Dashper X Files #22
X Files #22 (posted by Mark Dashper from Hastings New Zealand)
Mystery cruise ship passengers
On the Empress Passenger Liner, two Dashpers turn up on the passenger list as travelling from Liverpool to Quebec, Canada.
Mr F Dashper and Mrs Dashper took this journey. I suspect he may be one of the Frederick Dashpers, and possibly even my grandfather, however at this stage there is no other evidence as to their identity. The full passenger list is viewable on http://www.angelfire.com/hi/tigy/empress.html . I would dearly love to know more, if anyone has further information. [M Dashper]
J.A. Murray: Commander
W.Weber: Purser
W.P. Gale Surgeon
B.Coyle: Chief steward
"The "Empress of England" belonged to the Candian Pacfic shipping system and served the route between Liverpool and Quebec City. She and her sister, the "Empress of Ireland," were two of largest liners of their time. The "Empress of Ireland," however, - - after a collision with the Norwegian steamer "Storstad" in the St. Lawrence River on May 29, 1914, sank almost immediately, claiming 1,024 lives (the White Star liner "Titanic" had sunk two years earlier with the loss of over 1,500 people, and those two sinkings represented the two worst sea disasters to date).
Technical Data: Built by the Fairfield Shipping&Engineering Company, Glasgow, 1906. 14.191 gross tons; 570 feet long; 65 feet wide. Service speed 18 knots. 1.580 passengers (310 first, 500 second, 500 third class, 270 steerage)" ( http://www.uiowa.edu/~english/faculty/landon/brooks/tlucht/bt-empress.html )
Canadian Pacific had three liners of this name. The Empress of England built in 1906 had a black hull and two funnels. Details are in the TSL archives (http://www.oulton.org/TheShipsList) although you may have to look at several posts before you find the 1909 ship (search on "Empress" and "Britain").
X Files #22 Case solved by Linda Etty (from Hamilton Ontario, Canada) 15/9/03
I think I may have solved the mystery of the Frederick and
Lily Dashper with the help of the information I do have from Winnipeg and
Derek's
"Dashpora".
(pages from the Empress Ship's Log)
Transcript: Empress of Britain. Sailed Liverpool May 29, 1908.
Arrived Quebec June 5, 1908. Total on board-1479
2nd Cabin page 32
Frederick Dashper age 23 married,
carpenter, returned Canadians, congregational, destination
Winnipeg
Lily Dashper
age 21 married,
wife, returned
Canadians, congregational, destination Winnipeg
Third Class(Steerage)
Benjamin Dashper age 22
single, bricklayer,
England,
methodist, destination
Winnipeg
"If you look (BMD records) at the 4th quarter of 1908
there is a death for Beatrice Lily Dashper in Wisbech. Perhaps this is
the Lily that appears on the ships list for 1908?. They returned to
England from Canada where Lily died later that year. Sapper Frederick
Dashper was killed in 1915 in the WW1 [http://www.dashper.net.nz/warrecordsapperfrederick.htm]
1. On Benjamin Dashper's attestation papers for WW1 he quotes his next of kin
being Sarah Dashper of Wisbech. I believe his mother was Sarah Ann
Loveridge who married Richard Bailey Dashper in 1884 and died 1928 in Wisbech.
I do not see any record of death for Richard Bailey Dashper.
2.Working back through the "Dashpora", Richard Bailey Dashper was
the son of William Dashper and Mahala Bailey who married in 1848 in Newton
Abbott. Their children were Alice Mary 1849, William Bailey 1851, John
Bailey 1852, Louisa 1856, Richard Bailey 1858, Henry 1860, Albert Bailey 1862
and Edwin Bailey 1864.
3.William Bailey Dashper, son of William and Mahala Dashper, married Elizabeth
Ridpath in 1879. Their children were Edwin William 1878, Elizabeth 1878(
not sure of this one), Elizabeth Ada 1879, George 1881, another
Elizabeth 1883, Frederick Charles 1886 and Richard Edwin 1888.
4. I believe the Frederick on the Empress of Britain in 1908 is
Frederick Charles Dashper born 1886 to William and Mahala Dashper. This
would make Benjamin William and Frederick Charles cousins.
5. If you work even further back I think we are talking about the
Torquay Dashper family-John Dashper and Mary Sweet.
6. There is a Beatrice Lilly Dashper died in Wisbech age 21 in the 4th quarter
of 1908. If a Dashper, she would appear on the "Dashpora" as a
birth about 1887 but there is none so I believe this is the Lilly that appears
on the Empress of Britain as married to Frederick. The confusing thing is the
marriage for Benjamin William Dashper in 1908 in Wisbech. That
would mean he returned to England that year as well yet settled in Winnipeg
sometime before WW1. His son Frederick Benjamin Dashper was the
WW2 flying ace who was born in Winnipeg about 1920.
Anyway that is my theory." (Linda Etty)
X Files #22 Further update of information from Fred Dashper (Ottawa, Canada) 18/9/03