Robert Edward Dearberg was born in Hackney, London, England, on the 13th November 1862, the son of John and Jane Dearberg (née Letchford). His father was a straw hat warehouseman! The family was originally Dutch, but had lived in England for many generations. The family home was at ‘Osterhills’ Union Lane, in St. Albans, Hertfordshire.
He was a merchant, dealing in straw plaid, and in 1892, he emigrated to the United States of America and settled in New York City. He became a vice president of Earp-Thomas Farmogerm Co., at 29, West 42nd Street, and his home was at 117, West 58th. Street. He was also known to have lived at 96, Prince Street in the same city. In 1915, however, he retired and deciding to return home to England on his annual visit.
He made almost annual visits back to England to visit family and friends, and most often booked passage on liners operated by the Cunard Steam Ship Co. Ltd. Consequently, he booked saloon passage on the May sailing of the
Lusitania from New York to Liverpool. It was not the first time he had sailed on this vessel.
Arriving at her berth at Pier 54 in west side New York in time for her scheduled 10.00 a.m. sailing, Robert Dearberg boarded the liner with ticket number 46018 and was escorted to his saloon accommodation which was in room D18. This room was the personal responsibility of First Class Bedroom Steward William Fletcher, who came from Wallasey, in Cheshire, on the opposite bank of the River Mersey from Liverpool. One of Edward Dearberg’s friends, with whom he was travelling, was Commander John Foster Stackhouse.
The liner’s sailing was delayed until the afternoon as she had to take on board passengers, crew and cargo from the Anchor Liner
Cameronia, which had been requisitioned by the British Admiralty as a troop ship, at the end of April. The
Lusitania finally left port at 12.27 p.m. and just six days later, on the afternoon of 7th May, she was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine
U-20. At that point of her voyage, she was twelve miles off the coast of southern Ireland and only 250 miles hours away from her destination.
Unfortunately, Robert Dearberg did not survive this action - one of nearly 180 saloon passengers to be killed as a result. He was aged 52 years, although on boarding he gave his age as being 50 years!
When news of the sinking reached St. Albans, his brother Mr. Frederick William Dearberg who lived at ‘Osterhills’, St. Albans, travelled to Queenstown to search for him or any information concerning his fate. Local newspaper
The Herts Advertiser interviewed him upon his return and this interview was published in the edition of Saturday 15th May and stated: -
He could find no trace of his brother. He was fortunate enough, however, to discover among the survivors on who had been with him at the fatal moment. They were standing together at the ship’s side. His companion said, “Look at that streak of bubbles!” Mr. Dearbergh (sic) at once said, “That is a torpedo.” and the next minute, there was a terrific explosion in the engine room. Such was the power of the missile that it blew its way up through five or six decks of the huge steamer and threw the water and debris sixty feet above the upper deck. It put the engines immediately out of action, rendering it impossible to stop the liner, which commenced at once to list badly to port. It was impossible to lower the boats on that side, and it was almost impossible to lower the boats on the starboard side owing to the vessel continuing its course.
In fact, the list was to starboard, not port! The account continues: -
In a very short time, there was another explosion, attributed to the boilers bursting, and the water pouring into the vessel was described as being like Niagara. The great ship heaved over onto the starboard side and then a little way back to port and took a final plunge, bows first, into the ocean.
Mr. F.W. Dearbergh (sic) tells of the unspeakably pitiful scenes in the mortuaries at Queenstown, where there was a constant procession of over-wrought relatives searching for their loved ones amongst the hundreds of bodies. Those mourners (said Mr. Dearbergh), in their common grief were like one big family, feeling for each other and helping each other in every way.
Amongst the many survivors he spoke to, it is splendid to have been told that even in the terrible circumstances, there seemed to be no fear at the time of the disaster; on the contrary, everyone seemed to show the greatest fortitude.
Robert Dearberg’s body was eventually recovered from the sea, however, and landed at Queenstown, probably after his brother had returned to St. Albans and it was taken to one of the temporary mortuaries hastily set up in the small port. It was then given the reference number 202 and described as: -
Robert E. Dearburgh. (sic) Saloon. Aged 50 years, 5’ 10” high round full face, clean shaven.
Property. 1 gold cigarette case, 1 20$ Bill, 1 gold watch and chain with pencil case, knife and medal attachment, spectacles in case, 1 card case, 1 gold tie pin with horses head, 2 gold studs, 1 shilling in silver, 1 10$ Bill, 1 £10 Note, 2 £5 Notes, 1cigarette holder.
After this, the body was almost certainly embalmed, and then, on 18th May 1915, it was shipped to England for ultimate burial in Kensal Green Cemetery in London. It is likely that his brother took care of the arrangements there, as he was sent property recovered from the body, which probably aided its identification, on 4th June at his St. Albans address.
Bedroom Steward Fletcher who had looked after Robert Dearberg in room D18 survived the sinking, however and eventually made it back to his Wallasey home. His friend Commander Stackhouse also perished, however.
On 1st September 1916, nearly sixteen months after the sinking, administration of Robert Dearberg’s estate was granted to his brother Frederick at London and his effects amounted to £1,135-12s-5d., (£1,135.62p.). Probate records describe Frederick William Dearbergh’s profession as gentleman!
Today, Robert Dearberg’s grave lies unmarked in Kensal Green Cemetery, and any marker that might ever have been placed on it has long disappeared.
Cunard and Probate Records, as well as some ship’s manifests, spell Robert Edward Dearberg’s surname as ‘Dearbergh’, however; his birth, baptism, and census records spell it as ‘Dearberg’, and this is most likely the correct spelling.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, London England Births and Baptisms 1813 – 1906, 1871 Census of England & Wales, 1881 Census of England & Wales, 1891 Census of England & Wales, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, 1915 New York City Directory, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Florida Passenger Lists 1898 – 1963, Cunard Records, Herts Advertiser, New York Times, Probate Records, PRO, 22/72, PRO BT 100/345, UniLiv.D92/1/8-11, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Beryl Housley, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.