Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Nile (John Chapman.) brilliant extremely fine £3,000-£4,000

Glendining’s, April 1964.

Shown as Chaplan on Message roll but confirmed as Chapman on Greenwich Hospital roll (G.H. 2025) which also notes ‘Swiftsure 14 Feb 1797’.

John Chapman, born at Deptford in 1767, is confirmed on the roll as having seen service aboard H.M.S. Minotaur during the battle of the Nile, 1st August 1798. He was subsequently admitted to the Gibraltar Hospital, his admission being recorded on the roll for the period July 1798 to March 1799. After discharge from the Navy, Chapman was admitted to the Naval Hospital, Greenwich, in 1827, where he was employed as a Scullery Mate. The census of 1841 confirms Chapman as being resident at Greenwich Hospital, aged 74, and employed as a Sculleryman Mate. The next person listed on the census return is an Ann Chapman, also age 74, and presumably John Chapman's wife. The Naval General Service Medal application list confirms that, originally an application was made on Chapman's behalf for the St Vincent clasp (service aboard H.M.S. Swiftsure), 14 February 1797. When this original medal was delivered, Chapman returned it because it had the wrong clasp. A replacement medal was subsequently issued, with the correct clasp (this medal), but by the time the replacement medal and clasp was delivered John Chapman had died, the replacement medal subsequently being delivered to his daughter, a Mrs Harty.

Sold with excellent and detailed research conducted by Barry E. Scott (OMRS Member 1373) into the interesting history behind this particular medal, including copied ship’s muster for H.M.S. Minotaur for the period of the battle of the Nile, relevant extract from Naval Hospital, Greenwich, M.G.S. medal application list, and copied extract of the 1841 census.