The album is the continuation from the sixth Chapman album and is in good condition; there is water damage on the top (also on the back) cover of the album that is also visible on the inside of the top cover. In contrast to the first six albums, this one does not have a removable beige cloth (linen) cover with dark blue edges -hence, neither roman numerical or initials 'GC' (George Chapman) are found on the spine or the cover of the album; this album, as the previous albums in the series, has edge-gilded pages and a hard grain Morocco red leather binding; silk-finished paper is also used on the inside of the album covers; the album has cloth joints.
The album contains photographs that document selected activities and personnel of the East Kent Regiment, the Buffs, in Britain (located around Dover) while also presenting various and multiple landscape and architectural views of the region. In addition, the album contains an extensive visual travel imagery consisting of photographs depicting Ethel & George Chapman's travels in Britain, France and Italy, as well as their third trip to Egypt. Images of Ontario and Quebec end this album as the Chapman family moves to Canada in August 1925. Particularly interesting material is found on the pages from the middle part of the album where a variety of objects -letters, newspaper articles, postcards, field maps, drawings & sketches, telegrams, memorabilia, notices, etc.- along with photographs, covering the period from 1914 to 1917, relate to Chapman's military service in the Great War.
Chapman himself is depicted throughout the album as Self; Ethel Chapman is captured as EJC (Ethel Jean Chapman) or Ethel. The photographs are of various sizes and processing techniques; they are in chronological order covering the time period from July 1912 to August 1931; the majority of the photographs are dated; all (except a few) images have captions that are (or can be) of particular interest, for their captions are very descriptive and include extensive (occasionally anecdotal) architectural, historical, or social narrative.
The following places, events, objects, and people are depicted in photographs found in the album:
Places
Britain
- Ledbury: view of the town; Feathers Inn; Market Place; Bridge over River Tame
- Goodnestone: West House (various views)
- Tintern Abbey (interior)
- Chepstow Castle (Gate)
- Shrewsbury: Old Houses
- Richborough: Walls of the Roman castle
- Colchester: Norman castle
- Norwich: Castle; Cathedral; Old Houses
- Ely Cathedral
- Huntingdon: Red Lion Inn
- Oxford: Trout Inn
- Cork: River Lee at Sundayswell; Healy`s Bridge
- Pluckley: Malmains Manor, "our new house" (multiple interior & exterior views, landscape and everyday activities)
- Grantown: Castle Grant
- Dimchurch
- York: Minster (exterior)
France
- Chinon: Old Houses
- Parthenay: Bridge & Old Gate
- Amboise: Chateaux
- Langeais: Chateaux Gate
- Boulogne: Harbour
- Arcachon
- Etretat
- Tôtes: Swan Hotel (interior)
- Etaples
Italy
- Rome: Forum; Coliseum; Arch of Titus
- Naples: Bertolini`s Hotel & views of city
Egypt
- Alexandria
- Gizeh: Sphinx
- Cairo: Mosque of Sultan Hassan; Ancient Arab Gateway; 'Blue' Mosque (interior); University of Azhar
- Luxor: Winter Palace Hotel, Great Hall & various landscape and architectural views
- Karnak: various architectural views
- Kurna: Mortuary Temple of Seti
- Thebes: Temple of Medinet Habu; Colossi of Memnon; Ramesseum
- Deir el Bahari Temple
- Assuan: various landscape & architectural views
- Philae: Temple of Isis (various views); Kiosk or "Pharoah's Bed"
- Heliopolis: Obelisk
Canada
- Rockcliffe: Appledore (multiple interior & exterior views: Chapman house, completed Feb. 1926)
- Blue Sea Lake
- Murray Bay (Charlevoix Region): Golf Links; Manoir Richelieu
- Papineau Chateu
- MacGregor Lake
Events
- Archery at Folkestone (22 July 1912); Grand National Archery Meeting, Cheltenham (2 August 1912); Counties Archery Meeting, Worcester Park (17 Sep 1912); Leamington Archery meeting (selected names listed, June 11-13, 1913); Ladies Shooting, Leamington; Grand National Archery Meeting, Birmingham (30 July 1913); Depictions of various archery meetings and competitions at Clitheroe, Garstang, Folkestone, Waybridge, Woolnestone, London, Canterbury, Le Touquet, Cambridge, Oxford, Tunbridge Wells; Ethel & Jocelyn making a Snowwoman at Goodnestone (7 Jan 1914); Landing of a small catch of fish on Seafront, Naples; Our tourist party escorted by police on camels leaving Sakkara for the boat (14 Jan 1914); Arab boys grab remainder of our lunch, Assuan; Antika settlers outside Cook's Rest House, Thebes; Various photographic depictions of military activities at the No.1 Training Camp at Etaples, France; Various depictions of the activities of the School of Aeronautics in Reading (Mar-May 1918); An Aerial Navigation Class, Oxford (May 1918); At Sports of 44 Training Depot Station, Oxford (names listed, 15 Sep 1918); Tennis at St. Johns Courts, Oxford (names listed); 'Procession of Army Commanders following Sir Douglas Haig along the Dover Marine Parade on their way to London for their victorious reception' (19 Dec 1918); Some shooters at the Grand National, Oxford (names listed, 12 July 1922); Archery Meeting at Heppington, Canterbury (various views, 14 May 1925); 'Our Goods & Chattels being packed for transportation to Canada' (20 July 1925); Mounted Police training a dog team, Rockcliffe; We visit the R100 at St. Hubert near Montreal 2 or 3 days after her arrival from England (6 Aug 1930);
Objects:
17 Maudslay (car); Head of the Sphinx, Gizeh; Gayassas (multiple); Native landing place and quay for Gayassas, Luxor; A mural relief seal, Tomb of Ramese III; 'An arab child typically covered with flies,' Thebes
The Great War: World War I
Various objects including letters, newspaper articles, postcards, field maps, daily war bulletins & messages, drawings, sketches, telegrams, memorabilia, notices, etc. covering the period from 1914 to 1917, and related to G.A.E. Chapman and his military service (selected objects):
- Mobilization Telegram sent to Chapman from Cap. Gould (4 Aug 1914); Fabric of wing of first German airplane brought down in England (Kent); Plan of No.1 Training Camp, Etaples (May 1917); Routine of a Typical Day at No.1 Training Camp, Etaples; Schedule of the "Visit of French Minister of War to Etaples" (24 Feb 1917); List of "Principal Visitors to No.1 Training Camp, Etaples"; Views of Aeroplanes: Avro, BE&E, De Havilland 4 & 6, BE&D, Sopwith Camel, Bristol Scout & Fighter, Dolphin, S.E.5A., Handley, Curtis; 'Our Ford & trailer carting leaves etc.'; Adm. Sir Charles & Lady Kingsmills House, Grindstone Island, Rideau Lake, Portland, Ont.
People
Ethel Jean Chapman (Fleming) and Jocelyn Chapman: depicted throughout the album; Margaret & Paul Fleming; Officers, 3rd The Buffs (listed, June 1913); Officers, 3rd The Buffs (listed, July 1914); C.K. Philips; Bertha Philips; Baron Von Richthoffen; Mrs & Miss Cunningham; Sharpin; Julia & Dolly Selous; Mr & Mrs Gay; Ann, Sybil, Noel & G. Reeves; Hilda Barclay; Lt. Col. Hasler; Officers of 'A' Company 1st Buffs, Armentieres (March 1915); Comm. Shepard; Cap. Flux; Staff of No.1 Training Camp (names listed); Reg. Sgt. Major Alder; Administrative & Instructional Staff of No.1 Training Camp (names listed); Boysie Howden; Mrs Pike & Mrs Hubert Pike; Marjorie & Noreen Pike; Egerton Hammond; Susan & John Crookenden; Ethel-Hugh & Hugh Fleming; Billy Erwin; Mrs Cambie; Pauline Lemoine ; Jean & Humphrey Snow ; Violet & Ian Howden; Arthur, & Nelli Eliott; Jessie Gillies; Rennée & George Taylor; Marion Pugsley; Ned & Mary Grant; Frank & Bertha Chapman; Pat Coffey; John Southam; Diana Kingsmill; Bill Howard ('with one of the 120 silver foxes of the Fleming Fox Farm of which I was manager'); Betty (Lawson) Murphy; Major Field; Nora Ahearn.
