The reason I had trouble finding anything much on this lady is that she performed under the name of Gwendo Paul. Like her mother, she was an accomplished pianist and, like her mother, travelled to London to study. In late 1927, in Kensington, she married Harold Ching, a baritone with the Bristol Opera Company. In 1929, they travelled to Australia, gave concerts, and Harold took up a post teaching at the Melbourne Conservatorium. A son was also born, in Queensland, sometime before October 1929. In 1933, they returned to England and Harold began to study medicine while still performing from time to time. They planned to travel to Australia to visit family in about 1938 after Harold had completed his studies, but her father's death in 1937 intervened.
From the rather poor photos in the scanned newspapers, "Gwendo" was quite a stunner, and Harold wasn't too bad himself.
The most likely birth registration I can find for Harold is Harold Thomas CHING, September quarter 1906, Croydon registration district.
I am now trying to dig up information on their life after 1937.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
At Long Last - the Death of Dr Paul
From The West Australian of 20th March, 1937. I've been looking for this for some time, and now it has appeared. Dr Paul was the husband of Captain Townsend's youngest daughter, Frances Marie. The fact that they were travelling to England to visit their daughter might exlpain why I have been experiencing difficulty in tracing Emily Gwendoline Elizabeth Paul. Now it might be possible to check the incoming UK passenger lists and such like in order to fill in some details.
Wonders Never Cease
This morning's facebook message was from a grandson of Colin Townsend. Unknowingly, I was already 'acquainted' with him through the ABC Self Service Science Forum. It's not a terribly big world, hey?
Thursday, June 10, 2010
I Haven't been Idle
As the digitised newspaper issues edge further and further into the 20th Century, I have been picking up bits and pieces of information about the Queensland Townsend families. A marriage here, a death or birth there, some useful snippets in obituaries.
For example, Jessie Jane Sinclair Townsend had been a journalist before her marriage and her mother had been the adopted daughter of the man who started the first newspaper in the Colony of Queensland.
Edwin Louis Townsend, who died tragically of a fracture skull in 1913, had two years earlier been sentenced to 6 months imprisonment for horse stealing, although the evidence was, by today's standards, very weak and circumstantial. Then again, it did also seem that he had tried to legitimise his ownership of the horse by forging a receipt for its purchase and he was lucky not to be charged with perjury as well.
His father, Victor Louis Townsend, had been declared insolvent in the 1890s, but by 1916 he had been appointed Bailiff for Beenleigh, and was himself seizing the assets of bankrupts and auctioning them off. It seems that Victor Louis' great claim to fame was his prize-winning poultry.
I also came across the report of the funeral of Dr Shirley, Victor's father-in-law. The list of attendees includes many of the rich and powerful of the day.
For example, Jessie Jane Sinclair Townsend had been a journalist before her marriage and her mother had been the adopted daughter of the man who started the first newspaper in the Colony of Queensland.
Edwin Louis Townsend, who died tragically of a fracture skull in 1913, had two years earlier been sentenced to 6 months imprisonment for horse stealing, although the evidence was, by today's standards, very weak and circumstantial. Then again, it did also seem that he had tried to legitimise his ownership of the horse by forging a receipt for its purchase and he was lucky not to be charged with perjury as well.
His father, Victor Louis Townsend, had been declared insolvent in the 1890s, but by 1916 he had been appointed Bailiff for Beenleigh, and was himself seizing the assets of bankrupts and auctioning them off. It seems that Victor Louis' great claim to fame was his prize-winning poultry.
I also came across the report of the funeral of Dr Shirley, Victor's father-in-law. The list of attendees includes many of the rich and powerful of the day.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
More about Adelina Jessy Maidman
Today, at the Museum, I had an opportunity to copy more documents held there. These are bad copies of faded handwritten transcriptions of, I presume, translations from the Dutch.Of particular interest was the documentation pertaining to the marriage of William Townsend and Adelina Jessy Maidman. As follows:
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Registrar's Office, The Isle of Sumatra, Dutch East Indies, Residence Padang
No1. Extract
On the 18th of January of the year 1864 in Padang at the Registrar's office a marriage was solemnised between William Townsend born in Padang, 53 years old living in Padang and Adeline Jessy Maidman born in Padang, 27 years old living in Padang.
I declare that the above extract signed by me, public servant at the Registrar's office in Padang is a conformatry (sic) of the Registrar's office in Padang. 19 Nov 1877.
Sighted for legalisation the above signature of Cyril Hendrick Boelhammer civil servant of the Registrar's office in Padang. The president of the court of Justice in Padang.
{attachment}
Extract from the Registrar office at Padang 1864
Today the 18th January 1864 appeared before me, Willem van Ommen, civil servant of the Registrar office at Padang, William Townsend born in Padang, 53 years old, dwelling in Padang eldest son of Edward James Townsend and Corneila Johanna Dederingh both deceased, formerly married to Clementina Cecilia Sophia Chew, deceased, and Adelina Jessy Maidman born in Padang, twenty seven years old without profession, living in Padang, eldest daughter of Richard Robert Maidman, profession retired civil servant, and Latia (sic), without profession, both living in Padang, not married before. These persons asked me to solemnise their marriage. Included are some documents which are attached to this document.
1st - a certificate of the birth of the bride
2nd - a document death certificate of the groom's former wife Clementina Cecilia Sophia Chew
3rd - an authenticated certificate to notify the consent of the mother of the bride
4th - Evidence of the announcement of the wedding without resistance has occurred.
- Afterwards the groom has declared another oath that he was not able to produce a birth certificate.
- Has appeared before me Richard Robert Maidman 60 years old retired civil servant living in Padang who acted as substitute of father of the bride, who gave permission for the wedding.
William Townsend and Adelina Jessy Maidman declare that they take each other as partners and that they fulfil all the lasts and plights (sic) according to the law and are now in name of law man and wife.
Done in presence of Joseph Adam Koopman 54 years old retired civil servant and Adolf Hugo van Diemont, 39 years of age, merchant, brother in law of the bride both living in Padang.
This certificate is then ...
=============================================================
Registrar's Office, The Isle of Sumatra, Dutch East Indies, Residence Padang
No1. Extract
On the 18th of January of the year 1864 in Padang at the Registrar's office a marriage was solemnised between William Townsend born in Padang, 53 years old living in Padang and Adeline Jessy Maidman born in Padang, 27 years old living in Padang.
I declare that the above extract signed by me, public servant at the Registrar's office in Padang is a conformatry (sic) of the Registrar's office in Padang. 19 Nov 1877.
Sighted for legalisation the above signature of Cyril Hendrick Boelhammer civil servant of the Registrar's office in Padang. The president of the court of Justice in Padang.
{attachment}
Extract from the Registrar office at Padang 1864
Today the 18th January 1864 appeared before me, Willem van Ommen, civil servant of the Registrar office at Padang, William Townsend born in Padang, 53 years old, dwelling in Padang eldest son of Edward James Townsend and Corneila Johanna Dederingh both deceased, formerly married to Clementina Cecilia Sophia Chew, deceased, and Adelina Jessy Maidman born in Padang, twenty seven years old without profession, living in Padang, eldest daughter of Richard Robert Maidman, profession retired civil servant, and Latia (sic), without profession, both living in Padang, not married before. These persons asked me to solemnise their marriage. Included are some documents which are attached to this document.
1st - a certificate of the birth of the bride
2nd - a document death certificate of the groom's former wife Clementina Cecilia Sophia Chew
3rd - an authenticated certificate to notify the consent of the mother of the bride
4th - Evidence of the announcement of the wedding without resistance has occurred.
- Afterwards the groom has declared another oath that he was not able to produce a birth certificate.
- Has appeared before me Richard Robert Maidman 60 years old retired civil servant living in Padang who acted as substitute of father of the bride, who gave permission for the wedding.
William Townsend and Adelina Jessy Maidman declare that they take each other as partners and that they fulfil all the lasts and plights (sic) according to the law and are now in name of law man and wife.
Done in presence of Joseph Adam Koopman 54 years old retired civil servant and Adolf Hugo van Diemont, 39 years of age, merchant, brother in law of the bride both living in Padang.
This certificate is then ...
Signature W Townsend, AJ Maidman, RR Maidman.
============================================================
This answers some questions and raises others. Why did Richard Robert and Letitia Agatha stand in for Adelina Jessy's parents, John Butter Maidman and Johanna Maria? Did the 'happy couple" really have Adelina's parents' blessing? The story here is that Adelina was the daughter of a village girl, an 'Inlandse vrouw', but this is not well supported by the documentation. Even Letitia Agatha (?), wife of Richard Robert Maidman, does not sound like the name of a village girl of the era. She, herself, might have been the daughter of a 'mixed' relationship.
============================================================
More about the Queensland Townsends
As more and more of the Queensland newspapers of the early 20th century come on-line for viewing, we can discover more of the 'doings' of Townsend descendants in this state.
It would seem that George Robert, in his position as Superintendent of Labour, was much exercised by the unemployment problems of Queensland, and the provision of labour to attempt to clear the infestations of prickly pear (cactus) which were covering much agricultural land. Mrs G R Townsend and young Noel Townsend appeared to be busy finding and donating material to the Brisbane Hospital and the Children's Hospital.
Mr V Townsend (Louis Victor) was breeding prize-winning poultry.
The reports on the death and inquest into the death of Edwin Louis Townsend reveal that he was married to Annie Wilhelmina Zingelmann in 1912.
I'm sure there's much more to come.
It would seem that George Robert, in his position as Superintendent of Labour, was much exercised by the unemployment problems of Queensland, and the provision of labour to attempt to clear the infestations of prickly pear (cactus) which were covering much agricultural land. Mrs G R Townsend and young Noel Townsend appeared to be busy finding and donating material to the Brisbane Hospital and the Children's Hospital.
Mr V Townsend (Louis Victor) was breeding prize-winning poultry.
The reports on the death and inquest into the death of Edwin Louis Townsend reveal that he was married to Annie Wilhelmina Zingelmann in 1912.
I'm sure there's much more to come.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
I think that is just about enough from me
Little did I know what I was facing when I started to look into the life and times of Captain William Townsend. What a rich and varied family history!
I have spent today confusing and un-confusing myself over some details: who would expect that a man would marry, when young, someone with a certain surname and then, when older, a widow with that same married surname. I think it might have confused some other researchers, too.
Now that my three followers have met up, at least on-line, I think I can safely leave them to put everything together into one big family story. After all, they are all in the same small (compared to Australia) country.
It has been fun.
I have spent today confusing and un-confusing myself over some details: who would expect that a man would marry, when young, someone with a certain surname and then, when older, a widow with that same married surname. I think it might have confused some other researchers, too.
Now that my three followers have met up, at least on-line, I think I can safely leave them to put everything together into one big family story. After all, they are all in the same small (compared to Australia) country.
It has been fun.
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