Champion A Branfill
Sometimes when one is trying to decipher handwriting, you see words but think “that can’t be right”……..in this case, though, our Pig signatory really is called Champion!
Champion Andrew Branfilll was born in Upminster in 1899 to Champion Edward Branfill and his wife Amy Charlotte Helena Rew. Amy was the daughter of the Rector of Cranham, where Amy and Champion married in 1884.
The Branfill family had lived in Upminster Hall since 1686, when Captain Andrew Branfill bought the house using the money he had made as a sea captain. The first ship that Captain Branfill owned was called Champion, and it is after this ship that several generations of Branfills are named. Benjamin Branfill, our Champion’s grandfather, emigrated to New Zealand in 1881 and Upminster Hall was subsequently rented out.
Champion Edward Branfill died in 1890 and so when Benjamin Branfill died in New Zealand in 1899, he left Upminster Hall to his grandson who is our Champion. On the 1901 census, our Champion is aged 11 and away at school in Bury St Edmunds. 10 years later, and Champion is a visitor in the household of Thomas Stokes George Hugh Robertson Aikman, in Tor Dale, Matlock, Derbyshire. Champion would shortly become Master of the Dove Valley Hunt, succeeding the previous Master – Colonel Robertson Aikman (The Field, 14 Oct 1911).
Champion was in the Derby Yeomanry. In 1912, he became a Second Lieutenant. Champion remained in the Derby Yeomanry when WW1 began but the first death he witnessed was not on the battlefield but rather a motorcycle crash. The Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal (18 Sept 1914) included an article about the death and subsequent inquest on Lt P. A. C. Walker, who was attached to the Derby Imperial Yeomanry and had been in training with them at South Stoke. He was returning to camp in the company of Lt C A Branfill. Lt C. A. Branfill of “Farmleigh”, Abbeyleix, Queen’s County, Ireland said they had been returning from visiting friends in Maidenhead. Both were riding motorcycles, with Lt Branfill riding some way in front of Lt Walker. A car was approaching from the opposite direction, and it was into this that Lt Walker crashed. It was not clear how the crash had come about – some assumed that Lt Walker had seen only one light on the motor care and tried to pass it on what he considered to be the safe side but instead crashed into the front of the car, whilst others wondered if he had misjudged the entrance to the Picture House for the turn to the main road. He was taken to Maidenhead Cottage hospital, where it was found that the base of his skull was fractured and he passed away a few hours later having not regained consciousness.
Champion Branfill’s endeavours in WW1 were recognised. He received the Military Cross and was awarded the Order of the Redeemer, and ended the war as Major Branfill.
Shortly after the end of the war, Branfill married Helen Violet Forbes in 1919 in Carlow, Ireland. By the time of the 1921 census, Champion and Helen had settled at Quenington, near Fairford in Gloucestershire where it seems that Champion had taken up arable and sheep farming. Shortly after this time, Helen’s parents joined them in Quenington, taking up residence in Barrows Elm nearby.
Whilst it seems from electoral rolls that Champion and Helen kept their farm in Quenington, in the early 1930s they seem to have moved to Hayden Bridge, Northumberland. By the end of the decade though, the marriage had broken down with Helen petitioning for divorce on the grounds of Champion’s adultery. The decree nisi was granted in November of 1939. Shortly afterwards, both Helen and Champion remarried – Helen to Ian Alastair Ewing of Jedburgh, and Champion to Ruth Mary Bates. On her marriage, Helen became the stepmother to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alastair_Ewing whilst Ruth and Champion had two children.
Champion died in 1973, in Northumberland.
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