Champion, Henry (1842-1911)

Transcription of obituary published in the Primitive Methodist Magazine by T.G.

The interment of Mr. H. Champion took place at Rosedale, near Pickering, on Friday, May 5th, in the presence of a large gathering representative of all classes of the community in the dale. For many years he was a local preacher, and owing to the remoteness from town of the local churches he was often in the same pulpits. People listened readily to his message, not only because he made it interesting, but also because he was known to live what he preached.

For several years he was under-manager in the mines. He had a brain of rare inventive power, and constructed some ingenious things. During the more leisurely years of later life he gave much time to religious work. In particular he engaged in visiting the sick.

Family

Henry was born in 1842 at Flixborough, Lincolnshire, to parents John Champion, a horse jockey (1851) and later a horse dealer, and Lettice Dickens. He was baptised on 4 September 1842 at Flixborough.

Census returns identify the following occupations for Henry.

1851 scholar
1861 ploughman
1871 joint farmer
1881 farmer of 40acres
1891 ironstone miner under manager
1901 formerly an ironstone miner
1911 manager retired (ironstone mines)

He married Esther Richardson (1844-1931) on 16 July 1864 at Middleton in Pickering, Yorkshire. Census returns and birth records identify seventeen children.

John (1865-1924) – an ironstone miner (1911)
Jonathan (1867-1943) – ironstone miner’s deputy (1901)
William (1869-1966) – a blacksmith (1901)
Hannah (1871-1931) – married John Fletcher, a farmer, in 1892
Richard (1872-1912) – a publican (1911)
Susan (Susannah) (1873-1876)
George (1875-1955) – an ironstone miner (1911); a coal miner (1939)
Robert (1876-1877)
Thomas (1878-1954) – a miner (1901); a farmer (1939)
Robert (1879-1953) – a boot maker & repairer (1911)
Joseph (1881-1958) – an ironstone miner (1911)
Henry (1882-1930) – an ironstone miner (1911)
Susannah (1883-1960) – married William Potter, a farmer, in 1906
Lily (1884-1963) – married Arthur Taylor, a waggoner on farm (1911), in 1909
Rose (1886-1964) – married George Walter Moules, a general labourer (1939), in 1916
Fred (1887-1964) – a gardener (1911)
Florence (Florrie) (1889-1970) – a domestic servant (1911); married Benjamin Fletcher Cole, a licensee (1939), in 1916

Henry died in May 1911 at Rosedale, Pickering, Yorkshire.

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1911/658

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers