Frank William Chapman was born born in Wells, Somerset, England on 22 December 1869 and was articled to Charles Brown in Wells, Somerset. He then worked as an assistant to William Henry Dashwood Caple (1866-1939) in Cardiff, Wales, and to William Henry Lancashire (1842?-1939) and John Lancashire (1870-1938) in Sheffield, Yorkshire from 1896 to 1903.
Chapman commenced independent practice as an architect in Sheffield in 1903. He was in partnership with William Frederick Hemsoll (1846-1903) in 1903, and with John Mansell Jenkinson (1883-1965) as Chapman & Jenkinson from c.1910 to c.1932. Chapman won Gold and Bronze Medals at Sheffield Model Cottage Exhibition, and Bronze Medal at Wolverhampton Cottage Exhibition — all In partnership with Jenkinson.
Chapman was elected a Licentiate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (LRIBA) in 1912. His address was given as 48 Glencoe Road, Sheffield in 1912; "Fairfield". 20, Tapton Crescent Road. Sheffield in 1914; and Imperial Chambers, 18, Norfolk Row, Sheffield in 1914 and 1932. He died in Attercliffe, Yorkshire on 21 December 1933
Handsworth (Yorks) Council School; business premises, Norfolk Street, the Moor, West Street, Wicker and Hillsboro', Sheffield; Mission Hall at Gloucester; Cliff College (Wesleyan), Calver, Derbyshire ; U.M. Churches and Schools, Sheffield; Wesleyan Church, near Grimsby: three Baptist Schools, Sheffield; factory, Darnall, Sheffield; Dore and Totley Union Church; a large number of houses in Sheffield, Derby, and Derbyshire.
All in conjunction with John Mansell Jenkinson: Handsworth (Yorks) Council School; mission hall at Gloucester; Cliff College (Lay Workers' Training College) and Cliff College Chapel, Calver. Derbyshire: U.M. churches in Sheffield and in Wadsley Bridge; Wesleyan Methodist chapel, near Grimsby; Grimesthorpe Wesley Hall, Sheffield, 1922; Baptist Schools and Church, Sheffield, 1910-14; Congregational churches and schools; numerous business premises in Sheffield and district, 1903 to 1923; New Eltham Scientific Instrument Works, New Eltham, Kent, 1915; cutlery forgers' factory, Owlerton, Sheffield; the Star and Central Picture Houses, Sheffield, 1914 and 1922; housing scheme at Handsworth, Sheffield, 1922; a large number of houses and cottages in Sheffield and Derbyshire, 1903 to 1923.
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 1: A-K. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001