Dawpool, Thurstaston, 1896

Merchant Palaces - Liverpool and Wirral mansions photographed by Bedford Lemere

16 February to 13 May 2007

Thomas Henry Ismay, chairman of the White Star Line, moved into this grand new house with his wife Margaret in 1884. It was designed for them by Richard Norman Shaw, who was also responsible for the White Star Line offices in James Street, Liverpool.

Mr and Mrs Ismay were both closely involved in the design and furnishing of Dawpool. They visited other houses to collect ideas, shopped together for antique furniture and deliberated with the decorator J Aldam Heaton over the treatment of the interior. The house survived for less than fifty years, it was demolished in 1927.

The same year that Thomas Henry Ismay moved into Dawpool, the shareholders at White Star Line presented him with an ornate silver centrepiece, which is now on display in the Titanic, Lusitania and the Forgotten Empress gallery at the Merseyside Maritime Museum.

In this section

• The music room, Thornton Manor
• Dawpool, Thurstaston
• The music room, Holmestead
• return to Merchant Palaces exhibition homepage

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