THE TOWNSHEND COLLECTION
OF
PRECIOUS STONES.
In the year 1869 the South Kensington Museum became possessed of a valuable collection of precious stones, under the provisions of the will (dated 6 August, 1863) of the Rev. Chauncy Hare Townshend. The following extract from the will refers to this bequest:
I, Chauncy Hare Townshend, late of Down Hill, in the parish of Tottenham High Cross, in the county of Middlesex, and now of Norfolk Street, Park Lane, in the Parish of St. George, Hanover Square, in the said county, Clerk, do hereby revoke all Wills and other Testamentary Dispositions heretofore made by me, and declare this to be my last Will and Testament. I appoint my friends Burdett Coutts of Stratton Street, Piccadilly, in the said county of Middlesex, spinster, and the Reverend Thomas Helmore, Master of Her Majesty's Choir at the Chapel Royal, St. James's, trustees and executors of this my will. I give and bequeath to the Right Honourable Granville George Leveson Gower, Earl Granvile, or other the President of Her Majesty's Council on Education for the time being charged with the promotion of Art Education, now undertaken by the Department of Science and Art, such of my pictures and water-colour drawings, and engravings and books containing engravings, as his Lordship, or other the President aforesaid, may think fit to select; and my collection of Swiss coins, and my box of precious stones (including such as are generally kept therein, but which in my absence from England may be with me on the Continent); and my box of cameos (which boxes, for the sake of identity, I declare to be those which in my absence from England are always deposited for safe custody with my bankers); and the ancient gold watch formerly belonging to my father, which, being stolen by the celebrated Barrington, was the cause of his transportation, together with the chain, seal, and keys thereunto attached; and also the looking-glass and frame over the dining-room
