Townsley Family (North Belfast)

[allister1964]

A distant relative of mine, Samuel Marrs Coates  married  a  Margaret Rose Townsley (born 1941) in 1959 (daughter of John Townsend Townsley and Elizabeth McCallin). When John T Townsley married in 1940, he was residing in Penrith Street, Belfast. His parents were William Townsley (born 1893) and Rosanne Davey, who married in 1916. At that time, William was living in Carlow Street, Belfast. William's father was a John Townsley (born 1865), who was a Tailor. He lived in Avonbeg Street, Belfast in 1901.

John Townsley (born 1865), was the son of a  John Townsley (born 1845), who was also a Tailor, and resident in Derriaghy, at the time of his marriage in 1865.

I was just wondering if anyone else has an interest or is related in any way to this family, as I'd appreciate some correspondence, and hopefully share relevant information.

[pablo1]

I have interent in the name Townsley but probably not of Belfast.  My great great grandfather, Thomas Robinson, married a Mary Townsley c. 1820s in the area around Ballyeaston.  Except for her name, I have no information on her branch of the Townsley family.

[ross_townsley]

Allastair,

I have a family history as my uncle is very interested in it. I am related to the Derriaghy Townsleys and my grandfather used to live in Carlow Street (I believe).

I will try to find out more and come back to you.

Ross

[allister1964]

Hello Ross,

Thanks for your message. I actually made a mistake in my research. It turns out that Samuel Marrs Coates isn't any connection of mine. On the other hand, I still have details on the Townsley family on my computer programme, so if I can be of any assistance to you, please let me know. If you have any knowledge of brothers or sisters of the early generations of the Townsley's, I can enter their details on the tree.

[BallyaltikilliganG]

John Grenham See https://www.johngrenham.com gives variants , eg Tounsley
my bass ear can hear Tinsley pronouced the same as Tansley/ Townsley.  There are Tinsley records in Derriaghy, going back in time in EG Griffith 1862
TINSLEY   WILLIAM      ANTRIM   DERRYAGHY   
TINSLEY   JAMES         ANTRIM   DERRYAGHY       
TINSLEY   ROBERT      ANTRIM   DERRYAGHY       
TINSLEY   MARY         ANTRIM   DERRYAGHY       
TINSLEY   ISAAC         ANTRIM   DERRYAGHY   
and earlier http://www.irishgenealogyhub.com/antrim/tithe-applotments/derryaghy-parish.php#.WzOboS2ZNEI
Tinsley, James   Townland: Ballymcward Year: 1827
Tinsley, William   Townland: Ballymcward Year: 1827
the above to keep if you hit brick walls

1862 http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/  has a
Townsley   Jane   Poleglass   Derryaghy   Antrim
with a house valued at 5 shillings pa at Map ref 14d, so you can see the outline of plot 14
within Poleglass townland on this same website. I could only find a,b,c, https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/4595858/history#map=13/54.5637/-6.0303
on a modern map the site of 14a is 1/3rd of the way between Laurelglen Pharmacy and Woodbrooke Medical practice which is now roadsand grasss verge between the two.
I think one of the problems is Poleglass no longer means the townland but includes other Belfast wards etc an administrated district

Jane carries on in 14d in the continuation valuation books to Griffiths valuation see https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/information-and-services/search-archives-online/valuation-revision-books
 VAL/12/B/8/2A (1862 - 1865) Jane continues
VAL/12/B/8/2B (1866 - 1876)  Jane continues
VAL/12/B/8/2C (1879 - 1889) Jane continues but her name is crossed thru under 14 d with a note reads in Reps name , so she has likely just died,
VAL/12/B/8/2D (1889 - 1900) lists her name but marks it [18]90.  showing no successor is named. The population growth of the area is increasing strongly.
VAL/12/B/8/2E (1901 - 1912) doesn’t include the page for 14d, as far as I could ascertain
 
birth and baptism records at https://www.ancestryireland.com  include
First Name   Surname   Year   Father's First Name   County   
Jane   Townsley           1781   father Michael   Antrim   
JANE   TOWNSLEY   1828   father MICHAEL   Down   
JANE   TOWNSLEY   1837   father JOHN   Antrim if she didn’t marry, then this lady is the most likely person   to  have lived in the homestead in poleglass townland.
JANE   TOWNSLEY   1837   father JOSEPH   Down   
JANE COLWELL TOWNSLEY   1881   father ALEXANDER   Antrim   
JANE   TOWNSLEY   1893   father WILLIAM   Antrim
 good luck in your quests