A. G. Chapman Explained

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.^[1] 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 to Paradise (opened 1857),^[2] and the Glenelg jetty (opened 25 April 1859).^[3] 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:

• 1869 servants' quarters at Government House^[4]
• 1870 "superior residence" for Frank Rymill on East Terrace^[5]
• 1870 Northmore's drapery, on part of the DaCosta bequest to St Peter's College^[6]
• 1870 Pulteney Street School additional building^[7]
• 1871 Four shops on Gawler place for Alexander Dowie; houses on Wakefield Street for T. English and Thomas Gattey Brown^[8]
• 1872 Northmore's shop remodelled and doubled in size^[9]
• 1872 Brown & Woods' store on Waymouth Street^[10]
• 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, ...^[11]
• 1873 J. Calder's biscuit factory on Twin Street,
• 1874 rebuilt the guardhouse to Government House and gateway.
• 1875 Parliament House extensions^[12]
• 1875 Norwood and Kensington Institute^[13]
• 1876 further expansion of Northmore & Deans emporium, Rundle Street, also part of Wills & Co.'s store on Rundle Street.^[14]
• 1877 an Oyster saloon for G. Moseley and the Crown and Sceptre Hotel for A. Hubble,^[15] both on King William Street, also a store and factory on Waymouth Street for Bickford & Sons^[16]
• 1877 Morialta Chambers in Victoria Square and Waymouth Chambers on Waymouth Street^[17]
• 1878 Torrens Chambers, adjacent Morialta Chambers on Victoria Square.^[18]
• 1878 Academy of Music, Rundle Street^[19]
• 1878 Charles Birks emporium, Rundle Street^[20]

Each year he held a Christmas get-together of his workers, usually 20 or thirty men, for lunch with their families.^[21] Around 1880 he quit the building business.^[22]

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,^[23] which he took over in 1891, retaining the name.^[24] The company began manufacturing "Snelling & Chapman's Little Gem Spray Pump". In 1908 Snelling sued Chapman for unpaid royalties on the device.^[25] By 1904 Chapman had taken his son Allan Chapman into partnership.^[26]

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.^[27]

He was admitted to the South Australian Chamber of Manufactures in 1877.^[28]

Personal

Chapman was married to Sarah Helen Chapman (c. 1832 – 26 January 1883).^[29] Their home was on Hutt Street from 1867 or earlier,^[30] then "Enfield House", Parkside, from 1878 or earlier, and by 1904 was at Eighth Street, St Peters.^[26] They had one son and eight daughters:

• Maria Mary Chapman (1855–) married Frederic William Gray on 9 November 1875^[31] (Cowell in 1914)
• Mary Ann Chapman (1857–) married Samuel James Whitmore on 13 November 1878^[32] (Adelaide)
• Margaret Jane Chapman (1859–) married George Stephens of Castlemaine, Victoria on 20 August 1879^[33]
• Agnes Hume Chapman (1861–) married Ernest Govett of Paddington, London, on 13 December 1887^[34] (London)
• Jessie Louisa Chapman (1863 –) married Robert McCosh Pratt on 11 May 1892^[35] (Grange)
• Eva Helen Chapman (1967–) (Prospect).
• Allan Hume Chapman (1871–1917) married Emily Gogan on 28 October 1892.^[36]
• 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^[37] (Perth)

Notes and References

1. News: Mr A. G. Chapman . . LXXI . 5,475 . South Australia . 7 February 1914 . 18 November 2023 . 39 . National Library of Australia.
2. News: Opening of the MacDonnell Bridge . . XXI . 3388 . South Australia . 14 August 1857 . 19 November 2023 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
3. News: Opening of Glenelg Jetty . . I . 247 . South Australia . 26 April 1859 . 19 November 2023 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
4. News: City of Adelaide . . XXXIV . 7221 . South Australia . 1 January 1870 . 20 November 2023 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
5. News: Private Buildings . . XXXIV . 7221 . South Australia . 1 January 1870 . 20 November 2023 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
6. News: City Improvements . . XXXV . 7480 . South Australia . 3 November 1870 . 20 November 2023 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
7. News: Building Improvements for 1870 . . XXXV . 7529 . South Australia . 31 December 1870 . 20 November 2023 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
8. News: Building Improvements for 1871 . . XXXVII . 7866 . South Australia . 1 February 1872 . 20 November 2023 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
9. News: Commercial . . XXXVIII . 8157 . South Australia . 8 January 1873 . 20 November 2023 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
10. News: Commercial . . XXXVIII . 8157 . South Australia . 8 January 1873 . 20 November 2023 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
11. News: Commercial . . XXXVIII . 8157 . South Australia . 8 January 1873 . 20 November 2023 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
12. News: Improvement of the Assembly Chamber . . XXXII . 1753 . South Australia . 8 May 1875 . 20 November 2023 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
13. News: Norwood and Kensington Institute . . XII . 3,548 . South Australia . 11 September 1875 . 20 November 2023 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
14. News: Commercial . . XLI . 9098 . South Australia . 12 January 1876 . 20 November 2023 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
15. News: Latest News . . IX . 2598 . South Australia . 18 July 1877 . 20 November 2023 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
16. News: Building Improvements During 1876 . . XIX . 5687 . South Australia . 10 January 1877 . 20 November 2023 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
17. News: Building Improvements . . XLII . 9416 . South Australia . 18 January 1877 . 20 November 2023 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
18. News: Latest News. . . X . 2847 . South Australia . 13 May 1878 . 20 November 2023 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
19. News: News of the Week . . XXI . 1,046 . South Australia . 7 September 1878 . 20 November 2023 . 8 . National Library of Australia.
20. News: Building Improvements for 1878 . . XLIV . 10,025 . South Australia . 1 January 1879 . 20 November 2023 . 1 . National Library of Australia.
21. News: Latest News . . V . 1517 . South Australia . 26 December 1873 . 20 November 2023 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
22. News: Latest News. . . XV . 4359 . South Australia . 2 May 1883 . 19 November 2023 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
23. News: Advertising . . LVII . 17,506 . South Australia . 23 November 1914 . 19 November 2023 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
24. News: Advertising . . XXVIII . 8,185 . South Australia . 13 March 1891 . 19 November 2023 . 1 . National Library of Australia.
25. News: Local Court — Adelaide . . XXXII . 9,459 . South Australia . 22 May 1895 . 19 November 2023 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
26. News: Local Court — Adelaide . . XLI . 12,249 . South Australia . 28 July 1904 . 19 November 2023 . 1 . National Library of Australia.
27. News: General News . . XIII . 3,728 . South Australia . 13 April 1876 . 20 November 2023 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
28. News: Chamber of Manufactures . . XX . 5912 . South Australia . 29 September 1877 . 20 November 2023 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
29. News: Family Notices . . XX . 5,715 . South Australia . 27 January 1883 . 19 November 2023 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
30. News: Inquest on a Fire in Hutt Street . . South Australia . 11 June 1867 . 19 November 2023 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
31. News: Family Notices . . VII . 2088 . South Australia . 12 November 1875 . 19 November 2023 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
32. News: Family Notices . . XLIII . 9988 . South Australia . 18 November 1878 . 19 November 2023 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
33. News: Family Notices . . XLIV . 10,228 . South Australia . 26 August 1879 . 19 November 2023 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
34. News: Family Notices . . XIX . 5779 . South Australia . 31 December 1887 . 19 November 2023 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
35. News: Family Notices . . LVII . 14,209 . South Australia . 28 May 1892 . 19 November 2023 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
36. News: Family Notices . . XXXV . 10643 . South Australia . 26 November 1892 . 19 November 2023 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
37. News: Family Notices . . XL . 7,046 . Western Australia . 25 December 1924 . 19 November 2023 . 1 . National Library of Australia.