The Chapman Story
The Chapman Hotel is named after the historic 1820 ship that entered Algoa Bay.
For decades, The Chapman Hotel has welcomed sports teams, international travellers and holidaymakers seeking the finest views on the Eastern Cape coastline. Positioned directly opposite the ocean on Brookes Hill, the Chapman blends timeless hospitality with modern comfort.
The Legend of Our Namesake
The hotel proudly honors a legendary piece of South African history. Built in Whitby, England in 1777, the Chapman was a robust 540-ton vessel that lived an adventurous life as an East India Company trader, a heavily armed warship, and a convict transport before making global history.
In late 1819, the British government chartered the ship for a massive emigration scheme. Under the command of Captain John Milbank, the Chapman departed London carrying 271 settlers. On April 9, 1820, she sailed into Algoa Bay and dropped anchor—officially becoming the very first of over 60 settler transports to arrive, launching the historic 1820 British Settler migration to the Eastern Cape.
The Historic Landing
Because the ship arrived on a Sunday, the captain waited out the day due to Sabbath customs. On Monday, April 10, 1820, the landing officially began. With no harbor or jetties, sailors from the Royal Navy frigate HMS Menai used small flat-bottomed boats to brave the heavy surf, ferrying the families, crates, and tools to the wild beach.
An 18-year-old settler named William Thomas Collen is locally famed as the very first person to step ashore. The settlers were greeted by a massive makeshift town of over 2,000 army tents, where they stayed temporarily before ox-wagons transported them inland to their new homes. Months later, the rising town was officially named Port Elizabeth.
Family Business
Established in 1998, The Chapman Hotel & Conference Centre is a proud family business, owned and managed by the Franklin family, dedicated to keeping this historic legacy alive while offering world-class service.
Location
Situated beautifully between Kings Beach and Hobie Beach, offering unmatched coastal access and sweeping ocean vistas.
