Postcard by C F Chapman. It is numbered 4, so one of a series
The only information that came with this photograph is:-
The man at the front is Arthur Clarke, and the two ladies are May and Elsie Cox.
Several of the photographs on our website are by C F Chapman.
He didn't advertise in any of the trade directories.
Research shows he was born at Thrapston in 1886, son of Thomas M & Ellen E Chapman. Thomas was born at Titchmarsh, and traded as a greengrocer on his "own account", and his wife was born at Norwich. They were buried in 1904 & 1905, at Rushden cemetery.
Charles Frederick was a shoe clicker by trade, and later he was a cabinet maker, so perhaps his photography began for his own pleasure? He began publishing some postcards of parades like the Sunday School Treat in 1913. During in WWI he took many photographs for the Rushden Argus, and was then living at 45 Washbrook Road.
Possibly a photo of the 52 recruits leaving in October 1915? There seems to be
two rows of kit bags and about 27 along the platform with a few soldiers
standing in front of them closer to the edge. Relatives may be in a row
behind and dignitaries at the right of this postcard by C F Chapman.
On 12th December 1915 he married Gertrude Alice Turney, daughter of Samuel. Their daughter Margaret Cecily was born in 1926. Margaret became the Festival Queen in 1951. She married Peter E W Cave on 11th January 1954 at the Park Road Baptist Church.
In May 1920 Charles applied to the council for permission to build a studio at the rear of his new home at 29 Crabb Street. Many of the local postcards taken in the 1920s were his work.
The postcard below was taken by Charles - postally used in 1929 - No 13 in a series. He must have been one of the first in Rushden to take a pleasure trip in aeroplane, perhaps when Alan Cobham visted Higham Ferrers?
