Ossett Through The Ages (OTTA) does it again!

Our local online community has worked together to reunite a daughter in Manchester with her father’s WWII service medals.

The medals were discovered by Irene Jones at an antiques fair in Lechlade, a town at the southern edge of the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire. That’s more than 160 miles away from Ossett!

Irene was determined to try to track down information about the recipient of the medals, which were still in their original box that bore the address: ‘Mr. S. Chappell, Broadley Villas, Belgrave Street, Ossett‘.

An internet search by Irene quickly highlighted our Facebook group: Ossett Through The Ages (OTTA). Irene posted photos of the medals and asked for help in finding more information about this Ossett connected man.

Our group members started the hunt for Mr. Chappell and, in less than an hour, one of them had found him! Paul Laycock told us that the recipient was Sidney Chappell, who had enlisted in the RAF sometime between September 1939 and February 1940. He carried out his training at Padgate. To find this information, Paul used the service number found on the dog tags.

Another member used the group to alert Dave Chappell to the post on OTTA and it turned out that Sidney Chappell was his grandad! (Dave was the stepson of Christopher Chappell).

Tony Sargeant, who has been a member of OTTA since I created the group in 2015, grew up at 10 Belgrave Street and he remembered Christopher and Judith. He then brought the information and the medals to the attention of Roger Hepworth, after recalling that the Hepworths had a connection to the Chappell family.

“Mary Chappell, married to Sidney Chappell of 2 Belgrave Street’ was my godmother. They had two children Christopher and Judith.”

Janet Marshall

Roger Hepworth, another long time member and contributor to OTTA, said: “I grew up, until the age of 10, at 2 Broadley Villas, Belgrave Street (as it was then known). Next door at No1 lived the Chappell family. Sidney and Mary (nee Oldroyd) were the parents of Christopher and Judith. Sidney used his motorbike to travel to work at the Coal Board offices at Old Roundwood Colliery. Christopher passed away some years ago, but I am still in touch with Judith, who now lives away from Ossett.”

On Saturday 12 August Jude Ledger joined Ossett Through The Ages (OTTA) having been contacted by her old friend and neighbour, Roger Hepworth. Jude informed us that, before her marriage, she was Judith Chappell and the medals belonged to her father!

This is what Jude had to say: “I am fascinated to see so many memories the group has about my family and I would love to hear from you all. I think I am the only person left in the family, although I believe that there are Oldroyd cousins out there somewhere. I do have lots of tales to tell about Dad if anyone is interested.”

Of course we were interested! Jude filled us in on a few details about her dad.

“I wanted to thank you all for the contributions you made about my father’s Medals. It may take some time [to tell us about Sidney Chappell] so fill a glass and raise it with me to all who served in WWII.“

“Dad was born in 1912 in Horbury, where he grew up as an only child. Leaving school, he went to work as a clerk at Crigglestone Colliery where his whole working life was spent – coming back from the war and into the NCB days.“

His parents were Frank, a railway wagon painter and letterer, and Alice (nee Giggle). In the 1939 England & Wales Register their address was 9 Manor Road, Horbury. At this time, 25 year old Sidney was working as a colliery wages clerk and colliery ARP and air raid warden.

Helen Bickerdike

“He met my mother, Mary Oldroyd at Horbury tennis club, and they married at Wesley Street Methodist Chapel on 26th September 1940, with the groom home on special leave. Dad had joined the Royal Air Force reserve (I don’t think he fancied the army and who doesn’t love the thrill of planes?) and so was called up when the war broke out.“

“A week after the wedding, Dad was shipped off to Egypt where he spent most of his war, returning to the UK in 1944. I think he really enjoyed his time during the war, although, of course, he only talked about the good bits. But I do know that at some time he got into Israel – something he would never have been able to do in peacetime.“

“Because of poor eyesight, he was office-bound as a clerk doing general duties, which included arranging transport for returning servicemen and other cargoes. It was while doing this job that he noticed that one of his dispatches was to be L/Bdr Frank Oldroyd. Frank was Mary’s younger brother and had joined the army before the war and had been shipped out to India. Now he was on his way home, and the two met and no doubt downed a few pints before Frank came home.“

“Dad achieved the rank of corporal before being released in 1946. He received the general handout of medals but was also mentioned in dispatches for his service in Egypt.“

“By the time of his return to live in Ossett in 1946, my mother had bought a house, 6 Horton Street, and was living there with my brother Christopher. (Dad must have got leave at some time after returning in 1944!) I was born in 1947, and in 1952 we moved to Belgrave Street where the family lived until both my parents died – Dad in 1966 and Mum in 1992.“

“I went off to college and into teaching while Christopher remained at home until he married Linda when he was 40 and went to live with her and her son David who, I believe, took the name Chappell from his step-father.“

“And that is that. I now live in Altrincham and as there is no family left I haven’t been to Ossett for many years though my good friend Roger Hepworth keeps me up to date with changes there. Thank you, all of you for your interest and allowing an ex-pat to join your group.“

I would like to thank everyone in this group who has helped, with their comments and investigations, to connect me and Jude Ledger, his daughter. We are now in direct communication and the box will be making its way back to the family where it belongs. It’s been so special to learn more about her father and I’m honoured I can return his belongings to where they belong. I think it’s so lovely how he is being remembered by so many and even those who never met him. Thank you all!

Irene Jones

I truly believe that this could not have happened without Ossett Through The Ages (OTTA). If you’re searching for someone or something related to Ossett, then why not join us and see if we can help. You’ll find us here

Anne-Marie Fawcett August 2023