Russell CHAPMAN born abt 1815

[lizone]

Any ideas or theories very gratefully received ...

Russell Chapman born abt 1815 in Sandbach, Cheshire was convicted at Chester Court in 1834 and transported for 7 years, arriving in Australia on the 'Marquis of Huntley' in 1835. I've found his certificate of freedom, dated Jan 1842, but then ..... not much. The only reference I've found is from the NSW BMD index for a Russell Chapman died 1903 Tumbarumba district, aged 75 (some 13 years out) and no marriage.

Russell doesn't seem to be a common first name at this time and the only other possible RCs in England are part of the same family and their location accounted for (no obvious candidates on the NSW BMD either). My knowledge of geography is by no means extensive, but if this location is remote and he lived on his own, could the age on the certificate be a guess?

[Bess]

Hello
I would think that the age is a guesstimate because no parents names are given and Tumbarumba was an isolated place so it sounds as though this man did not have family with him. If you search on the IGI index you can see the family of Cornelius and Ann Chapman at Sandbach, Cheshire, including Rissel , christened 21 May 1815. If you do a search of another genealogy website , using surnames forum for this Cornelius Chapman you will find something, including contact email that might be useful - I think there are copyright considerations in using their trade name. Any details on convict records to suggest an occupation, religion, place of work assignment - anything that might help. He might be in a post office directory.

[Hugh Thompson]

HI Lizone, there's no listing for Russell Chapman anywhere in the version of Greville's 1872 post office directory that I have, although I'm not too sure if it is a complete listing, Tumbarumba is listed but nothing for your man there either.
Hugh.

[lizone]

Hello - yes, it's the same family (not many Russells about!). His occupations are stated on the documents I have found as Cow Keeper and Coachman. On the NSW General Muster List 1837 his master seems to read as James Morton in Sydney.

Thanks again

[Nannas]

Hiya,
He might have just changed names..

He is listed on 6th May 1839 as absconding from James NORTON, Parramatta.. Says he is 24yo from Cheshire, a cowkeeper, 5'9" high etc.
They must have caught him quick enough to still get his COF in 1842.

PO Directories are only good for those people who expected to get mail..
There are a few R. CHAPMAN listed in various areas...but the earler PO Directories mainly list the farm/run not the actual town.

Obviously whoever filled in the death information didn't have much of an idea. If he lived alone/died alone it would only be a guess on what people thought.
Could even be a BDM error...I had one death listed for a woman,,,BDM listed her as 26yo so I didn't buy the cert and was 'brickwalled' for years...When another family member finally bought it the age was actually 62YO!!!! She was ours and we were stuck for years because someone at BDM made a typo!!

Nannas

[lizone]

Many thanks Nannas - with clarification on James Norton's name, I was also able to find the very interesting absconding record plus a short biography for James Norton himself (1795 - 1862) - apparently the fifth solicitor to arrive in Australia! If the death record is the right Russell, it seems quite ironic that he outlived all his siblings back in Cheshire ... I will post back if/when anything turns up.

[Nannas]

Hi,
That's good!!

Just incase it is of interest here is the description of Russell as given in the government gazette.

Chapman Russell, Marquis of Huntly (4), 24, Cheshire, cowkeeper, 5 feet 9 inches , sallow comp ., brown hair, brown eyes, scar right cheekbone, nose a little cocked, small scar betwixt the eyebrows, several small moles on right cheek and some on left side of neck, small scar and two small moles lower left arm, large scar front of small of right leg, from James Norton , Parramatta,

On looking I see he was apprehended within the week,,,LOL,,,so he didn't hide very well!!!

Nannas

[lizone]

Just a quick reply to report on my findings, which are hardly conclusive. I've had the transcript back on the death certificate and it seems that the Russell Chapman in question died alone of 'senile decay' with no family. His place of birth is stated as 'Kent, England' with '52 years in NSW'. This doesn't tie up with anyone I can find on the UK BMD records. Hmmmm .... back to the drawing board!