Humphrey Jefferies Dingley was born at his family home at Clyde Street, Dunoon, Argyllshire, Scotland, on the 14th June 1875, the son of Humphrey Jefferies and Margaret Buchanan Dingley (née Greenlie). His father was a picture artist and Humphrey was one of six known children in the family.
On completing his education, he worked for a wine merchant, and then, sometime in the 1890’s or early 1900’s, he emigrated to the United States of America where he served as a steward on passenger ships operating out of Boston, Massachusetts.
By 1915, his home was at 60, Horatio Street, New York City, in the United States of America. It is not known if he was still serving at sea at this time, but his home was quite close to Pier 54 in New York harbour, which was the berth for Cunard Steam Ship Company liners!
He engaged on the Lusitania as a waiter in the Stewards' Department at New York on the 30th April 1915, at a monthly rate of pay of £4-5s.-0d. (£4.25). It proved to be an unlucky move for him, as he was killed just one week later when the ship was sunk. He was aged 39 years.
His body was never recovered and identified afterwards and as a consequence, he is commemorated on the Mercantile Marine Memorial at Tower Hill, London, although his surname is incorrectly recorded as Dingby.
Register of Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1881 Census of Scotland, 1891 Census of Scotland, Massachusetts U.S. Boston Crew Lists Cunard Records, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, PRO BT 334, UniLiv D92/6/1, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated –26th February 2023.