Bob, a former prizefighter, went to work at the Brockton Enterprise as a sports writer in 1968 and quickly became involved in union affairs, being elected shop steward in the editorial department in 1969 and serving as a picket line captain in a 74 day strike in 1970. He was laid off after the dispute, and the Brockton Local charged that it was in retaliation for his strike activities. An arbitrator agreed and Bob got his job back in 1971.

Townsend served as vice president of the Brockton Local in 1973 and 1974 and again in 1978. He was first elected Brockton’s President in 1979 and served as the local’s leader for 15 of the next 19 years. He was in his ninth consecutive one year term when he resigned the position to join the staff of the New York Guild.

Bob was the first recipient of Brockton’s Guild Service Award in 1975. He’s been a delegate to 15 Newspaper Guild conventions, once serving as chair of the convention’s Resolutions Committee. He was President of the New England District Council for several years.

After starting out as a sports writer, Townsend worked at the Enterprise as a general–assignment reporter, court reporter, police reporter, copy editor and assistant city editor. For many years, he wrote a general interest column on the editorial page.