The Building Bricks of a Family History

When 46 St Peter’s Avenue was in danger of becoming a frozen food outlet a few years ago, Friends of Cleethorpes Heritage started researching the property and the family who built it. This started an unexpected trail of discovery that was to include some houses on St Peters Ave, Chapmans Pond, Barcroft & Bursar St Schools, a High Court Case and the King of Iraq.The story begins at an amazing time of growth for the town.

In 1801 the three small hamlets of Oole, Itterby and Thrunscoe that were to make up the town of Cleethorpes, were sleepy fishing and farming communities with a total population of less than 300. The fifty years to 1851 saw a steady growth to just over eight hundred but the next fifty years were a time of huge expansion in the population, fuelled by the development of the town as a seaside resort and the arrival of the railways, and by 1901 the population stood at 12578.

The story of one of the first villas on what was then St Peter's Rd starts in 1886 when plans were submitted to build the property at number 46 by the executors of the late Thomas Taylor Chapman. Thomas was a descendant of Benjamin Chapman who had been awarded land in the town at the enclosures of 1846. The Chapman family were one of the oldest local families and already there had been marriages with other prominent Cleethorpes families including the Appleyards, the Crofts and the Goosmans.

This branch of the Chapman family owned a fair sized piece of land on St Peter's Rd because, as well as number 46, substantial houses were also built by the family at numbers 48 and 50. By the 1901 census we found Thomas' widow Mary Chapman living at a large villa, number 46 called “The Hollies” along with several of her children including Ernest Benjamin Chapman who co-founded the local firm of Solicitors Wilkin & Chapman.

At the same time, at number 48, a villa called “Epworth House” was Mary's daughter Maude married to William Sinderson, a Fish Merchant, along with their children including nine year old Harry Chapman Sinderson. Harry, after studying to become a doctor at Edinburgh University became physician to the King and Royal family of Iraq from 1921 -1946 being decorated both in Iraq and UK to eventually become known as Sir Harry Sinderson Pasha KBE, CMG, MVO, FRCP (Edin.) surely one of the most distinguished sons of Cleethorpes.

At number 50, in 1901 a property known as “Elmleigh”, Mary's eldest son Walwyn Thomas Chapman was residing and recorded as a Terracotta Manufacturer.

The Chapman family were recorded in local directories at various times as “Brick & Tile Manufacturers" and owned the brickworks on the present site of Chapmans Pond. Although local legend that the pond is bottomless sadly isn't true, it's certainly very deep, as they dug down deep enough in 1904 to hit underground springs which eventually filled up the pit and became the Pond we have today.

We can only assume that not only did they own the land to build the houses, but the Chapman family built them with their own bricks dug out of the land of Cleethorpes itself.

Walwyn Thomas Chapman was a real local character and very involved in the development of the town. He was chair of the first local School Board that built Barcroft St School in 1896 and Bursar St School in 1902 and he is commemorated on the foundation stones of both schools. Involved with the Wesleyan Church for many years and one of a group of local businessmen who built the Alexandra Hall, later known as the Empire Theatre, he certainly paid a prominent part in the building of the town.

Although not a lot of information has been uncovered yet about the brickworks , there was sadly a court case which came about when water from the works flooded into Suggitts Lane. Instead of settling quickly Walwyn Chapman ending up fighting, and losing a five day battle in the High Court in 1911 which involved him in expensive legal costs, which must have impacted upon the prosperity of the family. We understand the brickworks were abandoned in 1915 when it was feared that the lights from the fires of the kilns would attract attention from German Zeppelins. Walwyn died in 1920 aged just 56.

Just doing the research into this one family has sparked a real desire amongst the members of the Group to gather more information about the old families of Cleethorpes. The FOCH group are grateful for the assistance received from a grandson of Walwyn Chapman who pointed them in the right direction for a lot of the background research into the family's history.

Members of the group recently revisited the Chapman family history during an interview with retired solicitor Antony Chapman, one of the Chapman family who have played an important part in the history of Cleethorpes over many years.

Walwyn Henry Chapman (1894-1975), father of Antony Chapman, was one of the first to join the Grimsby Chums, formed in August 1914. In August 1915 Mr Chapman joined the 11th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, known as the Hull Pals.

Walwyn Henry Chapman (pictured above) was awarded the Military Cross in 1918. The announcement in the "London Gazette" on 23 July 1918 under the heading "Military Cross" reads: Temporary Captain Walwyn Henry Chapman, east Yorkshire Regiment. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When holding the left flank of his battalion with his company, he showed energy and resource in forming a defensive flank when troops of other units withdrew. He has on several occasions shown excellent leadership and control.

As a result of our recent meeting with Antony Chapman, we will be bringing you more information about this notable local family in the hopefully not too distant future.