Thomas Chaplin & Son Works
Other names: Thomas Chaplin & Son (in 1881), Chaplin and Pratt (c.1890)
Active: 1871 - 1892
Function: Monumental stone and marble masons
History or description: A firm established by Thomas Chaplin (1807-93). From about 1871 the business often styled itself Chaplin and Son or Thomas Chaplin & Son when the firm was joined by the owner's younger son, James William Chaplin (born c.1835 in Birmingham, probably in Edgbaston). James worked as a stonemason from about 1851 and then spent some time in Canada. He married Emily, a Canadian (born c.1838) and their first child Frank Hocking Chaplin was born in Canada c.1861 (see 1871 Census). Around 1880-81, James William worked as a clerk to his father's business but was declared bankrupt in December 1880. Despite this setback the firm continued operating as Chaplin and Son and then Chaplin and Pratt until 1890 when the yard and stock were put up for sale. (Based on advertisements in the Birmingham Post of 24 May 1890 and 10 September 1890, submitted to the project by Mike Jee).
This entry includes information submitted by Anna Chaplin Opstelten, the Dutch mother of two male descendants of the Chaplin family.
Locations
Address 66 Spring Street Aston Birmingham | View on map
1871
James W. Chaplin, son of Thomas Chaplin living here
Address 82 Digbeth (High Street?) Birmingham | View on map
1881
James Wm. Chaplin, son of Thomas Chaplin, 'Clerk / Stonemasons'
Address 18 Bath Row Birmingham | View on map
1891
James W Chaplin, son of Thomas Chaplin
Business located at 12 Bristol Road Birmingham | View on map
1871 (Presumed) - 1881 (Presumed)
Business located at 25 Bristol Road Birmingham | View on map
1886 (Presumed) - 1890 (Presumed)
Institutional and Business Connections
Also traded as Thomas Chaplin
1871 (Circa) - 1892 (Circa)
Thomas Chaplin worked with his son James William Chaplin (born c.1835 in Birmingham). In 1880-81, James William was declared bankrupt.
May be connected to William Pratt
The sale notices for Thomas Chaplin and Son of 1890 mention that the business had traded under the name of Chaplin and Pratt, it is possible that this is a reference to the well-established firm of William Pratt.
Descriptions of Business or Institution
Listed in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1871
James W. Chaplin, son of Thomas Chaplin, 'Stone & Marble Worker'
Listed in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881
James Wm. Chaplin 'Clerk / Stonemasons' [punctuation is unclear]
Listed in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
James W Chaplin, son of Thomas Chaplin 'House Letter engraver' worker
Listed under Stone Masons The Post Office Directory of Birmingham with its Suburbs for 1871 Post Office Directory of Birmingham
1871
Listed as 'Stone and Marble Masons'.
Listed under Stone Masons Hulley's Birmingham Directory, Part 2, Alphabetical List to SAD-ZIN and Trades, 1876-77 Hulley's Birmingham Directory
1876 - 1877
Listed as 'Stone and Marble Masons'.
Listed under Stone Masons Hulley's Birmingham Directory, Trades Section, 1881 Hulley's Trade Directorires
1881
Listed under Stone Masons Kelly's Directory of Birmingham, Trades Section, 1886 Kelly's Trades Directories
1886
Listed under 'Stone and Marble Masons.'
Listed under Stone Masons Kelly's Directory of Birmingham, with its Suburbs, 1890 Kelly's Trades Directories
1890
Listed as Monumental 'Stone and Marble Masons'.
Sources
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1871
2004
Class: RG10; Piece: 3084; Folio: 16; Page: 25; GSU roll: 838894
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881
2004
Class: RG11; Piece: 2989; Folio: 6; Page: 5; GSU roll: 1341714
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
2004
Class: RG12; Piece: 2377; Folio: 136; Page: 15; GSU roll: 6097487
Hulley's Birmingham Directory, Part 2, Alphabetical List to SAD-ZIN and Trades, 1876-77 Hulley's Birmingham Directory
1876 (Probable)
p. 706.
Hulley's Birmingham Directory, Trades Section, 1881 Hulley's Trade Directorires
1881
p. 741.
Kelly's Directory of Birmingham, Trades Section, 1886 Kelly's Trades Directories
1886
p. 726.
Kelly's Directory of Birmingham, with its Suburbs, 1890 Kelly's Trades Directories
1890
p. 699.
List of Birmingham area stonemasons, 1815-1973
2012
unpaginated, records entries for the firm between 1873 and 1892
The London Gazette
Date:
17 December 1880
Issue number:
24915
Page number:
6835 AND Date:
7 January 1881
Issue number:
24922
Page number:
101 AND Date:
15 March 1881
Issue number:
24950
Page number:
1248 AND Date:
29 March 1881
Issue number:
24955
Page number:
1490
The Post Office Directory of Birmingham with its Suburbs for 1871 Post Office Directory of Birmingham
May 1871
p. 456.
Citing this record
'Thomas Chaplin & Son Works', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 [http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/organization.php?id=msib4_1213023626, accessed 05 Jun 2023]
