My Great, Great Grandmother Elizabeth Buckea (1835-1896), after her first husband Wm Collins died, married John Alfred Challis in 1873 in Bethnal Green. They had one son John Richard Challis born on 19th Oct 1875 in Shoreditch. He emigrated to Canada where he met and married Mabel Eugenie Black (born in Jamaica) on 12th Feb 1916 in Toronto. I located the marriage certificate. They had two children Mary,born abt 1920 and John(Jack) born abt 1923. They lived at 151 Langford Ave, Toronto for many years and John and subsequently Mabel corresponded with my grandmother Elizabeth Jones in London. John Challis died on 11th July 1929 and is buried in St John’s Norway Cemetery Toronto. I have a copy of the death cert.

I have been in correspondence with Eileen White who is in charge of research at St John’s Norway and she has kindly assisted me with further information. Mabel Challis died in Nov 1963 at the age of 74 and Mary Challis died in Oct 1988 aged 68 and they are buried together. Eileen has sent me a photograph of the gravestone, shown here, (with the snow brushed off) with the names of John and Mabel engraved on it. I am now trying to trace John (Jack) Challis who moved away from Toronto to work. He would now in 2007 be about 84 yrs if he is still living. He or his family may have old family photographs or letters which would be of great interest.