Hamsteels St. John
936 Private
F. Chapman
Northumberland Fusiliers
17th June 1917 Age 29
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Frank Chapman, one of 13 children of whom only 8 survived, was the 4th born of 5 sons and had 3 sisters. His father, Fuller Chapman, was born 1848 in Cambridgeshire where he married in 1870, at Linton, to Charlotte Rawlinson/Rowlinson born 1851 at Great Wratting, Suffolk. Charlotte was the eldest daughter of agricultural labourer Joseph Rawlinson/Rowlinson and his wife Hannah known as Ann. The young couple settled with their 1 month old daughter Elizabeth Julia at Carlton Green, Carlton, Cambridgeshire, where Fuller was working as an agricultural labourer. They had taken into their home his widowed mother, her sister Harriet (17) is listed as a visitor. They migrated to the north east between 1871 and 1875 where William Thomas was born at Witton Park, John Joseph 1876, Jane Ann 1878, Henry known as Harry 1880, Alice Mary 1884, Frank 1888, Sarah Harriet 1891 and Arthur 1893.
Their eldest daughter Elizabeth Julia died in the district of Bishop Auckland in 1889 aged 18 years. By 1891 they were living at 56, Albion Street, Escomb, near Bishop Auckland. Fuller had changed occupation and was now employed as a coal miner, Thomas William (16) a putter, John Joseph a putter/brick flat.
Charlotte Chapman nee Rawlinson/Rowlinson died in 1898 when Frank was 10 years old and still a scholar. He and his younger siblings remained in school, his father returned to the land as a gardner, brothers John Joseph (25) and Harry (21) were employed as brick yard labourers. Between 1901 and 1911 they moved to 11, Commercial Street, Cornsay where Fuller worked at home as a gardener, John Joseph (35) as a labourer above ground at the colliery, Harry (28) and Frank (22) as putters, Arthur (17) a driver, Sarah Harriet is listed as a day girl, a casual worker with no guarantee of work on a long term basis, Alice Mary (26) remained at home as the housekeeper.
Frank Chapman was married in the district of Lanchester, County Durham during the 1st quarter (Jan/Feb/Mar) 1914 to Elizabeth Ellen Dunning born 1892 at Wheatley Hill, County Durham, daughter of Benjamin and Mary Dunning. Their son Benson was born in 1914, Frank Jnr in 1917.
When war with Germany broke out later that year Frank was one of the first to enlist November 26th 1914 when the 23rd Battalion (4th Tyneside Scottish) Battalion was raised at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland. Assigned as Private 936 he initially trained at Newcastle before moving to Alnwick camp in the grounds of Alnwick castle, January 29th 1915. The battalion was transferred to Ripon, Yorkshire in June 1915 where it joined the 102nd Brigade, 34th Division and moved for final training in late August to Salisbury Plain, the division departed to France in January 1916, concentrated at La Crosse near St. Omer. After undergoing a period of trench familiarisation they were moved to the Somme in preparation for the forthcoming offensive due to commence June 29th 1916, which because of bad weather did not take place until July 1st 1916. At 7.28 a.m. July 1st 1916 two huge mines were detonated in the explosive packed tunnels under the German lines, one to the north, the other to the south of the village of La Boisselle, near Albert. The 23rd Battalion was in support of the 20th/21st/22nd Battalions during the attack. In 1917 they were moved to the Arras sector and fought during the First and Second Battles of the Scarpe, April 9th-14th and April 23rd-24th 1917, at Arleux during the Arras Offensive April 9th-May 16th 1917.
Severely wounded whilst in the Arras sector, exact date unknown, Private Chapman was evacuated by Field Ambulance back through the lines and repatriated to England where he was admitted to the 721 bed, Church Lane Military Hospital also known as Tooting Military Hospital. Private 936 Frank Chapman Northumberland Fusiliers succumbed to wounds sustained on active service and died June 17th 1917.
Frank’s body was transported home to Cornsay, organised by the Army it would have been paid for by his widow Elizabeth. He was laid to rest with full military honours in the West part, Hamsteels St John The Baptist churchyard. Elizabeth received all monies due to him, a pension for herself and their 2 sons and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to her at 22, Garden Avenue, Langley Park, County Durham. She commissioned and paid 8 shillings 5 pence for an additional inscription to be added to his military headstone, it reads, “For King And Country He Did His Best.”
Elizabeth Ellen remarried in 1926 to James Turnbull Smith born at Witton in 1898. James Turnbull Smith of 35, The Crescent, Langley Park, County Durham died January 15th 1963 aged 65 years leaving the sum of 326 pounds and 12 shillings to Elizabeth Ellen.
Elizabeth Ellen Smith-Chapman nee Dunning of the same address as above died December 18th 1963 at Dryburn Hospital, Durham. Probate in the sum of 651 pounds was awarded to George Adamson Insurance agent and Mary Howe, widow.
Frank and Elizabeth’s son Benson was married at Chester-le-Street, County Durham, in 1936 to Isabella Wiseman born October 7th 1915 who died December 20th 1980 at Rushcliffe, Nottinghamshire. Benson Chapman died in Nottinghamshire, December 21st 1991, he is buried at Sacriston Cemetery, County Durham, grave E. 27. Details as regards Frank Chapman Jnr. unknown.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Derick Smith has provided the following which carries the story forward:
My name is Derick Smith and my grandad at Langley Park was James Turnbull Smith. He married Elizabeth Ellen Dunning Chapman in 1926. He was living at 28 Logan Street, Langley Park, Durham at the time.
My father was born 9th September 1926. He was also called James Turnbull Smith. His brother, Arnold Smith, born 1928, was killed at Gedling Colliery, Notts in 1965 - he is on a memorial in Gedling. His sisters were born 1930. Elizabeth survived but her twin Mary died. Dad also had a brother Derek born 1933; he became a prison warder at Durham Jail, had a spell at Armley Jail, Leeds and back up north.
My dad James Turnbull Smith married Jane Ann Embleton from Sacriston and they moved down to Yorkshire. They adopted a son, John, and Ann was born 1947, I was born 1949, and my brother James Turnbull Smith was born 1959.
As regards my family, both my parents are deceased, our John left us in 1968 and we have not seen him since, my sister Ann died in 2007 of cancer. I worked at collieries from apprentice mechanic to mechanical engineer for 40 years and retired in 2010 in Yorkshire, my younger brother James lives at Crowle near Scunthorpe and works in construction.
I have done the family tree on the Durham Smiths and Durham Embletons and I knew about Frank Chapman dying of wounds and his widow Elizabeth marrying my grandad. I used to visit my grandparents in Langley Park as a boy and used to go to the Durham big meeting gala every year with them. My grandad worked in the lamp room at Langley Park Colliery and my dad was a colliery labourer at the colliery before moving to Yorkshire.
I was pleased to find this info as I have always not forgot those who died in the war and this year, 100 years since, made me remember them more. We had Smiths at Langley Park who served in both wars and Embletons from Sacriston who served in both wars. I have copies of birth, marriage, and death certificates for our family and have visited gran and grandad's graves in Langley Park Cemetery on a lot of occasions, but the other year their grave stones had disappeared, but I never forget where they were buried.
Mr Derick Smith
Ps. I am married, I have got daughter and son and two granddaughters and two grandsons all doing well.
Frank Chapman is remembered at Cornsay on C116.01 and at Quebec on Q2.06
