Alfred George Chapman (1834 – 30 January 1914), invariably referred to as A. G. Chapman, was a builder in the early days of Adelaide, South Australia.
History
Chapman was born in
Enfield, London
Enfield is a large town in north London, England, north of Charing Cross. It had a population of 156,858 in 2018. It includes the areas of Botany Bay, Brimsdown, Bulls Cross, Bullsmoor, Bush Hill Park, Clay Hill, Crews Hill, Enfield Hig ...
.
He married and emigrated to South Australia, arriving in Adelaide around 1854 and started working as a carpenter for Beeby & Dunstan, millers, of Grenfell Street, and had a residence in the city.
He was involved in the construction of
Charles Todd's telegraph line to Port Adelaide in 1856, the MacDonnell Bridge over the
Torrens
Torrens may refer to:
Places South Australia
* Electoral district of Torrens, a state electoral district
* Lake Torrens, a salt lake north of Adelaide
* River Torrens, which runs through the heart of Adelaide
* Torrens Building, a heritage-liste ...
to
Paradise
In religion, paradise is a place of exceptional happiness and delight. Paradisiacal notions are often laden with pastoral imagery, and may be cosmogonical or eschatological or both, often compared to the miseries of human civilization: in paradis ...
(opened 1857), and the
Glenelg jetty (opened 25 April 1859). He also worked for the Railways.
He established himself as a builder and contractor, with an office in Roberts Street, later in
Hutt Street. He worked on a wide range of prestigious projects, frequently for architect
Daniel Garlick
Daniel Garlick (20 January 1818 – 28 September 1902) was an architect in the early days of South Australia. During his lifetime, his architectural practice names were Garlick & Son and Jackman & Garlick. After his death his name was perpetuated ...
:
*1869 servants' quarters at Government House
*1870 "superior residence" for
Frank Rymill
Henry Rymill (1 May 1836 – 21 February 1927) and Frank Rymill (27 November 1837 – 26 May 1915) were brothers prominent in business and public service in the 19th century South Australia.
Henry "Harry" Rymill and Francis "Frank" Rymill were ...
on East Terrace
*1870 Northmore's drapery, on part of the DaCosta bequest to
St Peter's College
*1870
Pulteney Street School additional building
*1871 Four shops on Gawler place for
Alexander Dowie
Alexander Dowie (4 September 1827 – 18 July 1909) was an 1851 emigrant from Scotland to South Australia. He is known as a businessman, who developed a major footwear manufacturing, tannery, and retailer in Adelaide.
Early life and education
Ale ...
; houses on Wakefield Street for
T. English and Thomas Gattey Brown
*1872 Northmore's shop remodelled and doubled in size
*1872 Brown & Woods' store on Waymouth Street
*1872 Several two-storey houses for T. English in Wakefield Street, one for C. Glover on Gilles Street, two for C. Wadey in Franklin Street, one for S. Whitmore on South Terrace, ...
*1873 J. Calder's biscuit factory on
Twin Street,
*1874 rebuilt the guardhouse to Government House and gateway.
*1875 Parliament House extensions
*1875 Norwood and Kensington Institute
*1876 further expansion of Northmore & Deans emporium, Rundle Street, also part of
Wills & Co.'s store on Rundle Street.
*1877 an Oyster saloon for G. Moseley and the Crown and Sceptre Hotel for A. Hubble, both on King William Street, also a store and factory on Waymouth Street for
Bickford & Sons
*1877 Morialta Chambers in Victoria Square and Waymouth Chambers on Waymouth Street
*1878 Torrens Chambers, adjacent Morialta Chambers on Victoria Square.
*1878 Academy of Music, Rundle Street
*1878
Charles Birks
Charles Birks & Co Ltd. was a South Australian department store founded by Charles Napier Birks in Rundle Street, Adelaide. His son Napier Birks took over the business in 1908. The business was acquired by David Jones Limited in 1954.
History
Ch ...
emporium, Rundle Street
Each year he held a Christmas get-together of his workers, usually 20 or thirty men, for lunch with their families.
Around 1880 he quit the building business.
He invested heavily in land during the boom with some success at first, later lost a great deal, and quit business.
He became a partner in W. F. Gray and Co. (with Frederik William Gray and Henry Snelling), plumbers and sheetmetal workers at the corner of Grenfell and Hyde streets, which he took over in 1891, retaining the name. The company began manufacturing "Snelling & Chapman's Little Gem Spray Pump". In 1908 Snelling sued Chapman for unpaid royalties on the device.
By 1904 Chapman had taken his son Allan Chapman into partnership.
His son enlisted with the 1st AIF on 5 October 1915, giving occupation as "Master Plumber", served with the 43rd Battalion, gunshot wound January 1917 rendered him paraplegic, died at 7 AGH, Keswick, South Australia on 6 September 1917. Their son Private Alfred George Chapman (born 1899) died of wounds 18 April 1918.
Other interests
Chapman was a keen cricketer and footballer, and was inaugural president of the South Adelaide Cricket Club in 1875 and of the South Adelaide Football Club in 1876.
He was admitted to the
South Australian Chamber of Manufactures in 1877.
Personal
Chapman was married to Sarah Helen Chapman (c. 1832 – 26 January 1883).
Their home was on
Hutt Street from 1867 or earlier, then "Enfield House", Parkside, from 1878 or earlier, and by 1904 was at Eighth Street,
St Peters.
[ They had one son and eight daughters:
*Maria Mary Chapman (1855– ) married Frederic William Gray on 9 November 1875 (Cowell in 1914)
*Mary Ann Chapman (1857– ) married Samuel James Whitmore on 13 November 1878 (Adelaide)
*Margaret Jane Chapman (1859– ) married George Stephens of Castlemaine, Victoria on 20 August 1879
*Agnes Hume Chapman (1861– ) married Ernest Govett of Paddington, London, on 13 December 1887 (London)
*Jessie Louisa Chapman (1863 – ) married Robert McCosh Pratt on 11 May 1892 (Grange)
*Eva Helen Chapman (1967– ) (Prospect).
*Allan Hume Chapman (1871–1917) married Emily Gogan on 28 October 1892.
*Emily Maud "Emmie" Chapman (1873– ) married Carl Pfeffer (not Pfeiffer) of Heidelberg, Germany, on 28 January 1904 at Bayswater, London (Buenos Ayres)
*Katie Edith (Katy Edyth?) Chapman (1875– ) married Walter Knight Dixon on 26 December 1999]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chapman, Alfred
1834 births
1914 deaths
Colony of South Australia people
Australian builders
Australian metalworkers
Australian manufacturing businesspeople