TOWNSON or BULLOCK?

[Aussie Roy]

Transcription errors in ancestry.com are causing me problems with my wife's ancestry. Her mother, Jane Myers 1913-1993 b. Barnoldswick Yorks. Her mother  Ann Elkin Charnley 1880-1935.b Langcliffe.  Her mother Margaret Ann Townson 1845-1911 b. Bentham (or Tatham, Lancs)  is where the problem begins.  Margaret Ann Townson should be found in 1851,61,71 censuses. 1878 she married Richard Charnley. The marriage certificate gives her father as Thomas Townson, who should also be found in the censuses, but not.  The name Ann Elkin  I thought may be the name of Margaret Ann's mother. A search for Ann Elkin found two in Tatham , b.1819 and 1824 and a marriage 1845 registered Settle to Thomas Townson BULLOCK.  1851 census has Thomas S. Bullock in Bentham. From the actual image it is clearly Thomas T.  and daughter Mgt. 1845 birth index shows Margaret Ann Townson Bullock. Ann Elkin must have died before 1853 as another marriage is listed for Thomas T Bullock 1854 to Isabella Duckett. 1861 census gives Thomas Townson Bullock this time. (definitely same person- shoemaker).  1871  census has Thomas S. Bullock again. By 1878 when Margaret Ann married both had dropped the Bullock surname, and 1881 and 1891 census and death in 1898 are all plain Thomas Townson.   So why drop the Bullock ?  Or why adopt the Townson name in the first place?
Thomas was born 1822. Was his father Bullock or Townson?

[Tati]

Hi Aussie Roy,

Not sure if this is any help but this looks like Thomas in 1841:

HO107/1319 5  27 8
Bentham, Yorkshire
Green Head
Gilbert Townson, 65, Cordwainer
Ann, 55, not born in county
Alice, 20
Thomas, 15, Cordwainer
Robert, 3 months
John Gudgeon, 15, Blacksmith

Maybe he was born to Ann before she married Gilbert?


Edit: Looking at the 1851 census, I wonder if it's the same Ann who is living next door to Thomas...

[Aussie Roy]

Thanks Tati   What you have found in  1841 fits in with Gilbert Townson as father. Gilbert is also the name of Thomas's son brother of Margaret Ann. So that is where the Townson comes from. Gilbert snr died 1846.  Perhaps his wife Ann of 1841 was Ann Bullock. The only marriage for Gilbert Townson on IGI is 1791 to Elizabeth Newton.  So where does Bullock come in.

[Tati]

The IGI is far from complete (even the marriage for Gilbert & Elizabeth is member-submitted). You'd need to check the parish registers for Thomas' birth in either name 

[Aussie Roy]

The birth certificate for Margaret  Ann gives her name as Townson only, yet  she comes under Bullock in the index.  (Bentham 1845).
     The marriage cert for Thomas Townson Bullock conforms that his father was Gilbert Townson. Bride was Ann Elkin, father 'dead' (a great help) Marriage at Bentham 1845.
The Ann Townson next door is probably a different one as another widowed lives at another address with daughter Alice.

[philaf]

Gilbert Townson (b. abt. 1772 Bentham) married twice. Firstly to Elizabeth Newton in Dec 1791 with whom he had (at least) 7 children between 1793 and 1805. His second marriage was to Ann Hully 28 Dec 1829. Gilbert was Ann's second husband - her first being Bullock (christian name not known). Alice Townson Bullock and Thomas Townson Bullock were born before their parents' marriage.

Hope this helps.

[Aussie Roy]

Thanks philaf, that certainly does help a lot. It explains everything. following up with IGI I find Bullock was James b. 1786. Not that it matters as he is not an ancestor. Ann Hully came from a line of Francis Hullys. Can't find her mother. Thanks again.     Roy

[Fossil GT]

Hi Aussie Roy
Just stumbled on your Townson vs Bullock item.  I have quite a lot on the Townsons from 1650 onwards. I attach four of files.  Thomas William (1874-1942) was my grandfather.  My father used to correspond with Australian descendants of Fred. e.g cousins Ern & Dennis. I have a letter dated 1982 from Peggy (West Heidelburg, Vic).
Re the Bullock story ... I would have to check this but I think there was a liaison with farmer Bullock's wife which led to illegitimate Thomas (baptised 1822).  They married (1829) after Bullock's death.
If you are interested, let me know and we can swap data.
Cheers - Geoff Townson
Dorset UK

[sarah]

Hi Geoff,

Welcome to RootsChat

Only small portions of parish records/certificates images are allowed on RootsChat where you are struggling to decipher handwriting.

Regards

Sarah