Born the son of John Chatwin (1796-1855), a button manufacturer in Great Charles Street, Birmingham, and Harriet (1793-1848; née Turner), and educated at King Edward's School on New Street and the University of London, he was known by the name Alfred.
bˈɔːɹn ðə sˈʌn ʌv dʒˈɑːn tʃˈætwɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti sˈɪks dˈæʃ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti fˈaɪv, ɐ bˈʌʔn̩ mˌænjuːfˈæktʃɚɹɚɹ ɪn ɡɹˈeɪt tʃˈɑːɹlz stɹˈiːt, bˈɜːmɪŋˌæm, ænd hˈæɹiət wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti θɹˈiː dˈæʃ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi ˈeɪt; nˈeɪ tˈɜːnɚ, ænd ˈɛdʒuːkˌeɪɾᵻd æt kˈɪŋ ˈɛdwɚdz skˈuːl ˌɔn nˈuː stɹˈiːt ænd ðə jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ʌv lˈʌndən, hiː wʌz nˈoʊn baɪ ðə nˈeɪm ˈælfɹɪd.