Died
2nd August 1928
Born
23rd August 1886
Sources
Barrow News
Wikipedia
Janice Cumming
The Gazette
Place
Walks
St. Peter's, Ireleth 1 Point 4
Capt. Johnson McMillan Challinor M.C.
Captain Challinor was the son of the local doctor, and enjoyed a privileged life in the village. He died of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle).
IN VERY LOVING MEMORY OF (JACK)
JOHNSON MACMILLAN CHALLINOR
BORN AUG. 23RD 1886
DIED AUG. 2ND 1928
The Barrow News 11 August 1928 reported:
Barrow News, 11 August 1928LATE CAPT. CHALLINOR
REPRESENTATIVE FUNERAL AT IRELETH
The funeral of Captain Johnson McMillan (sic) Challinor, M.C., of Nether Close, Ireleth, took place on Monday, as he would have wished, simply and amongst his own people of Ireleth and Askam. The Rev. E. W. Glover, Vicar of Dendron, took the service and the church was filled with mourners. The family mourners consisted of Mrs. Challinor widow; Mr. Mellon, J.P., of Brook Lea, father-in-law; and Miss Nita Mellon, sister-in-law. There were many organisations represented:- Seascale Golf Club, Messrs. H. Braithwaite, J. S. Myers, J.Docker, and A. W. McLaren; Askam C. C., Messrs. J. Myers, J. Chaplin, and T. Chester; Askam Town Band, Messrs. Stanley Cain and David Watson; Askam Ambulance Brigade, Supt. Phifer; British Legion, Messrs. J. Shaw and W. Cloudsdale; Women’s Section, Mrs. Mylrea and Mrs. Jackson; Football Club, Mr. W. Buxton; Conservative Club, Messrs. J. xxxman and Fieldsend; Women’s Unionist Association, Mrs. E. Benson and Mrs. W. Wilson; Women’s Band Guild, Mrs. S. C. Cain.
Others present were Mrs. Dickinson and Mr. H. A. Dickinson (Ulverston), Mr. A. Carruthers, Mr. John Butler, and Miss Butler (Moor Side), Mr. and Mrs. Hool, Couns. J. Gill, J.P., and W. Buxton; Sergt. Greenhalgh, Mr. and Mrs. W. Williams, Mr. W. Cocks, Mr. J. Rigg, Mr. Dennis Ridley, etc.
The bearers were Messrs. T. Johnson, A. Atkinson, Chapples, M. Todd, John Mason, and H. Barker. Among the large number of floral tributes were those from the Dunnerholme Golf Club, the Women’s Section of the British Legion, the Council and members of the Seascale Golf Club, the Barrow and District Officers (1914 – 1918) Association, “A few friends from the Constitution Club, London”, the Askam and Ireleth Women’s Unionist Association, members and committee of Askam Town Band, Askam Town Band Ladies Guild, members of the Unionist Club, Askam and District British Legion, and Askam Cricket Club.
AN APPRECIATION
We feel sure that a few words of appreciation from a very old friend of the late Capt. J. M. Challinor, M. C., will be of great interest to many of our readers. Capt Challinor died a week ago, and his funeral at Askam was attended by a very large number of relations and friends, and there were very many beautiful tokens sent to his widow, to show her the great esteem in which he was always held. Capt. Challinor was in every sense of the word a big-hearted, generous man, and one who would never fail to help a friend in distress if able to do so. He had lived for very many years amongst us, and will be greatly missed. His married life was saddened for his widow and himself by the losses in a short space of time of his two little sons.
He was called to the Bar but never practised, being one of those lucky people who could afford to spend his time in trying to do good work for his fellow-creatures. When war broke out he at once joined the colours and went to France with the King’s Own Scottish Borderers. He won the M.C. and was twice mentioned in despatches. Capt. Challinor was educated at Malvern and Exeter College, Oxford, and took a great interest in his old school and college. In the sporting world he was a great figure, having been a scratch golfer and good all-round man at almost every other sport. Those of us who know him for so long were privileged people.
Janice Cumming supplied the following:
Captain Challinor won the Military Cross serving with the King's Own Scottish Borderers at Hill 60 in 1915 [Source 1] [Source 2]. Captain Challinor was commissioned into the 3rd Battalion KOSB on the 15th August 1914. 3 KOSB was the Special Reserve battalion, responsible for recruiting and training, and at the time Johnson Challinor joined was based on the Isle of Portland. He was subsequently posted to the 2nd Battalion, arriving in France on the 22nd April 1915, and joining the Battalion in the Ypres sector on the 23rd April. The war in the sector had entered disturbing new phase: on the 22nd April at Gravenstafel, the Germans had for the first time, and without warning, deployed chlorine gas. Not long after the commencement of the Battle of St. Julien, on the 26th April 2 KOSB were sent to occupy trenches in the valley fronting Mauser Ridge. There they encountered gas for the first time. On the 5th May, they formed part of an assault on Hill 60, part of which had been retaken by the Germans. At 2200 hours, following a bombardment, the Battalion left their trenches and moved towards the hill. The assault companies, 'C' and 'D', encountered heavy fire and were forced to withdraw. 'D' had managed to take a German trench, and two platoons remained there under the command of Lieutenant Challinor until the flanking units were ordered to retire. By this time, only 3 men and Lieutenant Challinor were left. For this action, Challinor was awarded the Military Cross. He was after this appointed Adjutant, and promoted Captain, 6th May 1915. The Nominal Roll of Officers notes that he left the Battalion on the 29.2.16, bronchitis being given as the cause. After this he was employed on recruiting duties.
His wife, Hilda (nee Mellon, daughter of Henry Mellon, JP), were married in 1910. Tragedy struck them when their son, Neil died of meningitis at new year 1919/20, when the boy was only 6 months old. Captain Challinor died in 1928 of heart failure, aged 41, and is buried in St Peter's churchyard with his son, near the grave of his mother and father and Henry Mellon. Captain Challinor’s wife Hilda did not die until 1985 aged 97 in Claro, North Yorkshire. Hilda’s family, the Mellons, a very prominent family in Askam and Ireleth, and lived at Brooklea, Saves Lane, Ireleth.
Other members of the Challinor family are buried in St Peter’s: his mother and father, William Samuel MacMillan Challinor and Edith Challinor, and his uncles Cederic and Joshua Winpenny.
The information about family notices below is partly from an exchange on this website:
Per Censuses:
Born at "Trestwich", (Prestwich)? Lancs., c.1887 per the 1901 Census. Son of Samuel Macmillan Challinor, Surgeon, and Mrs Edith Challinor. Living at Colwall, Herefordshire in 1901.
Living at 11 Duke Street, Dalton, Askam in 1891. Samuel born at Bolton, Edith at Manchester. Johnson listed as born at Manchester on this census.
Birth of Johnson Macmillan Challinor registered in JAS Qtr, 1888 at Prestwich, Married in JFM Qtr, 1910 to Hilda Mellon.
Johnson was Edith's (Johnson's mother) maiden name:
"Here's one that caught my eye. It’s from the Banns Register of Ireleth in the Parish of Broughton-in-Furness, Lancs. 1885.25 Jan, 1 & 8 Feb. Samuel Macmillan CHALLINOR of this Parish & Edith JOHNSON of the Parish of Ellacombe, Torquay." [Source: formerly at genforum.gene...essages/97.html]
| The Times of both 6 & 7-5-1914 DEATHS CHALLINOR - On 5th May., in London, Edith, wife of S M Challinor, Askam-in-Furness, and daughter of the late Thomas Johnson, of Manchester and Torquay. Funeral at Askam-in-Furness. John Challinor’s mother |
| The Times of 14-12-1914 DEATHS CHALLINOR - On Saturday, the 12th Dec. in London, Samuel Macmillan Challinor, of Askham-in-Furness. His father. |
| The Times of 3-7-1919 BIRTHS CHALLINOR - On 2nd July, at Langham Hotel, W1, the wife of Capt. J. M. Challinor, M.C., of Askam-in-Furness, a son. |
| The Times of 13-1-1920 DEATHS CHALLINOR - On 10th Jan., at Nether Close, Askam-in-Furness, after 7 days of illness (meningitis) NEIL, the only child of Captain and Mrs J M Challinor, aged 6 months. |
| Times of 22-10-1909 B.A. at Oxford. |
| Times 6-8-1928 DEATHS CHALLINOR - On Aug 2, 1928, at Nether Close, Askam-in-Furness, of myocarditis, Johnson Macmillan Challinor, dearly beloved husband of Hilda Challinor, age 41. |
From the London Gazette (NB Some of the dates appear inconsistent. Perhaps events in the field overtook publication in the Gazette) :
The undermentioned 2nd Lieutenants (on probation) are confirmed in their rank – list includes Johnson Macmillan Challiner (sic) [Source]. Dated 13 May 1915.
The undermentioned 2nd Lieutenants to be Lieutenants – list includes Johnson M. Challenor (sic) [Source] Dated 2 Feb. 1915.
List of those awarded Military Cross: Lieutenant (temporary Captain) Johnson M. Challenor (sic) [Source] Dated 11 January 1916.
Lieutenant Johnson M. Challinor (temporary Captain) to be Captain. Dated 15 May 1916. [Source]
The undermentioned temp. appt. is made at the War Office. Capt. J. M. Challinor, M.C., K.O. Sco. Bord., Spec. Res., and to be secd. 1st Jan 1918. [Source]
Capt. J. M. Challinor relinquishes his commn on account of ill-health, and is granted the honorary rank of Captain. 29th August 1918. [Source]
