Paul Crompton was born in London, Middlesex, England, on the 20th August 1871, the eldest son of Mr. Henry Crompton and The Honourable Lucy Henrietta Crompton (née Romilly), of Sandbrow Churt, near Farnham in Surrey. His father was for many years a clerk of Assizes for Chester and North Wales. He had one brother, David Henry, who was born in 1874, and an adopted sister – Rosamund May Sale, who was born in 1882.
On the 24th October 1900, at the Parish Church, in the Parish of St. Luke, Chelsea, London, he married Gladys Mary Salis-Schwabe of Garthydon, Anglesey, North Wales and 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.
Paul Crompton was second cousin to The Right Honourable Charles Booth and was a partner in the firm of Alfred Booth and Company and a director of The Booth Steamship Company of Liverpool, and his business took him all over the world - often accompanied by his family, and he was also a partner in The Surpass Leather Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
He had spent a considerable amount of time in the Far East - especially in China, where he perfected his knowledge of the language. In the spring of 1915, he and his family had been living in St. Martin’s Place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States of America, when he was appointed to take control of the company’s interests in London. Consequently, he booked saloon passage for himself and his family on the
Lusitania which was due to sail from New York on 1st May 1915. He made this booking through the New York branch of his firm which was situated at 17, Battery Place and the ticket issued to him was numbered 46081. Also travelling with the family was Peter Crompton’s nursemaid, Miss Dorothy Ditman Allen.
Having left Philadelphia at the end of April, the Crompton family, and Miss Allen, joined the liner at her berth at Pier 54 in New York on the morning of 1st May 1915 and once on board, were escorted to their saloon rooms, which were all on ‘D’ Deck. Paul and Gladys Crompton were allocated room D56, which like all the Crompton rooms, was under the personal 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 steamer’s departure from Pier 54 was delayed until the early afternoon of 1st May and on the voyage across the Atlantic, Paul Crompton and his wife would have enjoyed the opulence of their surroundings and the company of their fellow saloon passengers, some of whom were from the top echelons of both American and British society. Then, on the afternoon of 7th May, it all came to an abrupt end with the torpedoing of the liner by the German submarine
U-20, just twelve miles off the coast of southern Ireland and only hours away from her Liverpool home port.
No survivors accounts that still exist mention seeing any of the Crompton family after the liner was struck, but not one of them survived the sinking, nor did Miss Allen and it is possible that they all died together. Paul Crompton’s body was never recovered and identified afterwards and as a result, he has no known grave. He was aged 43 years.
He is, however, commemorated on a wooden memorial in Albion House, James Street, Liverpool, which is headed: -
This Roll of Honour Commemorates the Names of the Directorate and Staff of the Booth Companies, who Fell in the Great War
1914- 1918.
Bedroom Steward Barnes, who had looked after Paul and Gladys Crompton in room D56 did survive the sinking, however, and eventually made it back to his Merseyside home.
Probate of Paul Crompton’s estate was granted to a Mr. Wynn Harold Tregoning, who was attorney to his brother, David Henry Crompton, on 4th September 1915. His effects amounted to £30,158-8s-9d. (£30,158.49p.) - a small fortune in 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, UK Outgoing Passenger Lists 189- - 1960, UK Incoming Passenger Lists 1878 – 1960, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, Probate Records, Ayr Advertiser, Surrey Advertiser & County Times, Tragedy of the Lusitania, Last Voyage of the Lusitania, Lusitania, PRO 22/71, PRO BT 100/345, UniLiv. D92/2/360, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Lawrence Evans, Graham Maddocks, George Donnison, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Stuart Williamson, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.