People on board

TOPPIN, Dorothy Hope

Dorothy Hope Toppin was born in Streatham, South London, in February 1905. Her parents were Greville E. T. Toppin, an Agency Inspector from London, born in Twickenham and Louisa Mary Toppin (née Falkner). Louisa’s father, Francis, was a Wine Merchant and the family owned a Wine & Spirits business in Grafton St., Dublin.

Dorothy’s parents had married in April 1904, in St. Paul’s Church, Glenageary, Co. Dublin. Louisa and her parents and siblings were living in Sandycove at the time. Greville and Louisa had moved to London where Dorothy was born. Both Dorothy and her mother survived the sinking of the RMS Leinster. They had possibly travelled to Ireland to visit some of Louisa’s siblings.

Dorothy H. Toppin married John S. Ward in Epsom in 1931. Her mother died in Devon in 1968 at the age of 95. Dorothy H. Ward (née Toppin) died in Devon in 1982.

Over 100 years after the sinking of the RMS Leinster, in July 2021, the murals on display as part of Dún Laoghaire Anseo, included the dramatic image below by Paul Francis, a professional graphic designer and illustrator, representing the rescue of Dorothy Toppin. Appropriately the mural was located outside the Maritime Museum in the former Mariners Church, where the watch, presented to William Maher by Dorothy Toppin is on display.