Filkins, Oxfordshire

[xtrailisla]

Theyer Townsend of Chedworth
Had a minor breakthrough on this subject yesterday. Found a newspaper article of 1870 reporting on an altercation between Theyer Townsend and Daniel Taylor - both farmers of Chedworth.
In court Daniel stated that Theyer Townsend was his uncle.
Daniel Taylor and family came from Withington which is where Theyer came from prior to his marriage.
There were Townsend in Withington at this time but , so far, I have drawn a blank on finding a Theyer.

Having now looked hard there is NO evidence that Theyer Townsend of Chedworth ever used the name Theyer Lawrence Townsend so I am now thinking that they were different men.

The search continues.

[xtrailisla]

see Newspaper article Wilts and Glos Standard 8th June 1872 Page 8 col 5 Mother and son charged with forgery

[frothycoffee]

Well it pays to check your Spam, where your responses have been filed! Apologies for being absent or at least inactive about the efforts being made regarding Theyer Townsend.

I have been down a rabbit hole with the "Lawrence-Townsends". I am still trying to sort out if Theyer T is also Theyer Lawrence T.  So have been climbing around Theyer L.T. family tree. They were a wealthy lot who have left wills of varying wealth, many more questions. And of course their achievements at Oxford Universities are documented.
Still digging around but have established that the adopting of the name Townsend by Robert Lawrence was between his matriculation at Oriel college (Recorded then just Robert Lawrence) and his gaining his Doctorate at Worcester college 1815.

IF Theyer Lawrence is also Theyer Lawrence Townsend a per your first assumption I really do wonder how/why a man from a wealthy family with a B.A. from Worcester College, Oxford ended up a Yeoman farmer with no particular wealth or mention in later Lawrence-Townsend wills. Although having said that it family traditional hearsay and no evidence to back it up, that was that Theyer was "from Good Stock". Although his children's tomb at Chedworth is noteworthy and I have been told he was "surveyor of roads" for Chedworth and involved with Parish poor would indicate some "standing" in the community. That snippet I need to confiirm.

What a great find about Theyer Townsend and Daniel Taylor being referred to as his Uncle. Another lead to follow if I can stop my wanderings.

 

[xtrailisla]

Now convinced that TT of Chedworth NOT same as TLT.
In my latest find Chelt Examiner 5 Jun 1872
it very clearly states that Elizabeth Bayliss and Jesse Maisey were mother and son
and that they had attempted to forge the signature of Theyer Townsend uncle to Elizabeth and of Daniel Taylor her brother. There is also mention of a Sarah Ann Sheen I have her marriage cert)
So I conclude that we are looking for a marriage between a Taylor and a Townsend about 1800.
There is a marriage at Prestbury 9 Dec 1800 between William Taylor of Cheltenham to Ann Townsend of this parish but this needs further research.
In the Theyer Townsend Chedworth will of 1883 he gives money to the Chedworth Baptist Chapel and the Chedworth Congregational Chapel so there are non conformist leanings despite burial of self, wife and children in a C of e churchyard and marriage in a c of e church (not so unusual).
Daniel Taylor farmed Woodlands farm which is on the Chedworth border to Withington and is buried in Chedworth too.
Theyer farmed from Pinkwell (a small hamlet between Calmsden and Chedworth) - in 1842 he only owned about 12 acres of land which would of been small change to the Steanbridge family. I have transcribed the Rev Robert Lawrence will also found a history of Lawrence and Townsend families in a local paper.
So where do you want to go from here?
My interest is doing a study of the inhabitants of Chedworth tombs as a local history study - I am not really THAT worried about Theyer T roots but am curious. We have found a surprising amount out about Theyer from newspapers and studying Tythe Map etc.

[frothycoffee]

Theyer Lawrence Townsend buried Thoyer Laurence Townsend 17th Sep 1879 in Wootton Wawen, Warwickshire. So pretty conclusive Theyer T of Filkins/Chedworth is not the man I am researching. So of course the wealthy Lawrence-Townsends of Painswick are not related to "My Theyer". Finding a marriage of William Townsend of Painsworth (sic) to Elisabeth Chayer (sic) 29 Apr 1723 St Augustine, Watling Street, London, explains the Townsend and Theyer which caused so me much research and  confusion. Calling a halt on them and going back to the very useful finds you have made

Are your newspaper references from Findmypast or the British newspaper archive? Looks like I will have to subscribe to one or the other to further my researches on my wife's GG Grandfather Theyer Townsend, or are your researches available somewhere?

David

[xtrailisla]

A very kind friend has extracted them from newspapers.
I have put them, and my study so far, into this one drive file for you to upload. my numbering of files helps me keep track on what I have looked at and used.

https://1drv.ms/u/s!ApwbLzeTjrzcnzGKDtOfc2cA3Zoo?e=HoLyi3

[frothycoffee]

Christmas comes early! Many thanks will have few hours to open and digest your gems.

Thank you for your kindness.

[xtrailisla]

Significant find:
Gloucester Journal Saturday 23 October 1847
Obituaries – October 15, at Chedworth, Mr. Daniel Townsend, aged 49, brother to Mr. Theyer Towsend, of the same place.

[frothycoffee]

Thanks xtrailisla,
 Another lead to follow. Currently trying to establish the "how" of the relationship of Daniel Taylor who "assaulted" his Uncle Theyer Townsend, as per the news clipping you also found. I have found that Daniel's father married an Elizabeth Townsend, 6 March 1820 at Easton Grey, Wiltshire. Still working on that.
Also distracted by the 1841 census entry for Benjamin Taylor (Daniel's father) where other occupants are listed, John Townsend (Male Servant), Sarah (age 15yrs) and Charles Cuss (age 4mths). You may recall Theyer married and Elizabeth Cuss in 1833. Too much of a coincidence I think.