DEATH OF MR. GILBERT J. DASHPER

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CLERK OF THE PEACE OF LINCOLN

With the most sincere regret we have to record the death, which took place on Tuesday, at his residence, Cremyll, Nettleham-road, Lincoln, of Mr Gilbert John Dashper, Clerk of the Peace of Lincoln and holder of numerous other important offices. Though the tidings will not have been unexpected, the sad event will have aroused keen regret amongst all classes of citizens, by whom the deceased was always highly esteemed, and who recognised in him not only ability, but posession of the very strong sense of the dignities and traditions of the offices he held, and one whose administration was ever the most courteous and urbane. It may safely be said that whoever met him in his professional capacity could not fail to be very favourably impressed by his ready grace of manner or by his thorough knowledge of his adopted profession. In the vigour of his life he was first and foremost a worker of whom the city had every reason to be proud, and one whose devotion was thoroughly unselfish and sincere.

During the last year or two his strenuousness had considerably failed him, and it became necessary for him to relax some of his duties to which he had lent such distinction. About three months ago, Mr. Dashper had a paralytic seizure and this was followed some ten days since by an attack of bronchitis. It became obvious that the end was gradually approaching, despite the best efforts of Dr. E. Mansel Sympson, and from Friday week the deceased had been in a comatose state. He did not recover consciousness before the end came at six o'clock on Tuesday morning, death being quite peaceful and painless.

Mr Dashper had had an interesting career. He was born on September 15th, 1839, at Plymouth, and choosing the law as his profession, entered the office of Mr. Allison, solicitor, of Louth. Thence he came to Lincoln about 1875, in order to take up the post of managing clerk to the firm of Messrs. Tweed and Stephen, by whom he was later admitted into partnership a few years later. The partnership lasted until quite recently, when Mr. Dashper retired, and the firm resolved into Messrs. Tweed, Stephen, and Co. Various matters, however, connected him with his old office, and he was last there in the month of July last.

But this was only one of Mr. Dashper's connections with the city. He became secretary to the Bracebridge Brick Co., in the days before its amalgamation with the Lincoln Brick Co., when the joint companies absorbed the private brick yards of Messrs. Swan and Mr. Best, and he retained the office when the whole continued as the Lincoln Brick Co.

Mr. Dashper was appointed Sheriff of Lincoln in 1880, and for a year added dignity to one of the principal honours the city has to offer.

In 1881 the Lincoln Tramways Company was formed, principally through the efforts of Mr. Dashper, who became Secretary of a concern whose existance was always very substantially profitable, and the conduct of which reflected very creditably upon his careful management. In the days when it was instituted the horse tramways system was considered a great boon as a means of communication between Lincoln and Bracebridge, and there was no denying that the extent of the public patronage was its great justification. When the Corporation bought up the line and the rolling stock they had to pay for a system whose success was very largely due to the work of Mr. Dashper.

Deceased was chosen as Clerk of the Peace in 1888, as successor to the late Mr. Thurstan George Dale, and was sworn in in May of that year. He had held the office with singular distinction for nearly twenty years, and though recently Mr. T. E. Maynard Page has relieved him as Deputy Clerk, for the whole time that his health permitted was most regular in attandance and unremitting in devotion to duty.

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