Mrs. Charles Padley (Florence May Fry)

Florence Padley, née Fry (c. 1892 – 1978), 23, was born in Liverpool, England, United Kingdom. In 1914, Florence moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Florence was an artist who loved painting the sea. Her husband, Charles, was a banker. In the spring of 1915, Florence was returning to Liverpool aboard Lusitania to have her baby. She entered a lifeboat that upset and was subsequently rescued. Both she and the baby survived the Lusitania disaster.

Early life


 

Florence was baptised 19 Aug 1892 at Appledore parish church. Florence was a descendant from a long line seafarers on both her mother and father’s side. Through her mother’s side, she was descended from the Williams family, a large seafaring family who originated in Gower, South Wales. Her father was Captain William Colwill Fry, Master Mariner, and Marine Superintendant of Leyland Marine, who came from a long line of Devon seafarers. Her husband, Charles was a bank manager for the Commercial Bank of Canada and relocated as needed.

Lusitania


In the spring of 1915, Florence left Vancouver to visit her hometown of Liverpool.  She booked passage on the Lusitania. She had sailed Lusitania previously, which may have influenced her decision to book passage on the ship again for her last voyage. Florence’s ticket for Lusitania‘s last voyage was 46132 and her cabin was D-8.  At the time of the sailing, she was five months pregnant.

On Friday, 7 May, Florence was sitting in a deck chair on the B deck promenade.  Elbert and Alice Hubbard passed by moments before someone in front of her remarked, “There’s a porpoise.”

Florence got up and went to the railing for a better look.  She realized what it was and cried out, “No, it’s a torpedo!”

Florence ran inside and was going to take the elevator down to her cabin on D deck. Realizing how far below her cabin was, she ran up to A deck instead, where the boats were.  This decision may have saved her life as the elevators reportedly stalled when the ship lost electricity.  When she recounted the disaster in later years, she stated that she saw an elevator “go down in a rush”.

Along the way, Florence lost a shoe.

Stepping out onto the boat deck, she heard Staff Captain Anderson shout, “It’s all right.  We’re making for the shore.”

To Florence, land didn’t seem close enough.  She hesitated to get in a lifeboat, but after seeing some leave the ship safely, she headed towards one.  She came across Elbert and Alice Hubbard standing near a funnel, and Charles Lauriat, who was looking for them.  A woman with a baby came up to Florence and asked if she could take her baby.  Looking back on it, Florence said, “I told her I did not have a life jacket, she could look after it better.  I felt awful about it.”

Florence entered a lifeboat, and as it lowered, it overturned and threw out everyone inside into the water.  She was subsequently rescued. Her unborn baby also survived the disaster and was born.

After her wartime ordeal, Florence returned to normal life.  She was involved in the local woman’s council, girls scouts, and the art community. After her husband Charles died, Florence retired to Vancouver and then Victoria on Vancouver Island. There she would watch the sea traffic inbound and outbound from Vancouver.

Florence was always willing to talk about her Lusitania experience to her family and friends. Florence was one of several survivors who corresponded with A. A. Hoehling for his book, The Last Voyage of the Lusitania. Florence died in 1978 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Contributors:
John Fry
Jim Kalafus
Michael Poirier
Clive Reid

References:
Hoehling, A. A. and Mary Hoehling.  The Last Voyage of the Lusitania.  Madison Books, 1956.

Preston, Diana.  Lusitania:  An Epic Tragedy.  Berkley Books, 2002.

14 thoughts on “Mrs. Charles Padley (Florence May Fry)”

  1. Florence Padley, was as mentioned , pregnant at the time of this voyage. A descendant from a long line of Devon seafarers she was returning to England to give birth to her child there so that it would have a British passport. Her father, Captain William Colwill Fry, Master Mariner, had been Marine Superintendant of Leyland Marine when it was the largest shipping company in the world. Her husband, Charles was a bank manager for the Commercial Bank of Canada and was moved from place to place as he was needed. After his death Florence retired to Vancouver, finally to Victoria on Vancouer Island from where she could watch the sea traffic inbound and outbound from Vancouver.

  2. Florence was baptised 19 Aug 1892 at Appledore parish church. My interest is through her mother, Harriet Mary Bolt who married William Fry in Cardiff in 1891. She was the daughter of master mariner Emmanuel John Bolt and his wife Mary Ann Williams. Mary Ann was a first cousin of my greatgrandmother and was the daughter of another master mariner, Richard Williams who died at Quebec in 1849. The Williams family were a large seafaring family who originated in Gower, South Wales. They had settled in Appledore at the end of the 18C. I wonder why Harriet married in Cardiff? Perhaps she was staying with her mother’s sister, Harriet Williams who had married channel pilot Thomas Thomas who worked out of Cardiff. I understand that Florence had a brothe, Kingsley, were there other siblings?

      • Hi June, I have little information about Emanuel himself other than he was baptised at Hatherleigh, Devon 31 Dec 1833 the son of William and Mary Bolt. He married Mary Anne William in 1858 at Appledore and was a master mariner. They had three children: Jon Henry 1860-1862, Harriet Mary b 1863 and Bessie Florence b 1866. I have details of the two girls’ marriages and their children. I know a lot more about the Williams family who originated less than ten miles from where we live at present. If you can contact me direct and let me know what details you want I should be pleased to help. Clive

  3. my interest is that I volunteer at this Museum in Brenzett,Romney Marsh and we have a model of a Lifeboat named the Florence May but we have no imfromation about her so I googled the name and I found this article but I am still not sure weather this is the same Florence May.Can anybody who reads this can help.

  4. I am a member of the brenzett Aeronautical Museum on the Romney Marsh and we have a mobile of a R.N.L.I Lifeboat which is named the Florence May and because I am also a member of Dungeness R.N.L.I Lifeboat I was asked if I could trace it’s history but I have only been able to find information about your relative and wondered if some one had made it to honour her.If so we would like to put a explanation by it to say so.

  5. Florence May Padley lived for some years in Dauphin, Manitoba where her husband was manager of the Bank of Commerce. When she died in 1978, the following obituary appeared in the Dauphin Herald; “Florence May Padley, 86, of 204 Imperial Manor, Penticton (British Columbia, Canada) died June 14, 1978. She was born in Liverpool and had been a commissioner of the Girl Guides for Northern Manitoba, Past President of the Manitoba Local Council of Women, Secretary of the Worlds Ships Society of Victoria and member of the Penticton Arts and Crafts and an artist. She was one of the last survivors of the Lusitania and at the time of her death a book was being written int he United States and the author had been in correspondence with her. Predeceased by her husband Charles in 1948, she is survived by one son Charles and daughter-in-law Marion of Penticton and grandchildren Charles Jr. and Joan and one sister Isobel M. Fry of Devon, England. Cremation arrangements were under the direction of the Penticton Funeral Chapel.”

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