Person:William Challen (2)

William Challen's origins have yet to be established. He claimed in the censuses to have been born around 1804 at Sidlesham in Sussex. His first confirmed sighting is on 9th August 1927 at nearby Pagham when he married Phoebe Brown, who was from Chichester. They had four children baptised at Pagham between 1828 and 1834. Phoebe appears to have died some time between 1834 and 1836.

William married again on 30th May 1836 to Charlotte Bailey. They had four children baptised at Pagham between 1837 and 1844. They appear in the 1841 census living at Pagham Point, with William working as a gardener. Charlotte died in 1845, aged 32.

William married for a third time on 5th September 1847. His third wife was Harriet Bartlett and they married at Bosham. They returned to Pagham, having one son there, before moving to Shopwick, just outside Chichester in the parish of Oving, where they were living at the time of the 1851 census. By 1861 they had moved a short distance to Rumboldswyke, also just outside Chichester.

Harriet has not been traced for certain after the 1861 census, but it seems quite likely that she died in 1864. William died in 1867, aged about 62.

1. ↑ England. 1841 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 1099; Book 4; Folio 35; Page 6, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Pagham Point [listed between Harbour Station and Vicarage], Pagham, Sussex
   William Challen, male, 30 [1806-11], Gardener, born in county
   Charlotte Challen, female, 25 [1811-16], born in county
   John Challen, male, 10 [1830/1], born in county
   Frances Challen, female, 9 [1831/2], born in county
   William Challen, male 7 [1833/4], born in county
   Martha Challen, female, 4 [1836/7], born in county
   Thomas Challen, male, 1 [1839/40], born in county
   Harriet Bailey, female, 7 [1833/4], born in county

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 England. 1851 Census Returns for England and Wales. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 1652; Folio 430; Page 3, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Shopwick, Oving, Sussex
   William Challen, head, married, male, 46 [1804/5], Gardener, b. Sidlesham, Sussex
   Harriett Challen, wife, married, female, 46 [1804/5], b. Chichester, Sussex
   Thomas Challen, son, male, 10 [1840/1], Scholar, b. Pagham, Sussex
   Charlotte Challen, daughter, female, 6 [1844/5], b. Pagham, Sussex
   Henry Challen, son, male, 1 [1849/50], b. Pagham, Sussex

3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 England. 1861 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG9; Piece 618; Folio 15; Page 23, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Wickham Street, Rumboldswyke, Sussex
   William Challin, head, married, male, 56 [1804/5], Gardener, b. Sidlesham, Sussex
   Harriet Challin, wife, married, female, 56 [1804/5], b. Chichester, Sussex
   Charlot Challin, daughter, unmarried, female, 16 [1844/5], b. Pagham, Sussex
   Henry Challin, son, male, 11 [1849/50], Scholar, b. Pagham, Sussex

4. ↑ Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   d. William CHALLEN, December Quarter 1867, Chichester Registration District, Volume 2b, page 218, aged 62 [1804/5]

   There is another William Challen death in Westhampnett district in 1865, but that death appears to correspond to the burial of an 84 year old William Challen at Sidlesham.