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Classification: Query
Message Board URL:
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/VRI.2ACEB/432.1
Message Board Post:
Sydney Herbert Chapin was my father, he was born in the year 1875, he died September 1952
in London, England.
Yes he was the black sheep of his family but that would be
according to whose version you were listening to. He married
first Violet Marion Hughes on May 20th 1902. They had 4
daughters, all four would be my half sisters. I was in contact
with Margaret Freemantle some years back but for some
reason I dont know contact was lost between her and I, I do
feel that it may have been over Margaret 's animosity towards
her father. Whatever information you would like I would be
most pleased to pass on to you. Sometime about 1914
Sydney H. Chapin left his wife & family & joined the British
army in England & never returned to Canada, he remained
in England & married (I think) my mother. I'm not sure if
he ever divorced Violet Marion Hughes. He had two sons &
another daughter by his second wife? of which I am one of
those sons. Is Margaret Freemantle your Grandmother ?
I might have a photo of you as Margaret sent me many photos
of her family. I suppose we are related somehow, some kind
of half great uncle I guess. I believe that My fathers leaving
his family in the first world war & marrying my mother (If he did) was something
Margaret Freemantle never forgave him for.
I am sure that you have a lot of information regarding my
fathers early years in Canada, and I certainly have lots you
may want to know, if so, please feel free to contact me.
Sydney Chapins other son (My brother) was killed in action
in Maylaya as a policeman in 1952 a few weeks after Sydney
died, his daughter (My sister ) is alive and well and living in
a small town with her husband of 50 years just north of London. I left England & went
to Canada in 1953 but winters
were to cold for me & I settled in Florida where I've been for
almost 50 years, I'm now 70 & my sister is 72, my brother
would have been 74, his name was Derek Hamilton Chapin,
my sisters name (Maiden) was Brenda Avril Chapin
Sincerely, Montague Hamilton Chapin