J. T. Chapman Ltd

1874-1968 photographic chemist and manufacturer of photographic apparatus, based in Manchester.

The company was started by Josiah Chapman, when his partnership in Payne and Chapman Chemist ended. J.T. Chapman was originally based in Deansgate, Manchester, and moved to the new Scottish Provident Buildings at 7 Albert Square Manchester in 1883.

Chapman was one of the first manufacturers of geltine bromide dry plates. His formula was used by Hurter & Driffield in their investigations on sensitometry because of its accurate standardisation. Chapman's formula was published in 1873 in the British Journal of Photography. The Chapman dry plate was initially called the 'Lancashire' but was soon changed to the 'Manchester'.

J T Chapman died in 1907 and the business, now a limited company, was run by William Hughes. In 1917, Chapman’s son, James Gardiner took over the running of the business.

In 1920 the company built works at Old Trafford for developing and printing. In 1928 they were taken over by a subsidiary of Kodak Ltd, and in 1968 the company merged with Frederick Foxall Limited to become Foxall & Chapman