Mr William Chapman Peters was born in Poplar, London, England on 10 January 1886.
He was the youngest son of Joel Peters (b. 1823), a plasterer, and Eliza Lydia Robinson (b. 1853), natives of Cornwall and Yorkshire (1) respectively. The couple already had a brood of four children before their marriage, which took place in Hackney on 4 October 1885.
William's siblings were: Lydia Edith (b. 1878), Eva Annie (b. 1879), Joel Edgar (1881-1954) and John Robert (1882-1952).
First appearing on the 1891 census, William and his family were residents of 173 Quinn's (?) Square, Bethnal Green, Middlesex. His father died on 16 June 1898 and was buried in Plaistow, with the remaining family appearing on the 1901 census living at 42 Essex Street, Mile End, William being described as a bricklayer's labourer, possibly in the employ of his brother Joel, also a bricklayer. He would lose his mother in 1909.
When Peters went to sea is not clear but when he appeared on the 1911 he was described as an unmarried Royal Navy able seaman aboard the Jupiter, then docked at Portland, Dorset.
When he signed-on to the Titanic, on 6 April 1912, Peters gave his local address as 114 Ludlow Road, Southampton. He had transferred from the Royal Naval vessel H.M.S. Hercules and as an able bodied seaman he received monthly wages of £5.
He survived the sinking, escaping in lifeboat 9.
William returned to England and continued working at sea. In late 1913 he married Mary Ann Niblock (b. 1894 in Liverpool) in Southampton. The couple settled in Southampton and had three children: Florence Jean (b. 1915), Norah (b. 1917) and Robert J. (b. 1919).
Peters went on to serve on the Lusitania and was (according to his family) on board when she was torpedoed on 7 May 1915 (although he appears on no official lists and his presence on that ship's final journey is unlikely). He later went on to serve on the Duchess of Richmond, the Media and finally the Queen Elizabeth where he was the Master-at-Arms.
William Chapman Peters serving aboard the Duchess of Richmond
(Courtesy of Neil B. McClemens)
William Chapman Peters, died in Liverpool 9 April 1950 and is buried in Allerton cemetery Liverpool, section 17 R/C, plot 118.
Courtesy of Dave Coulthurst)
Comment and discuss
-
he was my great grandmas uncle
:
-
I am the granddaughter of William chapman Peters. There is some information that is missing. He had more children in 1932, my father Raymond Philip Peters being one of them. My father then had 5 more children, and some living in UK and some living in Canada.
:
Open Thread Leave a Reply Watch Thread