Richard Chapman

Richard Chapman was born in Shotesham Norfolk in 1809. His parents were richard Chapman and Elizabeth laws. Richard did his 7 years and left Van Diemans land and arrived in Victoria in 1838, one of the first 1000 settlers. He set up a business in Geelong as a Carter. He had 4 children, married an Irish girl Bridget Martin. She arrived on the George Fyfe in 1841. She was from Co Wicklow. Their first child Richard was born in Geelong in Sept 1843. He was my grandfather.they had 3 other children Elizabeth, anne and George.Richard was thrown from his cart in 1848 and suffered a brain injury, 1year later he was before the Geelong Magistrates Court on drunken behavior. He was sentence to the Old Melbourne Goal and then to Port Phillips' 1st lunatic asylum and was transferred there in late 1849. In Sept 1851 he died after choking on a piece of meat. What a tragic end to an who was a hard working and respected member of the newly establlshed Geelong community. I know so much more