Background
Champneys was born in Whitechapel, the son of the Very Rev William Champneys (rector of Street Mary Whitechapel then Dean of Lichfield) and his wife Mary Ann Storr.
Champneys was born in Whitechapel, the son of the Very Rev William Champneys (rector of Street Mary Whitechapel then Dean of Lichfield) and his wife Mary Ann Storr.
He was educated at Brasenose College, Oxford.
He rowed bow in the Oxford crew in the 1861 Boat Race. The pair repeated their success in 1862. Champneys took holy orders and in 1881 was vicar of Haslingden, rural dean for Whalley and proctor in convocation for the Archdeaconry of Blackburn.
Champneys died at Haslingden at the age of 52.
Champneys married Frances Sophia Feilden in Kensington on 1879. Francis Champneys was bow in Woodgate"s infamous coxed four in 1868 when the cox jumped overboard.