d: Aft. 1901
...... +Rachel McDowell b: abt 1869 Newcastle On Tyne, Northumberland m: abt Feb 1891 Whitehaven, Cumberland d: Aft. 1901
........ 3 William Townsley b: abt 1891 Harrington, Workington, Cumberland d: Aft. 1901
........ 3 Robert Townsley b: abt 1894 Scotland d: Aft. 1901
........ 3 Margaret Townsley aka: Maggie Townsley b: abt Feb 1896 Harrington, Workington, Cumberland
........... +William James b: abt 1894 m: abt Nov 1920 Cockermouth, Cumberland
........ 3 Elizabeth Townsley b: abt Aug 1898 Harrington, Workington, Cumberland
........... +Edgar Walker b: abt 1895 m: abt May 1917 Whitehaven, Cumberland
... 2 Ann Townsley b: abt Aug 1866 Workington, Cumberland d: Aft. 1901
...... +Thomas McDowell b: abt 1865 Harrington, Cumberland m: abt Aug 1886 Whitehaven, Cumberland d: Aft. 1901
........ 3 John McDowell b: abt 1888 Harrington, Cumberland
........ 3 Elizabeth A McDowell b: abt 1890 Harrington, Cumberland
........ 3 Margaret J McDowell b: abt 1892 Harrington, Cumberland
........ 3 James McDowell b: abt 1897 Scotland
........ 3 Henry McDowell b: abt 1899 Harrington, Cumberland
... 2 Mary Townsley b: abt Feb 1870 Workington, Cumberland d: Aft. 1891
... 2 Charles Townsley b: abt Aug 1872 Cockermouth, Cumberland d: Aft. 1918
...... +Jane Boyd b: abt 1876 Hensingham, Cumberland m: abt May 1896 Whitehaven, Cumberland d: Aft. 1918
........ 3 John Townsley b: abt Aug 1897 Harrington, Workington, Cumberland d: Aft. 1901
........ 3 Thomas Townsley b: abt Feb 1900 Whitehaven, Cumberland d: Aft. 1901
........ 3 Edith A Townsley b: abt Aug 1911 Whitehaven, Cumberland
........... +Thomas Woodall b: abt 1909 Cockermouth, Cumberland ? m: abt Aug 1934 Cockermouth, Cumberland
........ 3 Henry Townsley b: abt Nov 1913 Whitehaven, Cumberland
........ 3 Nancy Townsley b: abt Aug 1915 Whitehaven, Cumberland
........... +Joseph M Hindson b: abt 1914 Cumberland ? m: abt Nov 1939 Cockermouth, Cumberland
........ 3 Elizabeth Townsley b: abt Nov 1915 Whitehaven, Cumberland
........ 3 Martha Townsley b: abt May 1918 Whitehaven, Cumberland
........... +John Stephens b: abt 1915 Whitehaven, Cumberland ? m: abt Nov 1937 Whitehaven, Cumberland
... 2 Elizabeth Townsley b: abt 1876 Harrington, Workington, Cumberland d: Aft. 1901
...... +William Boyd b: abt 1879 Egremont, Cumberland m: abt Aug 1896 Whitehaven, Cumberland d: Aft. 1901
........ 3 Ann Boyd b: abt 1899 Harrington, Workington, Cumberland
........ 3 Jane Boyd b: abt 1900 Workington, Cumberland
........ 3 Mary Boyd b: abt 1897 Harrington, Workington, Cumberland
... 2 Catherine Townsley b: abt Nov 1877 Whitehaven, Cumberland
...... +Heaney or McCarten m: abt Aug 1906 Cockermouth, Cumberland
... 2 John Townsley b: abt May 1881 Whitehaven, Cumberland d: Aft. 1901
...... +Ellen x b: abt 1883 Milton, Cumberland d: Aft. 1901

Descendants of Joseph Townslay

1 Joseph Townslay b: abt 1763 Cumberland ?
. +Elizabeth Fowler b: abt 1765 Whitehaven, Cumberland ? m: 09 Nov 1786 St Nicholas, Whitehaven, Cumberland
... 2 Samuel Townsley b: abt Mar 1792 Whitehaven, Cumberland
...... +Jane x b: abt 1790
........ 3 William Townsley b: abt Apr 1819 Whitehaven, Cumberland d: Aft. 1861
........... +Ann x b: abt 1819 Whitehaven, Cumberland m: abt Aug 1845 Whitehaven, Cumberland d: Aft. 1861
............. 4 Samuel Townsley b: abt 1848 Whitehaven, Cumberland d: Aft. 1901
................ +Mary Ann Foxe b: abt 1844 Whitehaven, Cumberland m: abt Nov 1868 Whitehaven, Cumberland d: Aft. 1901 Father: x Foxe Mother: Jane x
.................. 5 Samuel Townsley b: abt Apr 1869 Whitehaven, Cumberland
.................. 5 William Townsley b: abt Apr 1869 Whitehaven, Cumberland
.................. 5 Ann Townsley b: abt Aug 1871 Whitehaven, Cumberland
.................. 5 Mary Jane Townsley b: abt Dec 1877 Whitehaven, Cumberland d: Aft. 1901
..................... +John Joyce b: abt 1875 Whitehaven, Cumberland m: abt Feb 1898 Whitehaven, Cumberland d: Aft. 1901
....................... 6 Mary A I Joyce b: abt 1899 Whitehaven, Cumberland
.................. 5 Joseph Townsley b: abt May 1887 Whitehaven, Cumberland
..................... +Florence L Wood b: abt 1889 m: abt Nov 1910 Whitehaven, Cumberland
....................... 6 Samuel Townsley b: abt May 1912 Whitehaven, Cumberland d: Canada ?
....................... 6 Joseph W Townsley b: abt May 1916 Whitehaven, Cumberland
....................... 6 Leonard Townsley b: abt Feb 1920 Whitehaven, Cumberland
....................... 6 Freda Townsley b: abt May 1922 Whitehaven, Cumberland
............. 4 Isabella Townsley b: abt Feb 1850 Whitehaven, Cumberland
............. 4 John Townsley b: abt Feb 1852 Whitehaven, Cumberland
........ 3 Mary Ann Townsley b: abt Dec 1821 Whitehaven, Cumberland
........ 3 Isabella Townsley b: abt Aug 1823 Whitehaven, Cumberland d: abt Jan 1837 Whitehaven, Cumberland Burial: 19 Jan 1837 St Nicholas, Whitehaven
........ 3 Elizabeth Townsley b: abt May 1828 Whitehaven, Cumberland d: abt Jun 1828 Whitehaven, Cumberland Burial: 02 Jun 1828 St Nicholas, Whitehaven
........ 3 Samuel Townsley b: abt Sep 1828 Whitehaven, Cumberland d: abt Sep 1828 Whitehaven, Cumberland Burial: 17 Sep 1828 St Nicholas, Whitehaven
........ 3 Joseph Townsley b: abt Apr 1830 Whitehaven, Cumberland
........... +x m: abt Feb 1852 Whitehaven, Cumberland
........ 3 John Townsley b: abt Dec 1832 Whitehaven, Cumberland d: abt 1833 Whitehaven, Cumberland Burial: 02 Mar 1833 St Nicholas, Whitehaven

 

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