Background
Dampier was born in Horsham, Sussex, England, the son of John Dampier, builder, and his wife Mary, née Daly.
Dampier was born in Horsham, Sussex, England, the son of John Dampier, builder, and his wife Mary, née Daly.
Dampier had a stage career in Manchester before moving to Melbourne, Australia in 1873. Dampier soon formed his own company and often produced plays with an Australian theme. Dampier staged five plays by Francis Rawdon Chesney Hopkins from 1876-1882.
Dampier adapted Foreign the Term of His Natural Life (1886), Robbery Under Arms (1890) and
The two roles Dampier was most associated with in his lifetime was Jean Valjean in Valjean, an adaptation of Les Misérables, and Captain Starlight from Robbery Under Arms. Dampier died in Paddington, Sydney on 23 May 1908.
Lily Dampier died in 1915. Rose Dampier died while on tour in Nebraska in 1919.
Dampier"s son Fred was also an actor although he was never has successful as his father, sisters or brother in law.
Fred had a secret marriage to another actor, Vera in 1905.