Chester-le-Street Chronicle 01/12/1916
Chester-le-Street Chronicle 28/12/1916
Chapman Brothers
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Job Chapman Jnr. was born 1881 at Shiney Row, County Durham, one of 13 children of whom only 9 survived, 7 sons and 2 daughters. His father Job Chapman born January 14th 1845 at Ilkeston, Derbyshire had migrated to the north east where he met Annie Liddle native of Hetton le Hole born 1852, whom he married, November 28th 1868 in the district of Houghton-le-Spring, County Durham.
Job Snr. was employed as a coal miner, the family were living in 1881 at 166, Chapel Row, Penshaw, however Annie appears as widowed on the census of 1891 living at 4, Chandler’s Row, Penshaw, supported by her elder sons John Thomas (21) and George (19) working as coal miners whilst Luke only 13 years old was employed as an iron moulder’s apprentice, the younger children were scholars. This fact is contradicted by the 1901 census although she still is listed as head of the family, it would seem Luke’s father returned to Derbyshire where he was living with his niece in 1911 and died there in 1918.
After the marriage of his brother Luke he was the eldest of the 4 remaining Chapman sons living at home with their mother. They were all employed at the colliery Job (20) as a hewer, William (18) and Henry (16) were pony drivers below ground whilst the youngest Frederick (13) was a belt boy above ground. In 1911 they were living at West Rainton where he was working as a coal miner/hewer at the colliery.
Job Chapman married Mary Elizabeth (Lizzie) Ramshaw born 1883 at Newcastle-upon Tyne, in 1903 at Houghton-le-Spring. They had four daughters, Margaret, Florence, Ada and Elsie. In 1911 they were living at West Rainton where he was working as a coal miner/hewer at the colliery.
Job Chapman enlisted at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, October 26th 1914 and was assigned as Private 1254 to the 21st (2nd Tyneside Scottish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. Initially they trained at Newcastle then moved to Alnwick camp, in the grounds of Alnwick castle, January 29th 1915, later joining the 102nd Brigade, 34th Division at Ripon in June 1915. In late August they moved to Salisbury Plain to begin final training, proceeding to France in January 1916 and concentrated at La Crosse, east of St Omer. They were in action during the Battles of the Somme, including the capture of Scots and Sausage Redoubts, attacking just north of the village of La Boisselle, near Albert and transferred to the 57th Division between July 6th- August 22nd 1916.
Private Chapman's military record no longer exists destroyed during the blitz of WW2, however, in date unknown he was wounded and taken by Field Ambulance to Bailleul, a large town in France near the Belgian border, which had become an important railhead, air depot and hospital centre for the Canadian and Australian Casualty Clearing Stations. Private 21/1254 Job Chapman Northumberland Fusiliers died of wounds sustained in the field, October 19th 1916 and was interred at Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord, France, grave III. A. 256.
The Sunderland Echo 07/11/1916 carries an In Memoriam entry which reads:- Chapman died of wounds received October 19th 1916 aged 34 years, Pte. Job Chapman N.F.. of Lumley. Deeply mourned and sadly missed by his loving mother and brother Harry.
The Chester-le-Street Chronicle 01/12/1916 carries an In Memoriam entry beloved husband of Mary E. of 24 Front Street Lumley. The edition of 28/12/1916 carries this photo.
His widow received all monies due to him, a pension for herself and their children and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Job’s elder brother Luke also served and had died December 30th 1915 whilst serving as Private 19216 15th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. He was killed in action in the front line trenches at Armentieres, he left a widow and 6 children, he was awarded the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Their mother Mary Lizzie Chapman died in 1936 aged 84 years in the district of Durham.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest in Peace.
Job Chapman is remembered at Great Lumley on G50.01 and G50.02 and at Chester-le-Street on C105.15 and C105.40
