Genealogical Data


The Townsends Tale


by Dione
Hello everyone,

Those listers who have read of Thomas Lyle will know I was very lucky to receive a collection of family documents a week ago, the earliest of which dated from 1740.

"Townsend's Tale" is from the same collection. It was written by Henry Shepherd TOWNSEND who was the son of William Townsend 1770-1836, Freeman and Liveryman of the City of London. Henry was the brother of my 3 x grandmother, Hope Morley Townsend who obviously was the daughter of William.

In June 1825 Henry took a position as Captain's Clerk on THE YORK and in this letter describes conditions on board, names some crew and passengers and vessels he encounters. Also described are a stand off with pirates, the brutality in some graphic detail of the crew on crossing the Line; the Australian Company; dissatisfaction of crew and Passengers; the slave trade and his first sight and taste of a banana.

THE YORK was a vessel bound from GRAVESEND to NEW SOUTH WALES via RIO DE JANEIRO.

Similarly to "The Voyage of Thomas Lyle" I have no objections to all or any part of "Townsend's Tale" or my notes or subscription of his letter being used as articles in family history society magazines, on web sites or placed in any suitable archive with the proviso that none of any extract or whole used be commercially exploited.

I hope everyone will enjoy this as much as The Voyage of Thomas Lyle,

 

REF: email to GENANZ@rootsweb by Dione Dover, Kent, England on 26 November 1998

 

 


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