Charles Chapman 1878
Charles Chapman was born in Tenterden Kent in 1878, the fifth child of seven. His father James Ottaway Chapman was a farm worker and horse bus driver. Below is a copy of Charles birth registration details, the document is dated 1942 and I think Charles obtained this copy in order to claim his old age pension.
In the 1911 Census Charles was boarding at 1 Lafayette Villas, Beaver, Ashford, Kent with his occupation described a Foreman Miller. He was living with the confusingly named Chaplin family, the head of the household was a Thomas Chaplin who worked as a steam railway locomotive painter at the local railway works.
Charles married Emily Victoria Back in 1913 at West Ashford Registry Office, not a church wedding. He was 34 years of age and she was 24. Emily and her family had returned to Ashford from Canada (Victoria British Columbia) and her father was working as an Iron Moulder at the Ashford Railway Locomotive Works. The wedding certificate had Emily living at 25 Christchurch Road (the couple subsequently lived at either 25 or 26 on the same road) and Charles had been living in nearby Beaver. Emily's father John Boston Back acted as witness to the wedding along with Charles's sister Kate Poune (nee Chapman) .
Charles's son Ronald Peter Chapman used to describe his dad as a 'Sailman' , a miller and windmill worker (but which mill?). Ronald Peter also has memories of being taken by dad in a pony and trap to a 'large country estate' where the lines of trees were pointed out with the explanation that they had all been planted by James Ottaway Chapman.
Earlier in life, census records indicate Charles a scholar until at least the age of 13, subsequent records list him as a farm labourer and then at the time of his marriage as a miller. In letters his sister always called him Charlie.
Father: James Ottaway CHAPMAN
Mother: Mary Ann HUNTLEY
Birth: 1877, Tenterden, Kent, England
Census: 1881, Tenterden, Kent, England
Census: 1911, 1 Lafayette Villas, Beaver, Ashford, Kent, England
Partnership with: Emily Victoria BACK. Marriage 12 Jun 1913, West Ashford Register Office
Child: Terence Charles Chapman Birth 11 May 1913
Child: Kathleen J CHAPMAN Birth: Bet Jul - Sep 1914, Ashford, Kent, England
Child: Douglas Vernon CHAPMAN Birth: Bet Jul - Sep 1918, Ashford, Kent, England
Child: Ronald Peter CHAPMAN Birth: 13 Aug 1921, Ashford, Kent, England
Child: Peggy J CHAPMAN Birth: Bet Jul - Sep 1923, Ashford, Kent, England
Child: Betty D Chapman Birth: Bet Oct - Dec 1929, Ashford, Kent, England