Any further info on Frederick Richard Chapman?

[JackDaw]

Hi there,

All I can find on Frederick George Chapman is this mention in the Christopher Morely 'Jack the Ripper : A Suspect Guide' book and The Daily Express article from 1931 here.

What else is known about the man?
Is it all a con? Seems a likely suspect if true.

[ChrisGeorge]

You'll find a bit more on Google books etc though a number of mentions probably repeat what you already know about Dr Frederick Richard Chapman. Good luck, JackDaw.

Chris

[JackDaw]

Thanks Chris.

Like you said, its mostly a repeat of the same stroy told in the Daily Express.

[Chris Scott]

Hi jackdaw
I did a bit of digging - this should help
Chris

Frederick Richard Chapman

1861 census:
Providence Place. Spilsby, Lincolnshire.
Head: Joseph Chapman aged 38 born Shrewsbury - Police constable
Wife: Elizabeth Chapman aged 39 born Abderdeen
Children:
Annie aged 15 born Karachi - Dressmaker
F Richard aged 10 born Poona
Joseph aged 3 born Poona

Fred's parents in 1871:
Pingold Street, Howden, Yorkshire
Head: Joseph Chapman aged 48 born Shrewsbury - Drill instructor
Wife: Elizabeth Chapman aged 48 born Aberdeen - Nurse
Son: Joseph H J aged 13 born East Indies

and in 1881:
11 Beeton Street, Southcoates, Yorkshire
Head: Joseph Chapman aged 59 born New Street, Shrewsbury - Sergt. Instructor (Army pensioner)
Wife: Elizabeth Chapman aged 59 born Aberdeen
Son: Joseph H J aged 22 born Poonah - Grocer

Fred's brother in 1891 visiting his married sister, Annie:
18 Cheapside, Wakefield, Yorkshire
Head: Robert Stephenson aged 43 born Howden - Railway guard
Wife: Annie E Stephenson aged 43 born Karachi
Children:
Edith E aged 20 born Howden
Emmeline aged 18 born Howden
Gertrude E aged 15 born Wakefield
Annie L aged 13 born Wakefield
Visitor:
Joseph Harwood Chapman aged 33 born Poonah

As for Frederick himself. The Morley chapter says of him "he qualified as a doctor in Glasgow in 1874" and indeed that is where he is listed as a lodger in the 1871 census:
12 Scotia Street, Blythswood, Glasgow
Head: Margaret Allan aged 31 born Garrowhill - Dressmaker
Child: John Allan aged 5
Lodgers:
John Thorburn aged 20 born England - Student of medicine
John Oliver aged 20 born Sunston, Roxburgh - Drapery warehouseman
Alexander Wilson aged 21 born Stirling - Studen in Arts
F R Chapman aged 20 born India (Brit. Subject) - Student of Medicine

In 1881 he is listed as follows:
Clifton Villas, Hessle Road, Hull
Head: Frederick R Chapman aged 30 born Poonah - Medical practitioner M.B. and C.M. University of Glasgow
Wife: Emily Chapman aged 25 born Hull
Children:
Lilian aged 4 born Staniland, Yorks.
Ida aged 1 born Hull

Frederick was married in Sculcoates in 1876 to Emily England.

Frederick's death is listed as follows:
Name: Frederick Richard Chapman
Estimated birth year: abt 1851
Year of Registration: 1888
Quarter of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec
Age at Death: 37
District: St Olave Southwark (1837-1901)
County: London, Surrey
Volume: 1d
Page: 127

The 1875 Medical Register gives these details:
Date of registration: 1874 Aug 8
Name: Frederick Richard Chapman
Residence: Howden, Yorkshire
Qualification: M.B. 1874, Mast. Surg. 1874 Univ. Glasg.

1883 Medical Register:
Name: Chapman, Frederick Richard
Address: Clifton Villa, Hessle Road, Hull
Date and place of registration: 1874 Aug. 8 S (Scotland)
Qualifications: As in 1875 register

[Chris Scott]

In 1891, after Frederick's death, his widow is listed as follows:
Fisherton House Asylum, Fisherton Anger, Wiltshire
Emily Chapman (Widow) aged 35 born Hull - Lady matron in Asylum

In the same year Frederick's younger daughter was living with her grandmother:
30 Sutton Street, Myton, Hull
Boarder: Elizabeth England (Widow) aged 58 born Hull - Living on own means
Grand-daughter: Ida Chapman aged 11 born Hull
His older daughter, Lilian, is listed in 1891 as follows:
St Peter's Orphanage, St Peter's Church, Kennington Lane, Lambeth
Lilian Chapman aged 14 born Staniland, Yorks - Pupil teacher

In 1901 Emily Chapman and her younger daughter were running a lunatic asylum in Fulham
Otto House, 47 North End Road, Fulham
Head: Emily Chapman (Widow) aged 43 born Hull - Resident licensee
Daughter: Ida Chapman aged 21 born Hull
Other:
Lydia L Perrelt aged 32 born Tenbury, Worcs. - Deputy Superintendent
All patients (of which there are 22) are listed only by initials and are listed as lunatics.
14 other medical staff are also listed.

Here are some notes on Otto House:
Otto House, "North End", Fulham
Otto House, 47 North End Road, Kensington
The present numbering suggests this was in the neighbourhood of the present West London County Court. A "lunatic asylum" is shown on an 1874 map near here. Other sources show "North End Villa" between Vernon Street and Edith Road and Otto House on the opposite side of North End Road. On an 1888 map, Otto House is shown next to The Grange (where the artist Edward Burne-Jones lived from 1867 to 1898). The Grange (and possibly Otto House) has been replaced by high-rise council flats, also called The Grange
Opened by 1841, still open 1931.
1.1.1844: Proprietor A.R. Sutherland, M.D.
22 lunatics.
1.1.1849: 28 patients, all female. 1 found lunatic by inquisition.
1859: Proprietors "Drs Sutherland"
1867/1868: A C Sutherland became the Licensee of both Blacklands House Chelsea and Otto House Fulham.
A patient: From 1870 to 1874, Frederick Schlusser and his wife Louisa (1831-1920) lived in Lower Norwood. Frederick Schlusser died on 9.4.1874. Louisa Schlusser, who had become mentally ill, was admitted to Otto House on 23.10.1874 and lived there for the rest of her life. She died on 3.5.1920 at 5.30 a.m. of "cardial degeneration" at Otto House, 47 North End Road, West Kensington. Friedrich von Petersdorff, one of her descendants, has given me considerable help with researching Otto House.
(If any one has further information about, please mail me)
1.1.1874: licensed to A. C. Sutherland and Miss E. Dixon. 34 patients, all female, 7 found lunatic by inquisition.
1881 Census: Caroline Sharpe (Servant, unmarried, aged 52) was Superintendent, and Georgina Holloway (Servant, unmarried, aged 36) was Deputy Superintendent of the "Private Asylum (Hospital)", but Martha Humphrey (Servant, unmarried, aged 42) was head of the household. The "Boarders" are all listed as "Gentlewoman".
The Royal College of Psychiatrists has a Casebook (no.1) of admissions to Otto House (West Kensington) from 1902 to 1915, with notes up to 1931.