Looking or help: what can I find out about him to help fill in the picture.
What I know is: He sailed out of Liverppol. His first commnd was a ship called the ___rkshire, Bibby Line of Liverpool (that comes from a torn crew photo which features him). He captained the Great Britain on voyages between 1873 to 74, Liverpool to Melbourne - and he may have captained on other ships, or at other times on the GB. We have an ad from the Liverpool Shipping Telegraph on Sat 2 Jan 1875 advertising Gt Britain voyage to Melbourne dep 14th Jan with Charles Chapman Commander.
We also know (through a diary written by a passenger on the Melbourne trip) that he was on the Great Britain when she ran troops to the Crimean War in the 1850's (but not in what capacity).
I've done some reading round this, and can bone up on Internet-based info. Soudns as thogh his masters ticket will be worth getting hold of?
I'd also like to find the ship he was first master on. Have tried this via teh internet, but I think I'll hae to go to paper refernces for his.
We have been to the Bristol docks exhibition area, and got what we can from there. I've also found a refernece in the National Archives to a book he wrote which is in the Liverpool local archive.

Any other ideas, or thoughts?