16 January 1861 25 Elizabeth Street Launceston Tasmania Australia Rev. Arthur Hammerton Champion Arthur Handasyde, Reginald David, Augusta Joanna May, Ursula Aystah, Christopher Henry Duncan & Geoffrey Servante

Mrs Mary Celia Champion was born on 16 Jan 1861 in Port Adelaide, South Australia, to Handasyde Duncan and Anne Williams who were married at Trinity Church, Adelaide, on 8 Aug 1854. Her mother Anne died and on 8 Aug 1867, when Mary was six years old, her father married Emily Susan Servante.

On 27 Dec 1884 Mary Duncan married Arthur Hammerton Champion, who was born in Benares, India. Arthur Champion was the Headmaster of the Launceston Church Grammar School from 1886 to 1895 and was ordained a minister in 1888. The family moved to Sydney in June 1895 where Rev. Champion became a master at The King's School, Parramatta. He died in England.

Their eldest child Arthur Handasyde was born in South Australia 14 Nov 1885. The other five were all born in Launceston: Reginald David, 24 Jun 1887; Augusta Joanna May, 9 Sep 1888; Ursula Aystah, 7 Mar 1890, died aged 10 months. Christopher H D was born on 15 Sep 1892 and died on 14 Apr 1918 at Merris, France. He was re-interred in a Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery on 22 Apr 2005. Geoffrey Servante was born on 24 Aug 1894 and died on 25 Jul 1916 at Pozieres, France. The three eldest children are pictured in the Launceston Family Album.

Mary Celia Champion died on 2 Jan 1925 at Lake Bathurst, NSW.

Marion Sargent Nov 2009