Gladys Mary Salis-Schwabe was born at Crumpsall House, Prestwich, Lancashire, England, on the 3rd February 1878, the eldest daughter of Major (later Major-General) George and Mary Jacqueline Salis-Schwabe (née James) and the niece of Frederick Schwabe of Garthydon, Anglesey, North Wales. Her father was an officer in the 16th Lancers at the time of her birth, and after a distinguished military career, he became the Lieutenant Governor of the Chelsea Royal Hospital, a retirement and nursing home for veterans of the British Army, situated in Chelsea, London. She was the fourth eldest of six children.
On the 24th October 1900, at the Parish Church, in the Parish of St. Luke, Chelsea, London, she married Paul Crompton, who was later a partner in the firm of Alfred Booth and Company and a director of The Booth Steamship Company. They had six children, Stephen born in 1902, Alberta, born in 1903, Catherine Mary, born in 1904, Paul Romelly, born in 1906, John David, born in 1909 and Peter, born in 1914. The family home was at 29, Gilston Road, Kensington, Middlesex, England.
In the spring of 1915, however, the family had been living in St. Martin’s Lane in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States of America, presumably whilst her husband conducted business there. Then, he was offered a position in London representing The Booth Line and decided to return to his native land with all his family. Consequently, he booked saloon passage for them all through the firm’s New York office (which was situated at 17, Battery Place), to sail from New York to Liverpool on the
Lusitania. With ticket number 46081, they left Philadelphia at the end of April and eventually joined the liner at her berth at Pier 54 in New York harbour on the morning of 1st May 1915. Accompanying them on the journey was Miss Dorothy Ditman Allen, who was employed as a nurse for baby Peter Crompton, who was only eight months old.
Once on board, Gladys Crompton and her husband were escorted to their room, which was D56. All the other family members and Miss Allen were also accommodated nearby on ‘D’ Deck and all of these rooms were under the supervision of First Class Bedroom Steward William Barnes, who came from Wallasey in Cheshire, which was on the opposite bank of the River Mersey from Liverpool.
The liner finally left New York harbour just after mid-day and with her children safely looked after by Dorothy Allen or members of the
Lusitania’s crew, Gladys Crompton no doubt enjoyed the opulence of her surroundings and the company of her fellow saloon class passengers - some of whom were the pinnacle of American and British society of the time. This enjoyment came to an abrupt end, however, on the afternoon of 7th May when the liner was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine
U-20. At this time, she was only 240 miles away from her Liverpool destination and only twelve miles off the coast of southern Ireland.
No survivors of the sinking seem to have seen any of the Crompton family after the
Lusitania was struck, or at least no such accounts are still in existence but none of the eight survived the sinking - nor did Miss Allen. This loss was the greatest suffered by any family involved in the sinking and it is possible that they were all together when they died. Gladys Crompton was aged 37 years.
Bedroom Steward Barnes, who had looked after Gladys and Paul Crompton in room D56 did survive the sinking, however, and eventually made it back to his Merseyside home.
Administration of Gladys Crompton’s estate was granted to her mother on the 30th September 1915. Her effects amounted to £3,668-8s-9d. (£3,668.49p.).
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Manchester England Church of England Births and Baptisms 1813 – 1915, London England Church of England Marriages and Banns 1754 – 1921, 1881 Census of England & Wales, 1891 Census of England & Wales, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, Cunard Records, Probate Records, Ayr Advertiser, Bangor Chronicle, Surrey Advertiser & County Times, Last Voyage of the Lusitania, Seven Days to Disaster, Tragedy of the Lusitania, PRO 22/71, PRO BT 100/345, UniLiv. D92/2/360, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Stuart Williamson, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.