John Totty Mayo

1777-1859

John Totty Mayo was the son of Totty & Amy Mayo (nee North) who were married in 1772 in Hampshire. John was baptised on the 4^th May 1777 at St Nicolas Church Newbury. John’s siblings were:

Ann Mayo baptised 23/4/1775 at St Nicolas Church

Sarah Mayo baptised 14/6/1778 at St Nicolas Church

William Thomas Mayo born 4/8/1785, baptised 1/2/1785 at St Nicolas Church

John married in 1803, marriage details:

John Mayo from Newbury Berks married Mary Dear of Twyford, by licence at Twyford on 27^th June 1803.

John and Mary had at least 6 children:

Jane born 12/6/1804, baptised at St Nicolas church Newbury 15/8/1804

Mary Anne born 11/1/1806, baptised at St Nicolas Church Newbury 3/8/1806

Robert born 1/10/1807, baptised at St Nicolas Church Newbury 23/12/1807

John Mayo born 22/8/1809, baptised 13/9/1809 at St Nicolas Church Newbury (died before 1816)

William baptised at Wantage 5/3/1813

John baptised at Thatcham 31/3/1816

In his earlier life John worked as a both a Carpenter and Cabinet Maker, in later life he became Sexton of St Nicolas Church Newbury and in his later years worked as a shoemaker. In October 1821 John became a widower. Mary was buried on 3/10/1821 at St Mary’s Greenham. John remarried eight months later.

Marriage details: ?Place: St Mary's Church Thatcham (married at this church by Banns) Date: 9th June 1822?Groom: John Mayo, Widower, of the parish of Greenham?Bride: Mary Moulding, Widow, of the parish of Newbury?Witnesses: Maria Dredge and Thomas ? (possibly Tlatton)?John signed Mary made her mark

John and his 2^nd wife had a son Thomas Totty Mayo who was baptised at St Nicolas Church 31/3/1823.

In 1841 John, Mary and their son Thomas Totty were living in West Mills Newbury.

In 1842 whilst working as the Sexton of St Nicolas Church, John appeared in court on an assault charge:

Saturday 23rd April 1842 Berkshire Chronicle

?Borough Police - On Saturday last, before J Lewis Esq., Mayor and E W Gray Esq., John Totty Mayo, sexton of Newbury church, was convicted of an assault in obstructing the affixing a notice of vestry upon the church door.???A more detailed account;

Police Office- On Saturday morning the 9th inst. before J Lewis Esq., Mayor and E W. Gray Esq., Justice- John Totty Mayo sexton of Newbury Church was summoned for an assault committed on Mr A Beckhuson. The case occupied a considerable time, commencing at 12 o'clock and not closing until nearly 4. Both the parties employed solicitors, R F Graham Esq., appearing for the plaintiff and J Vine Esq., for the defendant. The case was shortly this, Mr Beckhuson was requested, a few Sundays since, to fix a notice (which had previously been signed by three of the overseers of the parish) on the church doors announcing that a public vestry would be held for the purpose of taking into consideration the expediency of stopping up some public footpaths in the East Fields and substituting others in their stead and when he was in the act, and had succeeded in placing a wafer on one corner of the paper on the board usually left on the door, Mr Mayo opened the inner glass door, which was then shut, rushed out, tore the notice down and with some degree of violence thrust Mr Beckhuson away. He also struck him in the side; this circumstance was corroborated by a clerk of Mr Graham's. Mayo, it appears, told Mr Beckhuson, that he was desired by the rector, Dr Binney, not to allow the notice to be affixed as he had not been consulted previously.  The assault being clearly proved, the magistrates of course, sustained a charge, but as the object of the party was not to inflict a heavy fine, the decision of the court was, that he should be fined one shilling or be imprisoned for seven days. Although the fine was small, yet from the lengthened depositions, the expenses, which will be included, will amount to 14 shillings more and 1 shilling for his journey from Oxford.

In 1851 John and Mary were still living in Newbury but had moved to Raymonds Almshouses.

John died in 1859, his burial service was held at St Nicolas Church on 19^th October and he was laid to rest in Newtown Road Cemetery. 

Mary died in 1861 her burial service was held at St Nicolas Church on 14^th February, she is not recorded as being laid to rest in Newtown Road Cemetery but may have been recorded in one of the missing ledgers.

 John Totty gave evidence at the parliamentry enquiry leading up to the setting up of Newtown Road Cemetery  -  see transcript of enquiry

Christine Gambles – 23^rd November 2019