Find Ancestors

all I have are photos with names on, the birth certificate for Douglas and the memory of family!

We have a family bible but that has mainly old photos in

Well, the Richards+Townley marriage certificate will tell you who that Annie Mary Richards's father was, and how old she was when she married ... and that's the only way you're going to find an answer.


Have you tried googling for info? For example:

"queen mary" captain townley


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Queen_Elizabeth


http://www.queenmarystory.com/2009_03_01_archive.html

Saturday, March 28, 2009
Seppos in Sydney

On this day in 1942, the troopship Queen Mary, carrying American troops for the first time, arrived in Sydney, Australia after 4o days and 40 nights at sea.

>>> Captain John C. Townley was at the helm as the journey began on February 18 in Boston, but was relieved by Commodore Sir James Bisset at Key West, Florida, where 8,398 G.I.s boarded. Bisset took the ship through ports in Rio, Capetown, and Fremantle, before reaching Sydney. Upon arrival, after an initial stop at the Randwick Racecourse staging area, the troops were sent to bases throughout Australia.


And more there -- and other WWII stories about him that are quite interesting to read.

I wonder whether this is him:

http://www.chrisdufton.com/All_Relatives/paf/pafg105.htm

John Charles Townley was born in Sep 1880 in Crosthwaite, Cumberland.
The GRO Birth Index reference for him is "Births Sep 1880 Townley John Charles Cockermouth 10b 526".
In the Census in 1881, He was counted in Eskin Place, Crosthwaite, Cumberland - RG11/5171 p 3 13.6, John C Townley, Son, Age 9m, Born Crosthwaite

>> The person whose tree that is has him in his tree here at GR.


I can't find a death record to match that, though.

http://www.ellisisland.org/search/ship_passengers.asp?letter=v&half=1&
sname=Vasconia&year=1919&sdate=09/16/1919&port=Manchester,*England&page=1

- he is recorded on a passenger list at Ellis Island on the Vasconia.

Townley, John Charles 39y (matches 1880 DOB)

On viewing the image, he seems to have been crew, not passenger, so that looks like the right JCT.

Don't find anything about his marriage, though.


1911

MILITARY TOWNLEY JOHN C 1881 30 Portsmouth Hampshire

There's an article that says he went to sea at the age of 15:

http://books.google.ca/books?id=ekMEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA17&lpg=PA17&dq=
%22captain+townley%22&source=bl&ots=MLkpOp70ey&sig=eu-7sd4Sl0ggdtEtNmhJFndHW-w&hl
=en&ei=a4e7TLuWNoqrnQeNz83VDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved
=0CC0Q6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=%22captain%20townley%22&f=false

thanks for all the replies, I think until I get to see the marriage certificate then I am going to struggle with this one.