Notes from Annie Stuart:

As William Chapman and Sarah Mansell both appear in the same census district in 1881 it is very likely that they met in Reading.

After their marriage, William and Sarah Chapman remained in Reading for about two years. Their first born child was Richard Fuller Chapman born 27-10-1883 at St. Giles.

Around 1885 the family moved back to Folkestone where a second child Blanche Winifred Chapman was born on 25-2-1885 at 38 North Street,Folkestone. William gave his address at this time as 57 Radnor Street, Folkestone so presumably the family were living with Williams parents Fuller and Frances Chapman.

William and Sarah's third child Harriett Mansell Chapman was born 1887 also at Folkestone.
Around 1890 William, Sarah and the children moved to Hythe where their last child Laura Katherine Chapman was born on 11-3-1892.

At Hythe William opened a bakery at 30 High Street (renumbered to No. 4 in 1915). William was the proprietor here from 1890 until 1902. The business was taken over by Barling Sharpe in 1903.

William used a telescope to look out for the fishing smacks coming into port. When he spied them, he knew when to put his bread into his bakery ovens for the fishermen to buy. Families in Hythe would put their Sunday dinners into William's bakery ovens to cook and then pick them up on their way back from church.

At Christmas time in 1890 the editor of The Hythe Reporter did a tour of High Street and reported in his paper the following:-

"Mr. CHAPMANs shop looks very attractive with a fine show of bonbons, fancy boxes and his grand show of Christmas cakes."

William Fuller Chapman was a diabetic and had both his legs amputated as a result of complications of the disease. His son Richard, my grandfather and Richards son Robert Chapman also developed mature onset diabetes.

Around 1902 William and Sarah Chapman moved to "Sillwood Place", St.Johns, Road, Crowborough, Sussex, a neighbouring county to Kent.

Penel Ambrose Hill writes:

"William (Fuller Chapman) seems to have been a real mixture of characteristics and cut quite a formidable figure with his devil's horns and smoking hat!

On the one hand he was incredibly strict, for instance on one occasion according to Gran (Laura) she and Rich (Richard Fuller ) had been squabbling but had to do it silently (I don't think any of our children would have been able to show such restraint!) because their father had given them strict instructions to be quiet.

On the other hand was the famous story concerning Gran's "Great Escape." One Sunday, when the family sat down to lunch, Gran was absent having been sent to her room by her mother for misbehaving. This was not acceptable to her father who insisted that all the family were present for the meal. Sarah in an act of defiance, which must have taken some courage in those days, did not produce the key to Gran's bedroom. William undeterred got a ladder, climbed up to Gran's window, carried her down and then continued with family lunch as though nothing had happened, but with all his children present!

Unfortunately the heat in the bakery gave Gran's father a copious thirst, which was quenched by large quantities of ale and so in the end he had to give up the bakery business. He was quite a difficult man and had very strong views and expectations, even when he lost both his legs!

Dad used to say that William was very difficult, when he (Dad) was quite little he came to stay with them and Dad said that he used to make William cups of tea because he would not do it for himself!

The family moved and to be honest my memories of what Gran told me happened to them are very shaky. I do know that the family lived at one time in Crowborough and that William and Sarah are buried in St. Johns Church there. I also know that they lived near a Dr. Barnardo's Home because Gran said that she used to watch the children riding in a pony and trap to church."