A dedicated suffragette from at least 1909, she became a member of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) in her twenties and spent time in Holloway Prison for breaking windows.

[3] During her time at the North London Collegiate School, Dr Sophie Bryant was the headmistress,[4] so it is possible that Chappelow from an early age was interested in the suffragette movement.

By the age of seventeen her father had moved away from Chappelow and her mother (possibly her brother as according to the census of 1901 he was still living with the family), but remained married to Emily despite being separated.

On 19 November 1908, the suffragettes Sylvia Pankhurst, Flora Drummond and Helen Ogston visited Chelmsford as there was an upcoming Mid Essex by-election.

Meeting at the Corn Exchange both Sylvia and Helen gave speeches however the crowd soon became rowdy with hecklers accosting the women, including 'pushing the trolley they were speaking from around'.

It isn't clear if Chappelow was involved with these demonstrations or whether she was even in Essex at this point, however she'd joined the WSPU by 1909 as in September of that year was in Leicester having disrupted a meeting led by the then Home Secretary Winston Churchill at the Palace Theatre.

1912 was just as active as previous years, as Chappelow was mentioned again in the Essex County Chronicle for smashing panes of glass at Mansion House, home of the Lord Mayor of London.

In later life Chappelow continued to sell goats milk in Ramsden Heath, though sold it via a tricycle with a box at the back (she could no longer ride a bicycle).

Grace featured in a project 'Snapping the Stiletto' which uncovered stories of strong Essex Women to help dispel the negative stereotype of the 'Essex Girl'.