Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a child.

c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1861		(con. 1840s–50s) H. Mayhew London Labour and London Poor III 126/1: ‘Yes [...] there’s a chip of mine will sing it for me,’ and I introduce my little boy.
1897		E.W. Townsend Chimmie Fadden 36: Dere is a little chip [...] what dusts rooms, and tings like dat.
1900		Marvel 8 Dec. 27: When they tumble to it that there’s a chip of Old Man Bennett knocking around.

2. a man, a fellow.

1827

Exeter & Plymouth Gaz. 8 Mar. 5/2: Yes; Peg’s a queer old ‘chip’ d’ye see.