A break in the case

A month ago, I discovered the Association of Circus Proprietors (later found that Mr Chapman was a founder member) and decided to make contact to see if they had any information.

They didn't - to be fair, Chapman Circus was over almost seventy years ago, but they did put me in touch with the Circus Research Network, a group of people that researches and writes about circuses in the UK.

I was thrilled and more so to become a member, as I was able to contact many by one email. And a few responded to my query, including a Mr Barltrop.

He attached an article, from the King Pole magazine, about the Chapman Circus. I was elated, overjoyed and I read through the pages with increasing zeal. The story I had uncovered from the newspaper articles and advertisements had been put into an article.

But what really made me proverbially jump up and down in happiness, was that the article had included photographs.

Including a couple of the man himself, George Bruce Chapman.

The lady next to him is Margaret Edwards, the other director of G.B. Chapman Ltd.