On Plymouth Naval Memorial is the name of Commander Arthur Edward Silvertop, serving on H.M.S. Defence with the Royal Navy who died 31/05/1916.

He was the son of Mr. H. Silvertop, of Minster, Northumberland, England.  He was married to  Dorothy Guinness (formerly Silvertop), of Umtali, Southern Rhodesia.

The Catholic Times 16/06/1916 reports:-
Commander Arthur Edward Silvertop, of the flagship Defence, who lost his life in the naval battle, was the eldest son of the late Henry Charles Silvertop by his (second) marriage with Caroline Philomena, daughter of Edward Joseph Weld of Lulworth. He was educated at Beaumont.

Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-

Arthur Edward Silvertop was the only son of Henry Charles Silvertop and his second wife Caroline Filomena Weld. He also had 3 younger full blood sisters, a half sister and two half brothers.

His father Henry Charles Silvertop, true birth surname, Englefield, was born October 12th 1896 in Paris, France, and was the son of Henry Englefield and Catherine Witham Silvertop. He changed his surname to Silvertop on his accession to the property of Minster Acres Hall, Northumberland, where at the age of 25 years he was living alone, listed as a land owner and assisted by a house keeper, a footman, a house maid and under-house maid, a kitchen maid, coachman and groom. He employed a gardener who lived with his family at Garden Cottage.

Henry Charles Silvertop was married, Tuesday, August 24th 1852 in a private ceremony solemnised by the Rev. Thomas Witham of Lartington Hall, assisted by the Rev. Henry Birks, domestic chaplain, in the private chapel at Stonor Park, Oxfordshire, the family seat of the bride, the Honourable Eliza Stonor. Born February 23rd 1830 at her family seat, Stonor Park, Eliza was the 3rd daughter of Thomas Stonor, 3rd Lord Camoys and Lady Frances Towneley. 

After their marriage the couple settled at Minster Acres, Northumberland, although their first child, Henry Thomas Silvertop was born in London in 1853, their daughter Agnes Mary and son George Edward were born in Northumberland, in 1854 and 1856 respectively.

Eliza Silvertop nee Stoner died in Brighton, Sussex, July 24th 1860. Henry Charles Silvertop remarried in Marylebone, London, August 21st 1862 to Caroline Filomena Weld, born in 1844 at Lulworth Castle, Dorset, she was the daughter of Edward Joseph Weld and Ellen Caroline Wrey.

Their daughter Henrietta Mary was born in St. George Hanover Square, London in 1864, Violet Mary in Minster Acres, Northumberland in 1865, Mabel Frances and Arthur Edward Silvertop, January 26th 1875 and November 29th 1877 respectively in St. George Hanover Square, London.

in 1881 Henry Charles and Caroline were residing at 157, Cromwell Road, Chelsea, London, with their children, who with the exception of Arthur Edward (3) were scholars and Henry Thomas Silvertop (27), Henry Charles’ eldest son from his first marriage, listed occupation, gentleman. 

December 3rd 1887 the death of Henry Charles Silvertop, J.P., Sheriff of Northumberland and J.P. of County Durham, was announced to have taken place at 14, Queensberry Place, South Kensington, London. His assets in the sum of £32,222 12 shillings 11 pence were assigned, April 27th 1887 to his executors, Edward Wolseley of Home Chase Weybridge, Surrey and Alfred Markey of 9, New Square Lincoln’s Inn, Middlesex.

The family prior to his demise had in attendance a butler who presided over a footman, a cook and kitchen maid, a lady’s maid and a house maid. The children were cared for by a governess a nurse and nurse maid. Caroline Silvertop remained at 14, Queensberry Place after her husband’s death all-be-it with a reduced staff of a butler, cook and house maid as by 1891 only she and her daughters Henrietta and Mabel were in residence.

Arthur Edward Silvertop joined the Royal Navy and was assigned to Britannia Naval College, July 15th 1891 and promoted to Midshipman 2 years after passing out, July 15th 1893. Described as a promising young officer material he served aboard several ships as navigator. He was specifically promoted for, “excellent service,” to the rank of Sub Lieutenant, March 28th 1898. By July 16th 1900 he was described as,” a good French linguist, zealous & careful navigator, very good judgement & physical qualities,” and recognised for advancement by Lt. Commander Greener, August 1900 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant.

From September 30th 1900 he served aboard HMS Vernon and qualified as a torpedo officer. Between 1903 and 1905 he served with Highflier, Rendum, Vulcan and Caesar, before passing to the home fleet aboard HMS Bulwark.

Lieutenant Silvertop was awarded 30 days leave in order to be married, November 8th 1905, to Dorothy Dalglish. Dorothy who was born in 1885 in Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia, was the daughter of James Campsie Dalglish and Mary Sophia Nicholson Clement Guerry De Lauret. Her father was born August 3rd 1845 in Paterson, her mother in Sydney in 1852, both in New South Wales, Australia.

March 5th until August 8th 1907 Lieut. Arthur Edward Silvertop served in Somaliland, Africa, taking a role in the use of wireless telegraphy and again recognised as zealous and able. At the time of his departure his wife was pregnant with their first child. Dorothy gave birth soon after his return to England to a daughter, August 22nd 1907, whom they named Diane Mary Caroline Silvertop. In 1911 Dorothy and their daughter were living in the 12 room residence of 1, Nelson Villas, Devonport, employing a cook, a parlourmaid and housemaid and a child’s nurse.

Lieutenant Silvertop was a member of the Committee on W/T Code and Cyphers in 1908 and promoted to the rank of Commander June 30th 1910. His application to retire in March 1911 was refused and he spent a year on experimental duties at the shore base Vernon in Portsmouth, Hampshire, where his wife gave birth, January 10th 1912, to their son David Arthur Henry Silvertop.

Commander Silvertop undertook wireless telegraphy work before being appointed to the armoured cruiser H.M.S. Defence, September 2nd 1913 as her executive officer. He was at sea when his youngest child Pamela Mary Dorothy was born in Southsea, December 4th 1913 and at the time of the declaration of war with Germany, August 4th 1914, H.M.S. Defence was stationed in the Mediterranean. She was involved in the pursuit of the German battlecruiser SMS Goeben and cruiser SMS Breslau before transferring to the Grand Fleet in January 1915 where she remained for the duration of the war.

H.M.S. Defence was sunk, May 31st 1916, during the Battle of Jutland off the coast of Denmark. At 17:47 as she attempted to attack a disabled German light cruiser H.M.S. Defence came under attack, fired upon by a German battlecruiser and 4 dreadnoughts. Struck twice near the magazine there was a huge explosion which spread to the secondary magazine stores which also exploded ripping her apart. The entire crew, between 892 and 903 men, including Commander Arthur Henry Silvertop were killed.

The sacrifice of Commander Arthur Edward Silvertop Royal Navy, is recorded as one of 7,251 names of WW1 sailors and 15,933 of WW2 inscribed on the Plymouth Naval Memorial which stands on The Hoe, looking out to Plymouth Sound, Devon, commemorating those who have no known grave, other than the sea, where no permanent memorial could be raised. Awards; 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

It was thought that H.M.S. Defence had been totally reduced to fragments until in 1985 the wreck was found during a survey of the North Sea and English Channel and declared under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 as a protected place. Nautical archeologists dived on the wreck in 2001 and found the ship to be largely intact despite the passing of time.

Two of Arthur Edward’s nephews also perished during WW1 within a few months of each other in 1917. Lieutenant Francis Somerled Joseph Silvertop and Captain William Alexander Silvertop served with the Hussars. Their brother Charles Randall Silvertop survived the conflict.

Widow Dorothy Silvertop married in Kensington, London, in 1922 to Major William Ernest Guinness. Born in Piccadilly, London, in 1883 he was the son of the Reverend Robert Guinness, born in Northern Ireland and his wife Grace Harriet Butler, native of Oxon, Oxfordshire. Dorothy Guinness-Silvertop nee Dalglish died at Odds Drift Estate, Manicaland Provence, Zimbabwe, February 22nd 1923. Her widow remarried and emigrated to Australia. In 1949 he and his second wife, also named Dorothy, were living in Wyong, New South Wales.

Details of Arthur Edward and Dorothy Silvertop’s children;

Diane Mary Caroline Silvertop married Brigadier Basil Charles Trappes-Lomax in Kensington, London, June 25th 1929, with whom she had 2 children. She gave birth to a son, David Edward Trappes-Lomax in Blackburn, July 14th 1930 and Anne Mary, February 20th 1934 who sadly died February 20th 1934. Her husband Brigadier Basil Charles Trappes-Lomax died in Hartsmere, Suffolk, October 8th 1963, her son Major David Edward Trappes-Lomax at Great Ockham Hall, Telford, Lincolnshire, November 24th 1993.

Diane Mary Caroline Trappes-Lomax nee Silvertop died at Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, July 6th 1995, having outlived both her children, her second husband and her brother.

Lieutenant Colonel 51903 David Arthur Henry Silvertop was killed in action, whilst commanding the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps in the Netherlands, September 25th 1944. Awards; Distinguished Service Order, Military Cross, 1939-1945 Star, British War Medal & Victory Medal. Lt. Col Silvertop was 32 years of age and single.

Pamela Mary Dorothy Silvertop married Major Peter Frank Tiarks in 1934, they later  divorced. She married again in 1949 to Captain Randolph Charles Rufus Molyneaux Clarke who died in 1955. Her third husband was architect and New York City planner, William Fitz Randolph Ballard whom she married in 1962. Pamela had a child from her first marriage Gabriel P. Tiarks and a second son Dominic Sebastian Milyneaux Clarke in 1953 who died in 1991.

Pamela Mary Dorothy Ballard-Clarke-Tiarks nee Silvertop died February 28th 2003.

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.

Arthur Edward Silvertop is remembered at Minsteracres on M11.01 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.