Educated at St George's Hospital. He practised at Kennington, first at Harley-ford Place, and then at 302 Kennington Park Road, SE. Up to the time of his death he was Hon Physician to the Royal Female Philanthropic Society. He was a Fellow of the Medical Society of London, of the Linnean and of the Meteorological Societies. He died on April 18th, 1888. Publications: Townley contributed to the *Lancet*, 1862, i, 538, a paper on "Parturition without Pain", which, in its republished form, *Parturition without Pain or Loss of Consciousness*, ran through three editions, 12mo, London; 2nd ed, 1862; 3rd ed, 1863.