The Family of Francis Challis (1825 – 1909) of Depden, and Tasmania and Victoria, Australia

I am very grateful to Paula Howe for some of the information on this page.

 

Francis Challis was born 5 May 1825, at Ousden and baptised at Hargrave, 14 May 1826, a son of Robert Challis and Sarah formerly Cook.

 

In the 1841 census of Little Ousden, he was at home with his parents aged 15.

 

He (X) married Anne Oriss (X) at Depden, 10 November 1848, after banns.  He was aged 23, a bachelor and labourer, of Ousden, the son of Robert Challis, a labourer.  Anne was aged 19, a spinster and labourer of Depden, the daughter of  ?  Oriss, a labourer.  The witnesses were George Orross and Louisa Fayers.

In spite of extensive searching, no members of Francis’ family have been found in the 1881 census of England. 

Francis and Ann emigrated to Tasmania, Australia, aboard the "Louisa" which sailed from Plymouth 23 September 1852 and arrived in Hobart 10 January 1853.  (The ship's log of Bounty Passengers states that Francis and Ann could read and write and their religion was Wesleyan.  Francis's occupation was ploughman and he left the ship on his own accord 17 January 1853.  The family stayed in Tasmania for four years, working for the Shopbridge family {the owners of Bushy Park near Hobart} who were then, and still are, connected with the Methodist Church in Hobart.  Fearing for the health of his family in the damp conditions, Francis moved them to Victoria in about 1857, settling around Barwon Heads.  Initially they worked on a property owned by Mr Bowden which they later bought from him.  The Challis farm was on land bounded by Sheepwash Road, Geelong Road and the Barwon river.  The Council Reserve/Recreation area occupies part of the old farm, the balance having been sub-divided into fifty six town allotments and called the Barwon Waters Estate.  One of Francis' tasks was the handing out of Government rations to the local Aboriginal people, possible as part of the Methodist mission.  The children of the Aborigines would have been the only playmates for Frederick and Harry.).  Ann died (11 June, of typhoid fever after being ill for eleven weeks) 1866 (at Barwon Heads) and Francis married Jessie Archer on the 20th June 1867 and had 9 children with her.  Francis died in 1909 and Ann and Francis are buried in Mt Duneed Cemetery in Victoria, Australia.

Anne Orrice was baptised 17 October 1830 at Depden, Suffolk, the daughter of Abraham Orrice and Tamerson (formerly Ellisdon).

 

Jessie Archer was born in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, daughter of Samuel and Margaret.  Jessie had emigrated on board the 'Allanta' which sailed from Southampton 9 June 1861 and arrived in Melbourne 30 August 1861.  In the ship's list she was described as a gentlewoman, servant, can read and write, aged 19, going to Mr Alex McRae, Muddewarre (sic), wages £21 per annum with keep, for three years.

 

Ann Challis died of typhoid fever on 11th June 1866 at Barwon Heads, Victoria Australia, aged 36, parents Abraham Orris, labourer and Thamerson Ellisdon.  The informant was Francis Challis, farmer.  She was married at Debden, Suffolk, aged 18, to Francis Challis and their children were Frederick aged 17 years and Harry aged 15 years.

 

Francis Challis died 10 October 1909 Barwon Heads, Victoria, Australia aged 85 occupation farmer, cause of death Old age and Debility Dementia, parents John Challis, labourer mother unknown, informant Harry Challis, son, 1st marriage Ann Orris Suffolk England age 22 years, 2nd marriage Jessie Archer, Geelong, Victoria, aged 42 years, issue Frederick 60 years, Harry 58 years, Samuel 42? years Robert 40 years Ann 38 years, Sarah 36 years, Harriet 34 years, William 32 years, Alfred 30 years, Francis 28 years, Rachel 26 years, source death cert.  (He was buried at Mount Duneed.  The family remembers that Carbines' horse drawn hearse became bogged down outside the cemetery gate.  After the family farm was sold, Jessie lived for several years with her daughter Raechel, at the corner of Darling and Tisdal Streets, East Geelong.  Jessie died in 1935 and was buried in the east Geelong Cemetery.)

 

Francis and Anne's children were:

Frederick Challis (1849 - 1926 {or 1927}), baptised 25 March 1849, at Ousden (labourer). 

He, aged 23, married first Elizabeth Amelia Melhuish, aged 25, 13 July 1874 at the Wesleyan Church, Barwon Heads, source marriage cert.  On his marriage, Francis gave his son the land which today is part of the Barwon Heads Township and the Hotel site (near Bridge Street and Hitchcock Avenue).  There were two children, Elizabeth and Lottie.

He married secondly Louisa Brockley, in Geelong.  There were no children.  Louisa died 22 September 1921 aged 58.

He married thirdly Annie Preston, in Geelong.  There were no children.

He was a Methodist Minister.

Frederick Challis died 26 Jan 1926 (1927), Geelong, Victoria, Australia, aged 46, parents Francis Challis, farmer, Ann Orris, buried Eastern Cemetery, Geelong, Methodist Minister, born England, 40 years in Victoria and 3 years in Tasmania, 1st marriage Elizabeth Melhuish, in Connewarre age 24 (1874), issue Elizabeth age 50, Lottie age 43, 2nd marriage Louisa Brockley in Geelong age unknown no issue, 3rd marriage Annie Preston in Geelong age 73 no issue, source death cert.  Elizabeth Amelia was born 16 November 1848 and died 11 May 1908 and was buried at Mount Duneed.

Frederick and Elizabeth's children were:

Elizabeth Ann Challis, born 9 December 1874 (Vic BDM index).  She married Arthur Burvill (born 18 August 1867 and died 15 October 1927) on 6 June 1896. 

Arthur and Elizabeth's children were:

Elizabeth Charlotte Burvill, born 22 January 1898

Unnamed son, born 26 January 1889 and died 27 January 1889 (1899 perhaps?)

Daisy Bell Burvill, born 13 November 1900

Nellie May Burvill, born 14 April 1902

Elsie Jane Burvill, born 20 October 1903

Frederick Arthur Burvill, born 9 February 1905

Francis Henry Burvill, born 5 March 1907

Charles Edward Burvill, born 14 May 1908

Rose Blanche Burvill, born 22 October 1909

Ruby Lily Burvill, born 31 March 1911

Charlotte Amelia Challis, born 1883 (Vic BDM index).

She had a son

Charlie, born 1903 and died 1928.

She married F Hopgood, a railway driver, in 1912.

Harry Challis (1851 - 1937), baptised 4 May 1851 at Ousden (labourer).

Harry married Sarah Jane Porter (born Levington 18 May 1851 a daughter of Peter and Rebecca Porter?) 1874, source Vic BDM index and he died 1937, source Vic BDM index and is buried at Mount Duneed Cemetery.  Sarah Jane Challis died 25 September 1929 (parents James Porter and Hannah Davis?) source Vic BDM index.

Harry and Sarah Jane's children were:

Harry Challis, born 1875 and died 1875

James Francis Challis, born 11 May 1876 at Barwon Heads and died 16 April 1943 at Melbourne.  He married 26 April 1924 at Christ Church Doris Jean Walls (born 22 May 1896 at Inglewood, a daughter of Thomas Walls and Elizabeth Arminella formerly Hart and died 25 October 1988 at Geelong).

Charles Henry Challis(1878 - 1915), born 1878.  He died 10 September 1915 at Bendigo Army Camp and was buried at Mount Duneed Cemetery.

Louisa Ethel Challis, born 5 May 1880.  She married William Cameron (born 9 August 1869) 31 January 1900 at Connewarre.  Their children were

Amy Challis.  She married Rueben Foot 5 March 1927. 

Annie Elizabeth Challis.  She married Paul Digby 31 January 1926. 

Ethel Jean Challis.  She married Mac Johnson 13 April 1935. 

Winsome Marion Challis.  She married Don Kleynack 10 July 1937. 

Florrie Letitia Challis.  She married Don Stacey 7 November 1936. 

Charlotte Amelia Challis.  She married Jack Hosking. 

Louisa May Challis.  She married Charlie Seiffert 28 May 1944.

Marjorie Munro Challis.  She married Bill Tucker 27 March 1937. 

Dorothy Gordon Challis.  She married Claude Seiffert 10 August 1946. 

Adeline Joyce Challis.  She married Max Harrison 26 September 1946. 

Edwin Challis, born 1882.  He was known as Terry.  He died in the 1914/18 war.

Esther Hannah Challis, born 1884.  She married Alex Tait Blyth (born 1884 and died 15 January 1970) 1910 Connewarre.  Esther died 16 January 1961. 

Esther and Alex's children were

Harry Blyth.  He married May.  He died 6 September 1988.  Their children were

Alex Blyth

Agnes Blyth

Edna Blyth

Sydney Blyth

Lewis Jack Challis, born 1886.  He married Elsie Scott.  Their children were

Charlie Challis.  He married Nancy Cousins.

Patricia Challis.  She married Ken Ling.

Mary Letitia Challis, born 1890.  She married Dan Slade.  Their children were

Nell Slade

Richard Slade

Sydney Gordon Challis, born 1896.  He died in the 1914/18 war.

Francis and Jessie's children were:

Samuel Challis, born 1868.  He used the surname of Wadeson.  He married Nellie (Ellen) Thomas (born 1867 and died 10 December 1940) 1891.  Samuel died 27 September 1958.

Samuel and Nellie's children were

John Archer Challis,

Phyllis Gladys Challis,

Beatrice Evelyn Challis,

Harry Roy Challis,

Robert Challis, born c. 1869.

Ann Challis, born c. 1871.

Sarah Challis, born c. 1873.

Harriet Challis, born c. 1875.

William Challis, born c. 1877.

Alfred Challis, born c. 1875.

Francis Challis, born c. 1877.

Rachel Challis, born c. 1879.

 

Home Page

 

Posted December 2016