Chapman, Mrs Jane

Singer

Collection date: Aug 1904

Area: Somerset - Mendips (Harptree & Priddy)

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Jane Chapman of West Harptree (1852-1937): age 54, 2 songs on 25 Aug 1904 then 12 songs on 28 Aug 1906: Jane had a long and complicated life - it's likely that she was illegitimate and was baptised at East Harptree church on 17/10/1852 as ‘Jane Holloway’, daughter of Martha Lassbury. The presumed father was Frederick Holloway (b1825), son of James & Mary Ann Holloway of (nearby) Ubley village. 

In August 1853 marriage banns were read at East Harptree church for Frederick Holloway and Martha Lassbury to regularise the position but the wedding does not seem to have been enacted. Instead at Bristol St James (10/8/1855) Martha Lassbury, 30, married John Weston, 52, a farmer (115 acres) and widower with 4 sons. Little Jane Holloway therefore joined a busy household but does not seem to have been acknowledged as 'family' by the Westons, for she is soon put to work as one of three servants. The 1861 census for Compton Martin lists her as such, aged only 8 at the time. At least she was with her mother but in such a humble position.

Her mother Martha had 7 children by John Weston (half-siblings for Jane) but he died in August 1869. Jane had already left home and on 31 Mar 1869, aged 17, at Bristol St Philip & Jacob church she married William Male, carpenter, 20, son of Thomas Male of Stoke-sub-Hamdon in South Somerset. Despite her lack of schooling, Jane signed her name clearly in the marriage register 'Jane Lasbury'. In the 1871 census Jane is shown living in Stoke-sub-Hamdon with a young infant child Agnes aged 1. 

Unfortunately her husband William died and was buried at Stoke-sub-Hamdon church on 24 June 1871, aged only 22, and shortly afterwards Jane's baby Agnes also died (buried 21/7/1871 aged 20 months).

This double blow sent Jane back home to West Harptree (her mother Martha was in nearby East Harptree) and there Jane, aged 22, was remarried to James Chapman, 31, bachelor and labourer, son of John Chapman, local blacksmith. The wedding took place on Christmas Day 1872. The couple had 8 children - 5 sons and 3 daughters. Interestingly their last son was baptised Maurice Holloway Chapman (West Harptree 9/5/1897). Jane was thus still remembering her father's surname and that is remarkable as her father seems to have been absent for all her life.*

Jane Chapman lived at Sutton Road in West Harptree for over five decades. Her husband James died on 17 June 1903, so she was a widow when Sharp met her. She sang a clutch of traditional song material to Sharp and her version of the 'Dilly Song' (FT1098) was published in Folk Songs for Somerset vol4. Jane died in 1937 (reg ref Norton 5C 470). 

 

*Jane's father Fredk Holloway, bootmaker, married Sophia Derrick at Ubley on 27/1/1859 and they emigrated to Williamstown, Australia in 1864. Fredk died there in 1897.