Hello Ianc1963
I am also a direct descendant of John and Mary Ann Chappell. My great grandfather was Charles Chappell.
I have a photograph of the family in a formal setting. Is this the same as yours? There are 11 children on mine. I'd love to know why this photo was taken.
I'm very interested to read that one of the sons wrote a memoir of Vellow and that their house is still standing. Could you tell me more about this? The house Charles lived in when married (in nearby Stogumber) is no longer there.
Hi, that sounds like it could be the same family photo I have. I don't know where it was taken or why
but I'm sure I was once told they weren't all together in the same place too often. Maybe it was before they all left Vellow, Stogumber?
Anyway, it's good to hear from a distant relative!
I was last in Vellow 8 or 9 years back. I also visited as a child in the early 1970's. There is a pottery work shop there and the same guy was still there that my mother and father spoke to in the 70's. His premises was originally the blacksmiths years back and he knew a lot of history. Our families property was the mill house, where there was a sawing pit and workshop for the wheelright occupation of John Chappell. They guy in the pottery identified the house for me. It was badly run down and there were trees and overgrown bushes practically hiding the property. Looking at Google satellite view now, it seems it has been bought and restored.
I'm hoping this link works Dropped pin
near Stogumber, Somerset TA4
http://goo.gl/maps/rG04zSo I'm guessing here. If Charles is your great grandfather, is your grandmother Mabel? I've got a 1911 census which shows Charles, Caroline, Mabel and Violet living at 61 Vicarage Road, Whitehall, Bristol. That's only a couple of miles from me, in fact I drove passed that road yesterday.
It looks like quite a few of the family came to Bristol and all lived quite close in the Whitehall and Redfield areas.
Btw, I'm Ian Chappell. My dad, Clifford Chappell is the son of John Chappell (born 1875) who is Charles brother. No idea what that makes us!! It seems there was a long line of John's in the paternal line.
I've got a fair bit on the family. It was 12 children, one died at birth. I understand Charles had a twin sister Lydea.
It was the youngest, Ernest, who wrote the memoirs. My mother typed them up in the 70's. Ernest was the only one I met. My dad's sister Eileen, who only passed away a few years ago, gave me loads of info on all the brothers and sisters, ie her aunts and uncles, she had an incredible retention of names, dates and places. Fortunately I spent an afternoon with her writing it all down.
Sounds like we need to share info and even get in touch?