Austin, an eminent engraver himself, had become Chaplin's tutor at the Royal College of Art in September 1947.
Chaplin, a mature student, was a printer's commercial engraver; he was also an amateur artist whose prints had already received some recognition and had been hung at the Royal Academy summer exhibitions.
After the war, he enrolled as a Saturday student at the Royal College of Art and, thereafter, his style developed significantly.
Following his retirement from the printing industry, his prolific output continued unabated, encouraged by new contacts in Sweden and Canada.
A shy man who loved the countryside and recorded its trees, lakes, weather, wildlife, and the fascinating rural clutter of its farmyard, his family life is revealed in the detail of his work.