Leslie George Townshend
Don Congregational Cemetery
Died 9th August 1886
Age 9 months
Son of George and Elizabeth Townshend (Gower)
Thomas Townshend
Don Congregational Cemetery
DEATH
TOWNSHEND – On March 7, at Kimberley’s Hotel, Devonport, Thomas Townshend, aged 73 years.
The North West Post 9th March 1893
FUNERAL
The funeral of the late Mr. Thomas Townshend will leave Kimberley’s Commercial Hotel THIS DAY, at 3 o’clock for the Don Cemetery. R. Montgomery, undertaker.
The North West Post 9th March 1893
Late on Tuesday night Mr. T. Townshend, C.E., one of the oldest residents at the
Mersey, expired at West Devonport. The deceased, who, it is generally thought, had passed
four-score years (although the death notice in another column gives his age as 73), he had
been in failing health during the past three weeks, his robust constitution showing signs
of breaking up, and he told his immediate friends that he knew the end was near.
He took
up lodgings at Kimberley’s Hotel where he was carefully attended to, but he gradually sank,
and passed peacefully away at an early hour yesterday.
The deceased was a native of
Birmingham, where his father carried out some extensive contracts.
He received college
training and after having passed his examination as a civil engineer, followed his
profession in the Old Country. About 1848 he, accompanied by his brothers Richard and
Frederick – the latter also following the profession of an engineer – left for Victoria,
and resided for some time in Melbourne.
The deceased was engaged supervising some road
contracts at Sandridge (now Port Melbourne), and shortly afterwards left for Tasmania.
He experienced the ups and downs of life, and for a short time was in the police force in
this colony, and was in charge of the watch house at East Devonport.
The first engineering supervision he was engaged in was the construction
of the Deloraine to Latrobe tramway, which however, was not completed, as the
contractor, Mr. Swift, gave the job up when the rails had been laid down as far
as Collier’s Creek.
The late Mr. Townshend was also engaged in some work for
the old firm of Cummings, Raymond, & Co., and we believe, supervised the laying down –
or at least a portion of it – of the Don tramway.
On the formation of the Mersey
Marine Board, about twenty-five years ago, the deceased was appointed engineer and
some of the work he had laid out will remain permanent evidence of his skill.
All the wharves at the Mersey and sundry harbour improvements were designed and
carried out under his direction, and are generally admitted to be work of a substantial character. The deceased, who held the position of engineer for some years to the Formby Town Board, and for some time after that body merged in the Devonport Town Board, and also the Ulverstone Town Board and Leven Marine Board. He was a first class draughtsman, the details of his plans being clearly and concisely arranged. The last work he performed was drawing up plans and specifications for the storage sheds now in course of construction at the wharf at West Devonport. The deceased had no relations residing in the Colony, his brothers and sisters predeceasing him. About a couple of years ago one of his sisters died and left him a legacy. Yesterday the flags at the shipping offices, Marine Board’s vessels, and the vessels in port were at half-mast, out of respect to the memory of the deceased. The funeral will take place this afternoon, the cortege being appointed to leave Kimberley’s Hotel at 3 o’clock for the Don cemetery, it being the wish of the deceased that his remains should be placed there.
The North West Post 9th March 1893
The funeral of the late Mr. Thomas Townshend C.E. took place on Thursday afternoon, the officials and some of the members of the Mersey Marine Board, with other intimate friends, following the remains to their last resting-place, the Don cemetery. The service at the grave was conducted by the Rev. Campbell Rogers.
The North West Post 11th March 1893