There appear to be two distinct Champ families in Dorset, one Roman Catholic and all christened in Lulworth Castle having Latin forenames such as Franciscus and Richardus. The owners of Lulworth the Welds were Roman Catholic and there was a discreet Roman Catholic chapel where local families could worship.
Stories of smuggling are recorded in Lulworth involving the Champs
"The Weld Arms was run by Richard Champ around 1770 who was a smuggler operating with the well-known gang of smugglers from Osmington Mills. Lulworth was the scene of many a smuggling tale and the despair of the Lulworth Customs Officers."
I am descended from the East Lulworth Champs .the furthest back I can find my Champs is Richard b 1745c ,but I'm not sure where . He may have been the Richard who " ran the weld arms " but I can't prove it yet I have just found your site today andI I find it very interesting . thankyou , Angela
I believe the London CHAMPs were French Hugenots who settled in the East End following the St Bartholomew massacre of Protestants in France - Catherine
Our side were all connected to the New Meeting House, Barrack Street, Bridport
Records:
John Champ c 1740 m Anne ?
Samuel Champ christened 20 Feb 1770 New Meeting House m Sarah Rooker c 28.03.1770
Sarah's father was James Rooker c 21.06.1757 New Meeting House
The Rooker family can be traced back to 1592 with christenings in the Meeting House Bridport
Samuel Rooker Champ b 15.7.1802 christened Old Meeting House Wareham Dorset -
Gun and Whitesmith - m Mary Hooper b 17.4.1801 c 21.6.1801 Old Meeting House
Edwin Champ b 24.9.1827 Bridport Dorset - christened New Meeting House Bridport
Alfred Champ b 1831 Bridport Dorset
Stephen Champ b 6.1.1834 d 1920 Christened New Meeting House Bridport -
Bank Clerk House Agent and Insurance Agent m Elizabeth Mary Ann ?
Alice Champ b 1864 Bradpole Dorset - Music Teacher
Arthur Champ b 1865 Bradpole Dorset
Elizabeth Champ b 1871 Bradpole Dorset
Stephen Champ b 1879 Bradpole Dorset - Professor of Music
m 1906 Dora Elizabeth Truckle b1880 Newington London in Sudbury Essex
Dora was the daughter of Henry Truckle b 1850 (Leather Salesman) Newton Toney Wilts and
Rebecka Woodward b Westminster London 1852
On the 1901 Census the Truckle family were living in Streatham London
On the 1901 Census the Champ family were still living in Bridport Dorset
Stephen Fergus Champ b 1907 Oundle Northants - School Master died 1984
m Emily Marion Bertha White b 1908 Eastbourne East Sussex died 1976
There are records in the Sussex Archives relating to Stephern Fergus Champ and his wife Marion together with her father Roger White including photographs and memoirs by his daughter
Robert George White was the maternal grandfather of the donor and Stephen Fergus Champ her father; Champ married White's daughter Marion White (1908-1976), formerly his fellow student at Eastbourne Art College, in 1932
Robert George White was born on the Windsor Great Park estate where his father served as a policeman. White followed his father into the force, and moved to Eastbourne on his second marriage to Emily Louise Worall (1873-1965), who was working there as a dressmaker; the family lived at 48 Whitley Road. Marion White was born in Eastbourne in 1908. White, described as of Chesham, was appointed Relieving Officer of Number 2 District of the Eastbourne Poor Law Union on 28 September 1903 (G13/1a/26 p437) and was appointed Superintendent Relieving Officer in September 1911 (G13/1a/35 p182). He died in 1939. For a memoir of him by his grand-daughter, see AMS6542/1/3
Stephen Fergus Champ was born in Peterborough in 1907. He was a day-boy at Oundle, where his father was music master, but his time at the school was an unhappy one. He attended Eastboune Art College for two years and the Royal College of Art in South Kensington for a further two years. He married Marion White in 1932 and accepted a post at the College of Art at Auckland, New Zealand. They returned to England in 1935 to become head of the Chichester School of Art. During the war Champ was involved in camouflage work at RAF Tangmere. After the war Champ became head of art at Cranbrook School in Kent and in 1950 moved to Devon as principal of Paignton School of Art; he became principal of Torbay School of Art in 1954. A Communist in his student days, in retirement Champ served as a Devon county councillor in the Labour interest. He died in 1984. For a memoir of him by his daughter, see AMS6542/1/15
While at Eastbourne College of Art both Stephen Champ and Marion White were taught by Eric Ravilious (1903-1942). Marion was friends with Tirzah Garwood (1908-1952), whom Ravilious was to marry in 1930. Tirzah's father Colonel John Garwood was chairman of the Board of Guardians and the employer of Marion's father Robert White, the union's Relieving Officer. For Stephen Champ's candid view of Colonel Garwood, see AMS6542/3/3. Some of the most interesting elements of this group of documents are memoirs, photographs and copy work of Eric Ravilious
See the National Archives ...
East Sussex Record Office1891 Census
Emily Louise Worall was working as a domestic servant for Nina Jane Thomas a Scottish Widow living on her own means in Paddington London
.........................................................................................................................