CFHS code : PL528
Parish : St Paul
Inscription : In Loving Memory of CATHERINE ALICE CHAPMAN the beloved wife of WILLIAM G CHAPMAN d 22 May 1903 aged 32 also SIDNEY REUBEN CHAPMAN son of above d 18 Aug 1899 aged 10 months also WILLIAM G CHAPMAN d 5 Nov 1938 aged 67
Monument : Headstone/Flowerholder
Above information from Cambridge Family History Society Survey
Monument
Inscription
Catherine Alice Chapman (née Fuller) (1870 – 22 May 1903)
Catherine was born in Cherry Hinton and baptised there on 29 January 1871. She was the daughter of railway labourer Reuben (1828-1914)and Harriet (née Gillson) (1831-1886) and grew up at Fisher’s Lane, Cherry Hinton. She married blacksmith William Chapman in 1895 and they had three children: Sidney Ruben (1898-1899), Robert William (1900-1972) and Winifred (1901-1984). The family lived at 4 Bentinck Street (1901) and 22 Union Road. Catherine died at Addenbrooke’s Hospital aged 32 years old and was buried at Mill Road Cemetery on 25 May.
Sidney Reuben Chapman (1898 – 18 August 1899)
Sidney died at Bentinck Street aged 10 months old. He was buried on 21 August.
William Garner Chapman (d 1938)
William was the only son of Jacob and Anna Maria (née Prior) and grew up at 22 Union Road where his father was a blacksmith. He followed in his father’s steps and was also a blacksmith. After the death of Catherine he married Emily Marion Hart (1876-1915) in 1906 and the couple lived at 22 Union Road with his children Robert and Winifred.
Emily Chapman died on 24 February 1915, after having taken an egg cup of poison on 15 January. Having taken the poison she immediately went to the Police Station and was given an antidote by Inspector Baker before being taken to Hospital where she remained for a month. She came home in early February, but continued to be unwell. William Chapman said that ‘she had given way to drink in recent years’ and that ‘they lived happily when she was sober and there could not have been a happier pair living. The drinking bouts had been frequent during the last two years…she had taken almost everything out of the house to pawn for drink’. The doctor who attended her, Dr Campbell said she was unable to retain food after having taken the poison and told the inquest she had died of ‘shock, following perforation of the stomach’. Dr Campbell told the inquest that he had previously attended ‘her for alcoholism. Some time ago, whilst in drink, she fell into the fire and burnt a large portion of her scalp….between the times of drinking she was perfectly normal’. A verdict of suicide was returned and the prompt action of Inspector Baker was commended by the Coroner, who said ‘we are glad to know that we have got such an efficient officer’.
William served as a private with the Labour Corps in the First World War and enlisted in April 1915. He was injured at the front in November 1917 and suffered from dyspepisa (pain in the abdomen), headaches and giddiness. He served in France for a total of two years, and ten months. He was discharged in April 1919 and received a disability pension due to arteriosclerosis (thickening of the arteries). His army papers noted that he was 5ft 2″ tall, wore glasses and was pale, anaemic and stammered on discharge.
He returned to live at 22 Union Road and died at 39 Orchard Estate, Cherry Hinton – the home of his daughter Winifred and son in law Martin Hubbard. William Chapman was buried at Mill Road Cemetery on 9 November.
Sources:
Ancestry
Newspaper archives
Parish burial records transcribed by CFHS
by Claire Martinsen
[If you have any information about this family, please contact us at Friendsofmillroadcemetery@gmail.com]