Albert Chapman was born on 26 September 1886 in Shepherds Bush, Middlesex, (now Greater London), one of the ten children of William Chapman and Elizabeth Chapman née Ginn. His birth was registered in the 4th quarter of 1886 in the Fulham registration district, Middlesex (now Greater London).
The 1891 census shows him, aged 4 years, living at 37 Cathnor Road, Shepherds Bush, with his parents and eight siblings: Rebecca Chapman (b. circa 1872) a dressmaker; William Chapman (b. circa 1874) a cheesemonger's assistant; George Chapman (b. circa 1876) a cheesemonger's assistant; Henry Chapman (b. circa 1879) a scholar; Frederick Chapman (b. circa 1881) a scholar; Emma Chapman (b. circa 1883) a scholar; Annie Chapman (b. circa 1885) a scholar and Ethel Chapman (b. circa 1890), together with three lodgers. His father was also described as a cheesemonger’s assistant.
In the 1901 census he was shown as Albert E. Chapman, aged 14 years, and he was living at 1 Wood Lane, Shepherds Bush, with his parents and five siblings: Rebecca Chapman - a dressmaker; Henry J. Chapman - an electrician; Emma Chapman - a dressmaker; Annie Chapman and Ethel Chapman. His father continued to be shown as a cheesemonger's assistant.
On 29 July 1905 he was recruited as a postman on a wage scale of 'from 20 to 34 shillings per week' and Postal Service Appointment Books confirm that in August 1905 he was appointed as a 'Postman Div 1' at London's Western District Office. This occupation is confirmed in the 1911 census where he is described as living in a six roomed property at 23 Agnes Road, Acton Vale, Acton, Middlesex (now Greater London), with his parents and three siblings: Emma Chapman - a dressmaker; Annie Chapman - a servants agency worker and Ethel Chapman - no occupation. His father remained listed as a cheesemonger's assistant.
On 31 March 1915 his wage scale changed to 'from 19 to 43 shillings per week'. He married Alice Marie Louise Longhurst (1890-1935) in the 4th quarter of 1915 in the Hammersmith registration district, London and they had one son, Jack Burton Chapman (1916-1981).
His pay was £2-0s-0d per week when he enlisted in the Northamptonshire Regiment, service number 29210. He was serving in the 12th Battalion, The Rifle Brigade, service number S/20280, when he died of wounds, aged 31 years, on 30 March 1918 in the No.9 General Hospital, Rouen, France and his body was buried in Block P, Plot 7, Row C, Grave 4A at St Sever Cemetery Extension, Bd Stanislas Girardin, Le Petit-Quevilly, Rouen, France.
On 30 April 1918 his wife was sent his General Post Office gratuity of £107-17s-8d and on 12 June 1918 she was also sent his army effects totalling £4-2s-0d. On 7 January 1920 she was sent his £8-0s-0d war gratuity and by now she living at 20A, Valetta Road, Acton. He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
He is shown as 'CHAPMAN, A.' on the Western Postal District war memorial at Mount Pleasant, London, WC1. He is shown incorrectly as aged 30 years on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website and on the headstone they erected at his grave in France, He is also commemorated on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website, on Page 66 of the Post Office Fellowship of Remembrance's Book of Remembrance 1914-1920 and on the A Street Near You website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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