CHAPMAN, William.

The Chapmans were among the most prominent and numerous families in early modern Bath: Alderman Richard Chapman (d.1580) was returned for the city in 1553; John Chapman served twice as mayor under Elizabeth; and Walter Chapman held the mayoralty three times under James.8 HP Commons 1509-58, i. 622-3; Abbey Church of SS. Peter and Paul, Bath, 330; Bath RO, mayoral list transcript. However, the size of the family and their frequent use of the same Christian names make it difficult to disentangle the relationships between them. The Bath Abbey registers reveal that there were at least three William Chapmans resident in Bath in the 1620s, distinguishable by their wives’ names. It is probable that the 1626 Member was an alderman, like his colleague Richard Gay. Consequently, the William Chapman, glover, who died in 1646 is unlikely to have been the Member, as there is no evidence that he held civic office, although he may have been the man who served as churchwarden in 1630-1.9 Abbey Church of SS. Peter and Paul, Bath, 17, 365.

The other two William Chapmens were both aldermen of Bath by 1623.10 Vis. Som. (Harl. Soc. xi), 129. One, described as both the elder or senior, was buried on 23 Oct. 1627, three days after his death, in Bath Abbey, where an inscription states that he served one term as mayor. He was presumably therefore the man of that name who was mayor in 1593-4.11 Abbey Church of SS. Peter and Paul, Bath, 352; Rawlinson, 265. No will or grant of administration has been found. The other, possibly the nephew of William Chapmen the elder,12 Vis. Som. and Bristol, 20 was a mercer.13 Abbey Church of SS. Peter and Paul, Bath, 15. He is perhaps more likely to have been the 1626 Member than his namesake, having served as mayor only two years previously, and was presumably therefore more active in the corporation at the time of the 1626 election. He survived until June 1647 and was buried, in accordance with his wishes, in Bath Abbey on 1 July, where a monument was erected, stating that he had served five terms as mayor.14 Wood, 32. The latter drafted his will on 17 Mar. 1647, in which he left money for the poor of Bath and repair of the Abbey church; a codicil was added on 12 June 1647. Evidently wealthy, he left property in Bath, rural Somerset and Wiltshire, together with over £2,000 in cash bequests and his ‘shop book and all such debts … as … shall be therein … due … for wares’.15 PROB 11/205, ff. 342-5. The Member for Bath in 1626 left no trace on the parliamentary records. No further member of the family sat in Parliament.