No, you didn’t travel back in time, but you’d be forgiven for thinking you had when you watch the YouTube channel Townsends. The channel is “dedicated to exploring the 18th-century lifestyle,” according to its own “about” page. To that end, viewers will watch as Jon Townsend, the creator of the channel, explores many aspects of living in that era, including what cooking, building and hygiene practices likely were like.
The channel was part of Jon’s way to help out with his father’s business, Jas. Townsend & Son Inc., which sells all sorts of 18th-century items. Jon felt that the videos helped explain usage of the company’s products easier than it’d be over the phone. Soon, however, the channel began to branch into teaching history, primarily through cooking historical meals in a way similar to Tasting History with Max Miller. But now, the channel has branched into all aspects of living in that time period.
Townsends teaches history in a fun, engaging way. In fact, it’s so engaged with the culture that everyone on the channel dresses in historical garb (Jon himself is a reenactor).
“History is really, really important,” Jon says in a video. “It gives us perspective…it’s one thing to study it in a book, but it’s totally different to put on the funny clothes, and to get out the tools or get the food together and start cooking it. That’s learning.”
The channel readily admits that many of the projects they work on are a learning process. Jon approaches each video with an air of humility, explaining when things his crew thought would work didn’t go as planned. And through all the videos we reviewed, we didn’t hear a single swear word, censored or otherwise.
Jon frequently tells his viewers how much he appreciates their interest and input.
There’s not much here to be concerned about. In one video, a man smokes from a pipe, and in another, someone drinks beer.
Townsends is a relaxing channel that will resonate with visual learners looking for a way to learn about 18th-century history. Parents will be pleased to hear that the channel is quite tame, and those who decide to watch will certainly learn something about how people lived 300 years ago.
Kennedy Unthank studied journalism at the University of Missouri. He knew he wanted to write for a living when he won a contest for “best fantasy story” while in the 4th grade. What he didn’t know at the time, however, was that he was the only person to submit a story. Regardless, the seed was planted. Kennedy collects and plays board games in his free time, and he loves to talk about biblical apologetics. He thinks the ending of Lost “wasn’t that bad.”
