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Following is information I have collected regarding Arthur J. Capel, Boy Capel's father. Most of the popular biographies of Coco Chanel I have seen repeat inaccurate speculations about Boy Capel's origins and parentage. However I have found that the information is there to be discovered if one is willing to delve in to publicly accessible records.
Here is what I have so far:

Arthur Joseph Capel b 1849 

Born: Sizewell Gap , Station Cottage,Suffolk,England, (per 1851 Census)

Father: Capel John, b 1810  Occupation:  Coast Guard Boatman

Wife: Berthe Lorin b 1856 d.1902 French,

Children

•  Edith a(b c1876)
•  Henriette  (b c 1878)
• Son: Arthur Edward "Boy" Capel, Arthur Edward Capel’s birth was registered Q4 1881 in Brighton District. ( Boy Capel’s birth registration). Born at Bedford House, Marine Road Brighton
•  Bertha Isabella S F Capel’s birth was registered Q3 1883 inKensington District. (later to be Lady Michelham) - source  The Times news notice.

Various mentions of Arthur J Capel
Business and Employment:

 Records from The Bristol, South Wales and Gloucester Commercial List
Capel Arthur J. Cardiff, mer. Arthur J Capel, of London, has opened a branch as above, under the management of Joseph S Mann. 1 Oct. 1881.
Capel Arthur J. Cardiff, and at London. The above retiring from his present business, the agency of the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique has been transferred to Poingdestre and Mesnier. 30 June 1881.

Poingdestre and Mesnier Swansea merchants and ship brokers Philip Francis Poingdesire, Jules Mesnier

Note: Poingdestre and Mesnier Swansea merchants and ship brokers Philip Francis Poingdesire Jules Mesnier Debts received and paid by Jules Mesnier who will in future carry on the business on his own account under the old style 2nd July 1875 Rawle and Son 5 Dolphin street Bristol

My Notes:

• Arthur Joseph CAPEL’s marriage is registered in Q3 1873 in
  Kensington. - wedding of Boy Capel’s parents.
• There are three ‘Arthur J Capel’ listed in the 1881 England Census and
  I take our chap to be the one listed in Kemp Town, Brighton, age 32 (b
  c 1849 Suffolk).
• His wife is listed as Bertha (age 25, b c 1856),
  which is the birth name of Lady Michelham (some reference works refer
  to her as ‘Berthe’, which may be a later affectation).
• The censuslists just two daughters in 1881, Edith aged 5 (b c1876) and Henriette aged
  3 (b c1878). A J Capel is described as a 'General Merchant'.
• By 1891 the family had moved to Paris : Address at 65 avenue Henri-Martin Paris  and 56 Avenue d'Iéna, Paris, France, are recorded in the following sources:

Tout-Paris : Annuaire de la Société parisienne ... Noms et addresses, classés par noms, par professions et par rues ... suivis d ún dictionnaire des pseudonyms ..., Volume 24 for 1891 gives address:
Arthur Capel, 65 avenue henri-martin paris

Arthur Capel 65 avenue henri-martin paris

Ref: http://auden.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/auden/individual.php?pid=I15692&ged=auden-bicknell.ged&tab=0