William Townsend and Elizabeth Salmon Thomas

William Townsend married his second cousin, Elizabeth Salmon Thomas, in (date given in the will - to be inserted later) 1872, probably in Sandgate, Queensland. Elizabeth had been a passenger on the "Netherby" and the "City of Melbourne" at the same time as William and the 6 children.

We can find Elizabeth S Thomas, aged 10, scholar, residing at 31 Wakefield Street, St Pancras, Marylebone in the 1851 Census. Her place of birth is given as St Pancras, Middlesex. She is in a household with her mother, Lydia M, wife of Journeyman Painter, and siblings Diana S (17), Lydia H (13), George AT (11), Mary R (7), and Emma T (5).

In the 1861 Census, they are living in Mountnessing Village, Essex. Her father, William, appears to have intended to be home for the Census but was absent; his name is crossed out and other details not filled in. The household consisted of:

• Lydia Thomas, 52, Fundholder's Wife, born Dowgate Middlesex.
• Caroline Townshend Thomas, 21, Fundholder's daughter, born St Pancras (December Q 1838).
• Lydia Harriet Thomas, 23, Fundholder's daughter, born St Pancras.
• Elizabeth Salmon Thomas, 20, Fundholder's daughter, born Islington (December Q 1840).
• Edward William Peck, 2, Grandson, born Islington.
• Lydia Martha Peck, 1, Granddaughter, born Islington.

Children:

• William Ambrose Townsend was born in 1872, probably at Brighton, and died in about April 1928. He was buried in Toowong Cemetery on 18^th April 1928. No marriage can be found in the Queensland or New South Wales registers. Electoral Rolls for 1925 have him residing at 18 Arthur Street, New Farm, occupation traveller. No other electoral registration can be found.
• Charles Thomas Townsend was born in 1874, probably at Brighton, and died on 25^th October 1921 in Gympie, Queensland. In 1900, he married Gladys Mary Johnson, daughter of Sydney Newman Johnson and Emma Lewis. They had at least six children, two of whom (twins) died at birth. The 1913 and 1919 Electoral Rolls have Charles Thomas, assayer, and Gladys Mary living at Wickham Street, Gympie.
• Frances Marie Townsend was born in 1876, probably at Brighton. She was an accomplished musician, studying first in Brisbane and later in London. She appears not to have married, at least in Queensland, and a death or burial place has not, so far, been revealed. She was generally known as "Fanny". (As it turns out, she married in Victoria, but the timeline indicates that she would have been acquainted with her future husband and his first family while living in Sandgate.)
  

More information will be given later on the descendants of Charles Thomas Townsend and Frances Marie Townsend.