Filkins, Oxfordshire

[mazi]

I wondedr if the 1801 will mentioned by frothycoffee was the will of Thayer Townsend christened,   painswick in 1725 according to familysearch,  and whether he was gt/granfather  of both families.

[Galium]

The Will of Theyer Townsend of Steanbridge, Gloucestershire is a PCC will which can be viewed on Ancestry, or downloaded from The National Archives site:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/wills.htm

He directs that he should be buried at the church of St Michael Bassishaw, London. The burial register shows Theyer Townsend Esq. aged 75 buried 22 February 1802.

[Galium]

Amongst the beneficiaries is a Robert Lawrence.  Google books throws up this information from The History of the County of Gloucester Brought down to the year 1803 - Thomas Rudge

Stroud-end Tything.  Steanbridge-house is the property and residence of Robert Laurence, A.M. who has taken the name of Townsend, to whom it came by decease of Theyer Townsend Esq. the late proprietor. It is situated within a mile of Painswick.

[Pennie]

A few more bits of information ...

Robert Lawrence TOWNSEND appears on the Clergy Database - Theyer TOWNSEND does not!

The Theyer TOWNSEND who died in Painswick in 1802 was the son of William TOWNSEND and Elizabeth THEYER (according to an online family tree).

If Robert Lawrence took the name TOWNSEND after his marriage to Anne, then it will be difficult to find the marriage because it will be recorded under a difference surname.

Pennie

[ribbo39]

Hi,

Have a look at this entry, if you've not seen this before;

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/OXFORDSHIRE/2006-06/1151343826

Born Robert Lawrence s/o Robt. of Shurdington, Glos and assumed the additional name of Townsend
about 1795 and became rector of Alderton.

Alan

[frothycoffee]

A big thank you for all the help and "pointers". I'm working through trying to establish how the Townsend of Steanbridge/Painswick area are related to Theyer Townsend of Filkins. It would seem  that the name Theyer was carried on by the family and is the strongest hint/nudge that they must somehow be related. My first foray into their world gives me a William Townsend marr. Elizabeth Theyer circa 1723 (no positive ident as to when and where). William has four children between 1724 - 1730 in Painswick (Henry Tyndal, William, Theyer & John).

A quote from British History Online "Paradise Farm, a gabled house of the later 17th century with a classical east front and suitable internal improvements added in the early 18th century when William Townsend lived there."  Paradise is smaller than a hamlet and is near to Painswick. Same references  mention an estate at Steanbridge, Slad.  Perhaps Gloucester Records Office will have some further documents which will untangle the family tree.

As to why Robert Lawrence changed his name to Robert Lawrence Townsend is a question I may have to put to one side for a while.  Anyway, I've now somewhere different to (re)-start my researches which hopefully will bear fruit.

So to sum up I've more to work on now than previously. Contacting this forum has made me revisit information I'd discarded and hopefully some connection will be made. It may well be I end up asking for help on the Painswick/Gloucestershire forum but To end on a pun...Hopefully it's no longer "Paradise Lost" but "Theyer Found".
 

[xtrailisla]

I can help you here and it is a confusing subject. The Theyer Townsend born Filkin was the seventh child of Rev Robert Lawrence who was left a very generous bequest by cousins and he added Townsend as a family name and his seventh child was name Theyer in honour of the benefactor,Not only did Rev Lawrence get money he also got estates in Painswick and, it would seem, Cowley.
The Theyer Lawrence Townsend born 1806 was baptised at Painswick 1807. He came to Chedworth in Gloucestershire after his mothers death in 1833 and bought Pinkwell Farm which is just south of the village. Of 12 children 6 are in a tomb in Chedworth churchyard next to their parents. I am sure this is enough to get you going. Do look on the Gloucestershire Archive database. Happy to help moreb if needed

[xtrailisla]

Well everyone, I still think that I am right about the Rev Robert Lawrence (later Townsend) being the father of Theyer Townsend later of Chedworth.
Observations:
Rev Robert and Mrs Ann Lawrence died at Bishops Cleeve 1830 1833 respectively. He was rector there and one of his sons seems to have continued there.
Interesting item in Gloucestershire Archive database about changing a trust concerning Ann Walbank and Robert Lawrence. Worth looking at should the archives ever open again to the public.
The 1807 christening took place in Painswick and the parents are resident at Steanbridge. It is only just over a year between birth and christening - this is not unknown especially if the child seemed healthy.
Theyer Townsend married in 1833 which is the year that his mother died (father died earlier) and I think he bought Pinkwell Farm in Chedworth about that time (using an inheritance maybe?). He is in Chedworth for the 1841 census and birthplace of children in later census adds to length of time at that place.
I am going to throw this recent discovery into the pot:
https://www.bookdepository.com/Reply-Mr-Borthwicks-Lectures-on-Colonial-Slavery-Theyer-Lawrence-Townsend/9781275811720?ref=grid-view&qid=1613136423784&sr=1-1

I have ordered the book - it is dated just before he got married.

[xtrailisla]

Just found the 1830 will ref prob 11/1774 of The Rev Robert Lawrence Doctor of Divinity. Its going to take some time to transcribe (4 hand written pages).

Robert Lawrence married Ann Walbank at Badgeworth, Glos 3 Nov 1795