Chapman Frederick Dendy Marshall
Chapman Frederick Dendy Marshall (1872-1945) was an English railway historian, best known for his works on the Southern Railway and its precursor companies; on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway; and on early railways and locomotives to 1831. He was also a noted philatelist who was a specialist in the stamps and postal history of Great Britain.
1873 January 22nd. Born at Acton the son of Chapman Marshall, a tea Broker, and his wife Frances M. H. Clarke
He was educated at Hurstpierpoint and Trinity College, Cambridge, and trained as a barrister but never practised.
1911 Living at Chinthurst Lodge, Wonersh, Guildford: Chapman Frederick Dendy Marshall (age 38 born Acton), Barrister (nor Practising). With his wife Adela Rose Marshall (age 38 born Croydon). Married three years. Five servants.[1]
1915. Published "A System of Four Cylinder Locomotives".
1928 Marshall was awarded the Crawford Medal by the Royal Philatelic Society London for his work The British Post Office from its Beginnings to the End of 1925.
Marshall was a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society and the Institution of Locomotive Engineers. He was also the holder of one of the first British driving licences.
1945 June 14th. Died at his home Chinthurst Lodge, Wonersh, Surrey. His collection of railway documents and memorabilia was auctioned at Sotheby's on 13 November that year.
1945 Obituary.[2]
Chapman Frederick Dendy Marshall, elected a Member in 1916, was born on November 15th, 1872, and received his early education at Hurstpierpoint School and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he obtained his M.A.
Although called to the Bar in 1898, he did not practise. His tastes, in fact leaned towards Engineering, and he devoted all his time to inventing, studying and writing in connection with mechanical matters.
During the 1914-18 war he was employed at the Munitions Inventions Department as a Technical Examiner, and at the same time pro-duced the Ministry of Munitions Journal.
He evolved a method of Compounding which the L.N.W.R. tried out on Engine No. 1361, “ Prospero.” This was described in “ The Locomotive, Vol. XXI, page 219 (1915).” In 1930 he was awarded the George Stephenson plaque by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers for his paper on “ The Motion of Railway Vehicles on a Curved Line.” His “ The Resistance of Express Trains,” the first extensive study of aero-dynamic as affecting railway trains, was another of his valuable contributions.
He will, however, be better remembered as a railway historian. His " Centenary History of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway ” was an outstanding publication. His “ History of the Southern Railway ” was another. "Early British Locomotives” and "Two Essays in Locomotive History ” are excellent examples of his work.
He contributed for many years articles of an historical nature to the Technical Press.
His writings were not confined to railway matters for he was the author of “ The British Post Office From It’s Beginning to the End of 1925,” for which he was awarded the Crawford Gold Medal of the Royal Philatelic Society, and also, of “ A Study of the Line Engraved Twopence Postage Stamps of Great Britain ” which was awarded several medals both at home and abroad.
He was a Past President of the Newcomen Society and a Member of the Royal Aeronautical Society.
He passed away at his home near Guildford on June 14th, 1945, in his 73rd year.
1945 Obituary [3]