Victoria Anne Chapman (1881-1948)
Rowlands Gill schoolteacher who served as a VAD nurse
Victoria was born on 13 January 1881 in Victoria Garesfield, a mining village near Rowlands Gill. She was one of five children born to Thomas, a railway engine driver, and Elizabeth.
By 1901, when Victoria was 20, she was still living with her family at the same address though her father had died. Victoria and one of her sisters were described as schoolteachers in the 1901 census and an earlier newspaper article of 1894 refers to Victoria as a school “Monitoress” at the local Board School. She would have been 13 in that year and was clearly considered a bright pupil, capable of teaching certain subjects to groups of younger children. This kind of apprenticeship is how some working-class children were trained for more responsible jobs and Victoria and her sister progressed to becoming fully fledged teachers within a few years.
She was still single and living in the family home at the age of 30 in 1911. Several of her siblings were also still unmarried and sharing that house with her.
On 18 October 1915 Victoria joined the Red Cross as a voluntary nurse, better known as a VAD. She was trained in first aid and basic nursing skills and, in August 1917, she was posted to France.
In 1919 Victoria was still in France and she was finally demobilised in 1920. She was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for her services in the war.
In 1948, Victoria died, aged 67, at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Newcastle. Her final home address was Orchard Road, Rowlands Gill, not far from the original family home.
Victoria had remained single and she left £1000 to her sister Mary, who survived her.
Civil Parish: Winlaton
Birth date: 13-Jan-1881
Death date: 11-Sep-1948
Armed force/civilian: Civilian
Residence: Railway Terrace, Rowlands Gill (census and VAD record card)
Orchard Road, Rowlands Gill (1948, Probate Calendars)
Employment: Schoolteacher
Family: Father: George Chapman
Mother: Elizabeth Chapman
Siblings: Andrew Chapman, Thomas Chapman, Margaret Chapman, Mary Chapman
Military service:
VAD nurse 1915-1920
18 October 1915: Croydon Military Hospital
28 August 1917: France
Medal(s): British War Medal
Victory Medal
Gender: Female
Contributed by Mel, Durham