Help wanted locating the Champion family history

[Ironman]

Hi, I now live in Kent, but my Father, GrandFather and Great Grandfather were born and lived in Sydenham and I would love any help to get some family history.
My Great GrandFather, George Champion, was married to Amelia Champion and lived at 3 Dillwyn Road (now close I think). My Grandfather, Stephen Champion (one of 9), was born at this address in 1899 and both he and George worked at Bell Green Gas Works. My Father, Ron Champion, lived at Adamsrill Rd and Laurel Grove when he was very young, and also went to school at St.Michaels near by.
Obviously, with the surname Champion, I'm interested in how the Champion Road and Crescent were named. Any history, maps, knowledge would be really appreciated. Many thanks

[pip]

Hi Ironman,
Although I cant help you with this one I found your post interesting as the next road down and parallel to Champion Road is Kirtley Road.
My Grandfather Thomas Kirtley (born about 1890) Also worked for The gas company. The Kirtleys were exclusive to Durham up until the 1900s and I wonder if my Grandfather and you Great Grandfathers paths ever met and what they each did at the Gas works in order to have Roads named after them.
Good luck with your search and I would appreciate any feedback on both matters
Pip.

[Steve Grindlay]

I can’t really help you with your request for information on the Champions, Ironman. Although I’ve information on a couple of dozen of them they seem to have moved around a lot and it’s hard to sort out who belongs to which family and whether, for example, the Stephen living at one address was the same as the Stephen living at another address a few years later.

There were Champions living variously in Adamsrill Road, Dillwyn Road, Kirtley Road, Haseltine Road, Porthcawe Road, Highclere Street, Laurel Grove, Miall Road, Porthcawe Road, Relinque Road, Stanton Square and Winchfield Road, all fairly close to the gasworks.

As for Champion Park, the first reference to that was in 1861 when a property developer bought “the Champion Hall Estate as a Building Speculation”. He rebuilt the house in 1862 and in 1885 it became the Sydenham Children's Hospital. Champion Hall, and the rest of the hospital, was demolished in 1991.

Pip, Kirtley Road was laid out and named by 1878. Nobody has any idea why it was so named, perhaps the builder/developer came from Durham. By 1896 no houses had been built and even in 1898 only 4 houses were occupied.

Both Champion Park and Kirtley Road (and Fairlawn Park) were originally planned as grand developments. It was because of the gasworks that development of these sites was delayed, and were then designed to house workers at the gasworks rather then wealthy merchants.

[GerryOB]

I remember my Mum (who lived at 20 Dillwyn Road from 1933 - 1957) talking of a George Champion. Would that have been any connection?

[Deb Mitchell]

My great grand uncle Michael married Violet Victoria Champion in 1912. Sadly she died in childbirth in 1913 with their first child. She was the daughter of Richard Edward Champion and Annie Champion. Michael joined the regular army in 1091, The Royal West Kents in the British Expeditionary Force and he sadly died 27th December 1914.

[LisaCummins]

Two things spring to mind

Spark plugs & The Wonder Horse

[CliffTop]

My great grandfather was [Richard] Edward Champion who lived for many years after WWI at 65 Miall Road with his wife Annie Isabella (nee Norman) until the 1950's. I have done quite a lot of work researching his family and siblings, including his many half-siblings from his father Edward's second marriage to Emily Chandler. I have a lot of information, therefore, about the Champions in Sydenham & Tooting but not much in the way of photographs as a lot were lost when my aunt died. My connection is through his second daughter Annie-May Champion (b1892). I am particularly wondering whether anyone might have a photograph of Richard Edward Champion or stories about him or his wife. I have a couple of pictures of Annie but not of Richard/Edward himself.