The third in a continuing series by Chris Draper of, 'Lives of Northern Anarchists'.
Thanks to everyone who responded to the story of John Oldman and
feel free to add comments, info or criticism below.
by Chris Draper
IT was easy to spot a Victorian anarchist, he wore a black
cloak with a tall hat and carried a fizzing bomb shaped like a bowling ball but
William Hensby Chapman didn’t match the stereotype. He was better known for his
nut pies, rational dress, bees and chess but was no slouch in the anarchy
department. Chapman was a pioneer of William Morris’s 'Socialist League',
founder and host of Liverpool Socialist club, anarchist street agitator,
newspaper correspondent and recruiter of his son Edward to the cause. William
Hensby Chapman was an anarchist practitioner of the “New Life”, a fascinating
character who’s been ignored by historians ever since he disappeared in
mysterious circumstances.
Born in Norwich in 1833 William moved around the country
performing minor clerking and retail roles until in the 1860’s he settled down
in Warrington as a live-in draper’s assistant. As soon as he secured suitable
accommodation at 27 Golborough Street, Chapman was joined by his wife, Emily
and their three boys, James, Edward and William. James, the eldest (born 1863)
was employed as a clerk at a wireworks but died in the winter of 1884. This
tragedy prompted William to fulfil a couple of long-held aspirations, signing
up to Socialism and starting a food-reform business.
In 1886 William and his twenty-year-old second son, Edward
Crook Chapman, joined the newly established Socialist League (SL). Chapman
senior also donated a generous ten shillings to the SL newspaper, Commonweal,
printing fund. William also opened, “Chapman’s Vegetarian Restaurant” at 1
Stanley Street (on the corner with Dale Street), Liverpool. In May 1887 the
Vegetarian Society selected his restaurant as the venue for a 'banquet' to
follow their national conference which was addressed by wholemeal enthusiast 'Dr
T R Allinson'.
In an 1887 lecture William Chapman introduced his local
'Mutual Improvement Society' to 'Anarchism'. 'He affirmed that the government
of man by man was oppression; and defined the ideal of the Anarchist as
absolute liberty and economic equality and independence, which meant the
substitution in the place of political rivalry and class antagonism, of a
society based on voluntary co-operation…Owing to the novelty of the subject, Mr
Chapman was allowed to answer each question in rotation.'
Chapman’s anarchism wasn’t the narrow-minded insurrectionary
“Smash-the-State” sort but a constructive, holistic politics that promoted
positive alternatives as much as opposing exploitation and authority. He was a
regular contributor to, and living embodiment of, 'The Dietetic Reformer and
Vegetarian Messenger'. Chapman was a Vice-President of the national Vegetarian
Society, alongside pioneering animal-rights activist and libertarian, Henry
Salt, and an active Committee Member of his local Liverpool Vegetarian Society
(LVS).
Meetings of the LVS were held at the restaurant and from
time to time William gave lectures and cookery demonstrations to members and
guests. As the Liverpool Mercury reported in December 1894, 'the various dishes
were handed around and partaken of by the audience and in every instance were
most favourably received. The various recipes used were widely distributed on a
printed leaflet…showing people how to prepare nutritious and savoury dishes at
a very little cost without the aid of flesh meat…large number attended and a
very pleasant evening was spent.'
Meetings at Chapman’s were invariably fun and the Liverpool
Mercury typically observed that an 1896 meeting of the LVS featured 'a
programme of music' and 'concluded with an amusing ventriloquial sketch.' At
another visit by the Society in February 1897; “After a sumptuous vegetarian
repast, the company was entertained by an exhibition of Mrs Jarley’s Living
Waxworks…The figures comprised 17 characters, representative of ancient and
modern life and by their action when wound up, combined with the humorous
description of their history by Mrs Jarley and her son, Mr Ebenezer Jarley,
formed the source of endless merriment”!
The restaurant’s agreeable atmosphere doubtless contributed
to the 'Lancashire and Cheshire Beekeepers Association’s' peaceful resolution
of the tricky issue of their proposed 'split'. Having been overwhelmed by their
own success, the bee keepers convened at 'Chapmans' and happily agreed to form
independent 'Lancashire' and 'Cheshire' County Associations to ensure their
respective administrations remained small and friendly.
Chapman’s was also a popular venue with chess-players and
the Mercury staged its annual Chess Trophy Competition there, 'Players will
oblige by bringing their men with them: boards will be provided…Chess players
who wish to win the trophy should try Chapman’s tea and coffee; an excellent 6d
afternoon tea is always available.'
In 1894 the newspaper reported on Chapman’s pioneering of,
'Dress Reform in Liverpool'. 'Mr W H Chapman, who occupied the chair was
attired in one of the reform dresses sketched by the lecturer, Miss
Hope-Hoskins. It consisted of Irish tweed jacket and knickerbockers, made of
pure, undyed wool, Jaegar collar, cellular underclothing, sandals and straw hat
of novel construction… Her motto was Fashion without folly and elegance without
extravagance… An interesting discussion followed and the lecturer was cordially
thanked at the close of the meeting.'
'Rational Dress' sat comfortably alongside more spiritual
concerns at Chapman’s and the venue occasionally hosted 'Gatherings' of the
'Liverpool and Birkenhead' apostles of the 'Light and Reason' movement of
working class philosopher-poet, James Allen (1864-1912). Despite his
eclecticism William’s personal politics remained irreducibly anarchist, never
ossifying into Marxism nor dissolving into Labourism.
Chapman first tried to attract interest in the idea of
starting a Socialist League branch in Liverpool in May 1889 but despite
repeated appeals in Commonweal (on sale in the restaurant) it was months before
there was enough response to convene a meeting at the restaurant on 17th
September. William’s son Edward was appointed Secretary of the group that was
constituted as an independent 'Liverpool Socialist Society (LSS)' rather than a
branch of the Socialist League. This suggests some recruits weren’t entirely comfortable with
the Socialist League’s anti-parliamentary approach but this didn’t preclude comradely
cooperation. On the evening of October 1st Edward led a discussion which
concluded with the members agreeing 'to commence work of a public character
early in November'.
By the end of the year LSS was confident enough to invite
'delegates and friends from societies in Lancashire and adjoining counties to a
conference to discuss the desirability of united action.' On the 11 January
1890 the conference took place at Stanley Street. 'Delegates were present from
Sheffield, Salford, Blackburn, Rochdale and Liverpool…Comrade W H Chapman
proposed, “That in the opinion of this conference it is desirable to form a
Union of the North-Western Counties Socialists".' This was passed with Edward
Chapman appointed acting secretary of the Union. It was further agreed to draw
up a list of willing public speakers to facilitate the organisation of
propaganda. 'At a later hour a conversazione was held, at which a number of
pieces of vocal and instrumental music were rendered by members and friends and
a most enjoyable evening was spent. W H Chapman superintended the arrangements
for refreshments. On Sunday we held two open-air meetings.'
The following month both William and Edward debated with
members of Liverpool’s Rathbone Literary Club, 'Is Socialism or complete
Individualism likely to be the ultimate goal of human development?' The
Chapman’s proposed the former whilst local Tolstoyan anarchist John Coleman
Kenworthy (a future biography) demolished the argument of one of their
opponents.
With support from comrades William was able to organise
weekly outdoor Sunday morning (11.30am) lectures at the Mersey landing stage as
well as indoor Tuesday night meetings at the restaurant. The LSS maintained its
unsectarian approach, including Fabians like the aptly named Hubert Bland in
its programme. In March William addressed a good crowd there, 'Numbers of dock
strikers were present and applauded frequently.' At the end of the month the
LSS were proud to unfurl their new flag before a landing stage audience
gathered to listen to a lecture from Edward Carpenter on, 'The Breakdown of Our
Industrial System'.
On Sunday 13 April 1890 'afternoon and evening, comrade
William Morris lectured to good audiences at Rodney Hall on, The Development of
Modern Society and,The Social Outlook'.
Chapman had expected Morris the previous November but he evidently
proved worth waiting for as, 'papers and literature to the amount of £2 9s were
disposed of.' Morris’ Liverpool lectures fused the ideas of Ruskin and Marx
with a dash of his own interpretation of Medievalism and were subsequently
published in that summer’s 'Commonweal'.
Chapman and Samuel Reeves were regular Sunday lecturers and
on Sunday 11 May they were joined on the landing stage by 'celebrity' anarchist
Charles Mowbray who was on a speaking tour of Lancashire at the time. The following Sunday William’s
son, Edward, reported that when the LSS group arrived at the landing stage ,
'we found it occupied by a party of religionists from the YMCA who coolly told
us to find another stand. We determined to move them' and so whilst our speaker
did his best, 'the rest of us made such a noise by selling the Commonweal and
Justice and reading from the former that we eventually upset them…Thanks to the
Christian intruders we had the largest meeting yet held.'
Significantly, in May 1890 LSS donated 3s 8d to the
Commonweal Guarantee Fund suggesting that the group was both financially secure
and generally sympathetic to the anti-parliamentary politics of the SL. Even
more significant was the decision to delegate William Chapman to the
forthcoming sixth Annual SL Conference in London. Held at the Communist Club,
Tottenham Court Road, Chapman was elected to Chair the conference by the other
fourteen delegates that included William Morris as well as anarchists Charles
Mowbray, Max Nettlau, David Nicoll, James Tochatti, Frank Kitz, William Wess
and Sam Mainwaring. 'When tea was over Mrs Tochatti sang a few revolutionary airs...Comrade
Coulon (CD: a police spy!) gave La Carmagnole in French. In the evening the
hall was filled with comrades who passed a very agreeable evening. The more
enthusiastic carried on the festivities till the dawn of the day.'
The following Sunday found Chapman singing revolutionary
songs on the Liverpool landing stage; 'The YMCA people again occupying our
usual stand. We, however, took up our position back to back with them. While
they sang hymns we sang the Marseillaise …the audience giving three hearty
cheers for the social revolution.' In June both Chapman senior (William) and
junior (Edward) actively supported the successful strike of Liverpool
tailoresses, addressing and encouraging the women and collecting monies and
administering the strike fund.
When the Trade Union movement held its twenty-third Congress
in Hope Hall, Liverpool on September 1, Chapman issued a general invitation to
any socialist attending to drop in at Stanley Street for a bit of comradely
support for the union movement was generally still saturated with Liberalism.
Around this time
William moved his restaurant a little way along Dale Street to occupy the
commodious “Percy Buildings, Eberle Street” (now a gay bar with 'Liverpool
Artists’ Club' upstairs). The LSS moved with him, subsequently holding its
weekly indoor meeting at Eberle Street every Tuesday at 8pm. From these new
spacious premises William Chapman also published revolutionary propaganda
leaflets (“6d per 100 or 4s 6d per 1,000”). He composed a satirical, “STRIKE! POLICEMAN,
STRIKE!”, song, to be sung to the tune of “Wait for the Wagon”.
“O STRIKE! Blue Peelers boldly.
And quit yourself like men;
Protect no more the robber class,
But leave them in their den.”
The song included a repeated four line, 'Strike down the
Tyrants!' chorus as well as nine further verses.
Unfortunately Chapman’s dynamic campaigning for the SL
wasn’t replicated down south. As the LSS successfully promoted an inclusive,
non-sectarian anti-parliamentary politics the London anarchists around
Commonweal went the other way, effectively alienating first William Morris and
then most of its other non-insurrectionary supporters. By the end of 1890
Commonweal was in trouble and the SL was collapsing as a national organisation.
LSS continued but as the appeal of the SL shrunk, Chapman’s politics appeared
less viable to sympathetic unaligned socialists who began to drift ever closer
to state-socialism.
Chapman sought encouragement from anarchist comrades in
Sheffield in both 1890 and 1891 and mounted the soap box on both occasions but
Sheffield soon followed London and fell under the influence of exaggerated
class-war rhetoric. Having created havoc in Sheffield, manically militant
anarchist John Creaghe decided to move on in November 1891 and ominously
announced, 'I may be able to do something here in Liverpool'! After writing off
William Chapman as 'an academic Anarchist' Creaghe, fortunately, soon moved on
again leaving LSS intact but diminished.
In March 1892 'Mr Chas E Dodd read a paper before the
Liverpool Socialist Society at their rooms, Percy Buildings, Eberle Street on
The Socialist Way Out of Darkest England'.
It was a depressingly statist presentation. The very same month the
Liverpool Mercury informed correspondent 'A.F’.', 'There is no branch of the
Fabian Socialist Society in Liverpool, two attempts to start one having failed.
For information about the Liverpool Socialist Society apply to Mr Chapman,
Eberle Street.' 'A.F.' wouldn’t have long to wait for long-time SLL activist
Samuel Reeves was about to take over as Secretary of the LSS and assert himself
as an enthusiastically parliamentary Fabian. The Chapmans didn’t abandon
anarchism but their libertarian influence was soon swamped by a rising tide of
servile state-socialist Labourism. In October 1893 Blackburn journalist Jesse
Quail reflected on the transformation, 'In Liverpool there was a local
independent Socialist Society, but it dissolved itself some eighteen months ago
and its members joined the Liverpool Fabian Society, which was then formed.'
In 1893, both Chapmans made substantial donations to support
anarchist Christopher Davis, imprisoned for smashing a Birmingham jeweller’s
window and scattering valuables across the pavement as a protest against
poverty and unemployment. Despite the disappointment of the LSS William
continued to supply practical as well as political support to the impoverished
and in a period of economic depression in February 1895, 'During the past week
about 100 free breakfasts have been provided daily at Chapman’s Vegetarian
Restaurant but…it is Mr Chapman’s wish to provide two meals per day and he
therefore begs to state that assistance, either goods or money, will be gladly
received at 6 Percy Buildings, Eberle Street.'
Chapman helped local workers organise and in December 1895 his
restaurant hosted a meeting aimed at establishing a branch of the 'National
Clerks Association…After a discussion the nucleus of a branch of the NCA was
formed and the members arranged to meet in the same room on Friday evening
next.'
Cultural and political alternatives continued to flourish at
William’s restaurant but it was lean years for Liverpool anarchism that would
only reignite in the run-up to World War One and by then Chapman was no
more.
Beneath the headline, 'FERRY-BOAT MYSTERY', in January 1910
newspapers reported that, 'The Wallasey police are endeavouring to solve the
mystery connected with the disappearance of Mr William Hensby Chapman of
Liverpool, who kept a vegetarian restaurant. He has been missing since Tuesday and
was last seen on board a ferry-boat at New Brighton. There were few passengers
on the steamer, the night was dark and he was not observed to land either at
Egremont or Liverpool. Subsequently a coat was found on the boat. Attached to
it was a paper on which was written, Adieu Chapman. Mr Chapman was 75 years of
age.'
Christopher Draper (“NORTHERN ANARCHIST LIVES -3”)
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