James William Champion was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire in 1857. In the 1861 Census, his father, William Henry Champion was living at ‘The Royal Garden’ in Hampton Wick. His occupation was listed as ‘Gardener in charge of House’. On the 21st of April 1885 (James) William Champion married Mary Ann Daws at Ryde, Isle of Wight. His occupation at that time is unknown.

Family Picture, about 1910

Back row: William Champion with Dorothy’s mother Hannah and her two sisters, Kate on the left and then Nellie on the right.
William’s wife, Mary Ann Champion (née Daws) is seated in front of him. Next to her is daughter Hannah with son Lewis on her lap. His sister Dorothy Mary Edmonds (née Saunders) is in the front row.(1)

William Champion rows the Dysart Ferry

Having been away from Twickenham from 1878 to 1886 he had returned to be engaged as a watchman on the Dysart estate “to see that there were no audacious people about”. He became the Earl’s ferryman in 1891 and was given a house newly built on the Earl’s land on the Twickenham riverside near Lebanon Park. The house was named ‘Ferry Cottage’ and still exists. Before moving to Ferry Cottage he lived with his family in Syon Cottage, Syon Road, Twickenham.

Twickenham Ferry with Ferry Cottage on the left

A writ had been issued on 14 July 1909 in the name of the Earl of Dysart suing Hammerton & Co. Shortly afterwards William James Champion, the lessee of the ancient Twickenham Ferry, was joined with the Earl as a plaintiff. Walter Hammerton was joined as a defendant by Thomas Joseph Messom, junior.

William Champion, the Earl’s lessee for the ferry, was less impressive. There was bad blood between him and local watermen, particularly the Hammertons. Champion had had trouble with Walter’s father in 1902, and he claimed that Walter had poisoned other watermen against him.

Champion aged 57 had a lot to complain about, apart from the Hammertons. He objected to certain visitors: “butterflies” and “peculiar” people. “We do get a peculiar lot at times, especially on Sunday evenings: “with their pretty girls”, and when it rained the “powder-faced girls” would insist on being ferried over immediately.Nor had he much good to say about modern workmen who wished to be ferried over. “You know what the British workman is now – he is mostly late”

He also managed a dig at Walter Hammerton’s expense. Asked about the limited hours that the Marble Hill Ferry operated, Champion conceded that Hammerton might be there “at 10 o’clock some mornings”. As for night time work, “it is according to whether he goes to the cinema; it is all according to whether he happens to be there or not”. Champion argued that the new ferry had badly affected his earnings. The production of his Post Office savings book, in which his net profits were meant to appear, succeeded in baffling even his own lawyers.

The case dragged on through various appeals through to 1915. Rival ferries have been the subject of litigation more than once. In 1743 the Earl of Dysart started an action against a nearby ferry run by Margaret Langley and Samuel Keen. He won in 1746 but in 1915 the Earl of Dysart failed in his action against Walter Hammerton. Champion and Dysart finally lost the case and the Twickenham Ferry ceased to exist. The case was to prove expensive for both parties : in an effort to economise Hammerton gave up his house and moved into his Marble Hill barge with his wife and two dogs.

Champions Wharf

It is yet to be determined if Bowyer’s Wharf opposite St Mary’s church was renamed after James William Champion.

Further Reading

The Ferry from Ham to Twickenham (Dysart versus Hammerton) 1909 – 1915 T.H,.R. Cashmore – Richmond Local History Papers (New Series) No.4 – Richmond Local History Society 2006
Twickenham Museum – Twickenham Ferry