As the notes themselves are so confusing I think you just have to resort to given facts.
Charles John Chapman b.1852 d.29/4/1934 aged 82 - when married in 1884 states his father was named William Charles Chapman. (so definitely not the son of David Chapman and Lucy Carter, who although did go to Australia as an infant did die there in 1943. His mother died there in 1854 after giving birth to a daughter at sea).
The only paper trail we have of a Charles John Chapman, son of a William Charles Chapman, is the one b.9/1/1852, bp.1/2/1852 St. Dunstan, Stepney, London (baptised together with 2 older siblings). Have been doing some more digging on William Charles Chapman, who was a printer - having 2 Christian names and a more precise occupation makes him easy to find in the records.
However, have now found that CJ's baptism in 1852 (with siblings William David James John b.1843 and Susannah Mary b.1845) is incorrect. It shows that all 3 were the children of William Charles and wife Sophia - have now discovered that the 2 siblings did have Sophia as their mother but she was not actually CJ's mother because she died in 1849!
As stated before, William Charles Chapman married Sophia Mackway (not Markway) 22/4/1838. They had children as follows:
Sophia Martha bp.25/12/1839 St. Dunstan, Stepney (bur.1/11/1846 Stepney)
William David James John b.16/2/1843 (bp.1/2/1852 St. Dunstan, Stepney)
Susannah Mary b.7/7/1845 (bp.1/2/1852 St. Dunstan, Stepney)
Wife Sophia bc.1812, bur.7/10/1849 Stepney.
Now it becomes a bit weird in that William Charles remarried to a Martha Sophia Arbery 29/3/1851 St. James the Less, Bethnal Green, London. She was a spinster. However, they are together on the 1851 Census which was taken on
30/3/1851, just a day later. Can only assume that the enumerator started noting details just prior to the census as the 1851 Census shows William Charles Chapman, widower and, confusingly, Martha Sophia is shown with surname Chapman but as 'sister'
Presumably the enumerator visited prior to 29th March (the day they married) when WC would have indeed have been a widower and either due to embarrassment or enumerator error, Martha Sophia shown as sister. Who knows?
1851 Census - 1 Pleasant Row, Mile End, London - ref. HO107 - 1553 - 442 - 1.
William Charles Chapman 35 Widr. Printer/Compositor
Martha Sophia Chapman 25 Sister (originally written as dau. and crossed out) Mar.
W. D. Chapman son 8
Susannah Chapman dau. 5
(all shown born Stepney - feel sure that it was their marriage date that confused things for the enumerator).
Since Charles John wasn't born until 9/1/1852 (and thus not on 1851 census) his mother was Martha Sophia Arbery, WC's second wife (not Sophia Mackway). His own baptism should have stated his mother as Martha Sophia (and not plain Sophia as it was with his 2 siblings). I suppose it's an easy mistake for the vicar to have made. CJ was the first child of WC and Martha Sophia and go to get him baptised and WC decides that as previous 2 children hadn't yet been baptised they'd get all 3 done together. WC duly gives Sophia as mothers name for William and Susannah and vicar assumes (if not told) that she was also the mother of CJ when in actual fact it was his second wife Martha Sophia.
WC and Martha Sophia had:
Charles John b.9/1/1852 (bp.1/2/1852 St. Dunstan, Stepney - home address given as 1 Pleasant Row)
Henry Joseph b.4/3/1853 (bp.27/3/1853 ditto)
Martha Sophia b.18/5/1854 (bp.18/6/1854 ditto - also died 1854)
Frederick George b.17/9/1855 (bp.7/10/1855 ditto - died 1856)
Emily Alice b.6/1/1857, bp.15/2/1857 ditto - died 1857)
Benjamin Robert b.30/5/1858, (bp.4/7/1858 ditto)
Kate Mary Ann b.19/6/1860 (bp.15/7/1860 ditto)
Thomas John Arbery b.14/3/1862 (bp.6/4/1862 Holy Trinity, Mile End)
Arthur William b.12/6/1864 (bp.3/7/1864 ditto )
So, Charles John Chapman - born 1852 - was the son of William Charles Chapman, printer, and 2nd. wife Martha Sophia Arbery (married 29/3/1851).
William Charles' first wife was Sophia Mackway whom he married in 1838 and who died in 1849.
1861 Census - 11 Windsor Terrace, Stepney - ref. RG9 - 295 - 129 - 14.
William C. Chapman 47 Printer Compositor b. Shoreditch, London.
Martha Chapman 35 b. Bethnal Green, London
Susannah M. Chapman 15 b. Stepney
Charles J Chapman 9 ditto
Henry J. Chapman 8 ditto
Benjamin R. Chapman 3 ditto
Kate M. A. Chapman 10 mos ditto
David Chapman and Lucy Carter plus
plain William Chapman, a gardener, widower and Sophia Moore, widow (married 1850)
do not figure in this at all. Neither couple were the parents of Charles John which I hope I have now explained satisfactorily.
Unfortunately, when one is presented with notes taken by another, it is always difficult to unravel things when they have formed the wrong/mixed conclusions.
In conclusion, Charles John Chapman was indeed born 1852, his father was William Charles Chapman but his mother was not WC's first wife Sophia (nee Mackway) but WC's second wife Martha Sophia Arbery.
Phew!
Annette