Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Richard Mayne

1824 –02-1904

Gamekeeper who settled In Berkhamsted at the latter end of his life

• Melanie Hilton

Richard Gibbs Mayne

Richard Gibbs Mayne was born in 1824 in Winslow, Buckinghamshire, the son of George Mayne and Anne (née Hudson). Gibbs was the maiden name of his paternal grandmother.

In 1841 his father’s occupation was given as Post Master & maltster in Winslow. Richard was living at the post office, but despite his age (17), no occupation was given for him.

On 17th February 1853 Richard married Mary Veale (father described as ‘gent’ in the marriage register) of 28, Spencer St, Islington at St Matthew’s Islington. He gave the occupation of both himself and his father as farmer.

The couple moved to Bletchington, Oxfordshire, where children John Percival (1857-1937), Elizabeth Anne (1859-1922) and Thomas Morecraft (1861-1952) were born.

The 1861 census records the family there and shows Richard was employed as a gamekeeper.

As was quite common for gamekeepers – their employers preferred a regular turnover to prevent them becoming too friendly with the locals and potential poachers – Richard and Mary moved about a great deal. Their son Thomas  (1861) and daughter Edith Mary (1863) were born in Barking and son Richard Owen (1866) in Gerrards Cross.

In 1871 Richard was a gamekeeper in Chalfont St Peter, living at Mopes Farm, but ten years later he and Mary are living in Pinner’s Wood Cottage, Nonington, a tiny village north of Dover. Only Thomas and Richard are with them, Thomas working as under-keeper to his father. By 1891 they had moved again and Mary and Richard were living at Keeper’s Lodge, Washingley Hall, to the west of Stilton in Cambridgeshire. Mary died that year.

What brought Richard to Berkhamsted is not known, but in the 1901 census he was at The George, 215, High Street, Berkhamsted shown as “Visitor”. Whether this was as a personal guest of Jack Edmeads, the publican, or a paying customer it is impossible to tell. By then a 76 year old widower, Richard is described as “living on own means.”

He died at 44, High Street, Berkhamsted in February 1904 aged 80 and was buried on the 17^th of that month.