My good friend Duncan Chapman, who has died of cancer aged 55, was head of Tessa Jowell’s parliamentary office who went on to play a key role in the rescue of Dulwich Hamlet FC. He was an unsung hero who gave a lifetime of service to the Dulwich community.
Duncan and I met in the mid-1990s when we both worked for Tessa, then the MP for Dulwich and West Norwood. Duncan stayed with Tessa for the entire 23 years of her parliamentary career, becoming the linchpin of her team, with his finger on the pulse of even the smallest development in the community.
In 2017, as a longstanding fan of Dulwich Hamlet FC and an admirer of its inclusive and progressive role in the local community, Duncan joined the Dulwich Hamlet Supporters’ Trust, eventually becoming joint chair of the trust and then a director of the club.
This was a tumultuous time as relations with the owners of its ground in East Dulwich deteriorated, leading to it being locked out – a situation many non-league clubs have found themselves in and seldom survived. The issue reached the House of Commons with a passionate speech by Tessa’s successor as MP, Helen Hayes.
The trust that all parties had in Duncan however, allowed him to broker talks between the stadium owners, the local council, and the club. The players returned to East Dulwich after a year, with the promise of a new stadium, having managed to win promotion during their exile. The club paid Duncan their highest honour with an outstanding contribution award.
Born in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, to Barbara (nee Williams) and David Chapman, a lecturer in business studies, Duncan was the youngest of five siblings. He attended Chesham high school (now Chesham grammar school) and studied microbiology and genetics at University College London. After graduating he worked for a few years as a patent analyst at Victor Green and Company in London. In 1992 he diverted into politics, where he felt he could help make the world a better place. He began in Tessa’s office and became her office manager until 2015.
Duncan was a genuine people person, warm, generous, with a mischievous sense of humour, who found that a gentle squeeze of the arm was far more persuasive than a raised voice. No task was too small and he was unconcerned about receiving credit, being most comfortable away from the limelight. He lived his life through his family and a vast range of interests, loving sport – especially football and cricket – plus music, cooking, new technology and travel (especially by train).
Duncan married Trisha Leahy in 1997. She survives him, as do their daughter, Elinor, his sister, Rosemary, and brothers, Martin, Andy and Chris.
