Townshend, Barbara Anne

Introduction:

Born to a family of Cheshire landed gentry, BARBARA ANNE TOWNSHEND (1781-1816) was never a commercial profilist. However, she was the author of a twice-reprinted work containing engravings of her silhouettes and advice on the techniques required for attempting cut-work compositions. That she herself was a cutter of considerable skill is evidenced in a scrapbook she gifted to her god-daughter Harriet Brooke in 1805.

Initially published for 5 shillings in January 1808, her book "THE ART OF CUTTING OUT DESIGNS ON BLACK PAPER..." contained aquatint engravings of variously posed groups of figures designed by her and examples of flora and fauna. Reprinted in 1815, the work last appeared in 1836, 20 years after her death, with a new publisher and new title "SYBIL-LEAVES or DRAWING ROOM SCRAPS".

Individual sheets, variously coloured, of her printed silhouettes (3 of which are housed in the Wellcome Collection) were offered at 1 shilling each, and all bear the inscription at their foot 'Miss B. Anne Townshend del.' and 'M.Dubourg sculp.'. It's worth noting that Matthew Dubourg (1786-1828) was apprenticed in 1800 to engraver and prolific profilist Charles Rosenberg (1754-1844).

That Barbara Anne Townshend herself was a consummate cutter is evidenced by her own offerings in the scrapbook she gifted to her 5-year-old niece and god-daughter Harriet Brooke (1800-1875) in November 1805. Harriet's father George Brook Briggs Townshend (1776-1845) had changed his surname to 'Brooke' in 1797 and was Barbara Anne Townshend's paternal cousin.

The scrapbook, comprehensively illiustrated in McKechnie's " BRITISH SILHOUETTE ARTISTS and their WORK 1760-1860 ", has its flyleaf inscribed in an adult script "Harriet Brooke from her affectionate God-mother Barbara Anne Townshend...November 4th 1805, Stanley Place [Chester]". Endearing cut-work augmented 2 children's stories. Inscriptions under each cutting are in a child's hand, doubtless Harriet's, while only her aunt's hand could surely have contributed the intricate, confidently cut silhouettes.

Barbara Anne Townshend was the 5th of 7 offspring, 1 son and 6 daughters, born between 1774-1789 to Ann née Baldwin (1746-1825) and Edward Townshend Esq. (1736-1811). According to his obituary in the CHESTER CHRONICLE 15th November 1811, Edward Townshend of Winsham Hall (Cheshire) died on November 3rd at his townhouse in Stanley Place, Chester. Daughter Barbara Anne would die at the same address 5 years later.

In her will of 1814, she bequeathed as a memento mori a '...plaited bracelet of her hair set in a most plain manner to her friend Harriet Brooke'. Chester's Holy Trinity burial register records Barbara Anne died aged 35 from 'decay of nature'. Her obituary in the CHESTER COURANT 9th July 1816 relates "on the 3rd instant, in Stanley-Place, Barbara Anne, fourth daughter of the late Edward Townshend Esq.".

Revised 3 November 2024 (Brian Wellings)