Franklin Arthur ’Frank’ Peardon was born in Goderich, Huron County, Ontario, Canada, on the 1st December 1877, the son of Richard and Rebecca Peardon (née Werry). His father was a farmer, and Frank was the youngest of ten known children.
He was a commercial buyer for Robert Simpson and Company, Toronto, and his home was in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. On the 15th July 1902, he married Margaret Dickson in Toronto, and the couple had no children.
From at least 1909, he was a frequent traveller to Europe, conducting business on behalf of his employers, and in the spring of 1915, his business took him to Europe again, and having booked saloon passage on the May sailing of the Lusitania across the Atlantic, through agents A. F. Webster & Son, of Toronto, he joined the liner at her berth at Pier 54 in New York harbour on the morning of 1st May 1915, in time for her scheduled 10.00 a.m. departure. Having boarded, with ticket number 13101, he was escorted to his accommodation in room B71, which was the personal responsibility of First Class Bedroom Steward Walter Wood, who came from
Seaforth, near Liverpool.
Also on board and travelling saloon class, was a colleague of his, Frank Rogers, who was travelling with his wife, Agnes.
The liner’s sailing was then delayed until the afternoon as she had to embark passengers, crew and cargo from the liner Cameronia, which had been requisitioned by the British Admiralty for war service as a troop ship, at the end of April. The Lusitania finally left port just after mid-day and just six days later, on the afternoon of 7th May, she was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-20, off the coast of southern Ireland and only hours away from her Liverpool home port.
Frank Peardon was killed as a result of this enemy action, and was aged 37 years at the time. Frank and Agnes Rogers were also lost.
On 15th May 1915, a cable was received from New York at the Cunard office at Queenstown relating to him, which simply stated: -
WHEN RECOVERED EMBALM AND FORWARD REMAINS.
The sad reply to this cable was despatched from Queenstown the following day: -
BODY FRANK PEARDON NOT RECOVERED.
As it never was recovered and identified, Frank Peardon has no known grave.
Bedroom Steward Wood, who had looked after him in room B71 did survive the sinking, however and eventually made it back to his Seaforth home.
A memorial service was held at the Shelbourne Street Methodist Church for Frank Peardon and Frank and Agnes Rogers on the 16th May 1915.
Frank Peardon’s widow submitted a claim to the Canadian Commission, seeking compensation for the loss of his life, and also for the loss of his personal effects in the sinking. By the time her case was decided, in 1925 or 1926, she was Mrs. Margaret Heddon, having re-married in 1922. The Commission awarded her $829 for the loss of his personal effects, $200 for the cash he had in his possession, and $20,000 in compensation for the loss of his life.
Ontario Canada Births 1832 – 1914, Ontario Canada Marriages 1826 – 1938, 1891 Census of Canada, 1901 Census of Canada, 1911 Census of Canada, Canadian Passenger Lists 1865 – 1935, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, Canadian Claims Case No. 775, PRO BT 100/345, UniLiv. PR13/6., Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.