Thomas Herbert Mayman

Thomas Henry Mayman was born in Walsall, Staffordshire, in 1870 (reg. surname Maymand). He has not been traced on an earlier census, but in 1901 was working as a slater's labourer and living on Clarkson Street, Mansfield, a boarder in the household of Edward Singleton, a slater, and his family. Thomas married Mary Ellen Gascoigne in 1903 (reg. Mansfield). They had two children who died in infancy: Leonard Hartley b. 1903 d. 1903 and Edna b. 1905 d. 1905. His wife was the daughter of Charles and Ellen Gascoigne, who had nine children, three of whom died in infancy or childhood. The couple probably had at least eight daughters including Gladys Beatrice b. 1866, Mary Ellen b. 1882 and Ethel Theresa b. 1887. Mary Ellen, a shoe fitter, was living with her parents at 5 Wood Street, Mansfield, in 1901. Thomas and Mary were living at 7 Wood Street in 1911; he was still working as a slater's labourer and Mary was a packer (boot and shoe trade). Thomas later worked as a canvasser for Mr Odam, a dentist, who had a surgery on Rosemary Street, Mansfield. Some time after 1911, Thomas and Mary had the care of Mary's nephew, Frederick Marshall Wood (b. Bradford 1906, reg. 1907). Frederick was the youngest son of Mary's married sister, Gladys Beatrice Wood (m. George William Wood 1896, reg. Bradford), who had two other sons but another child had died in infancy. Frederick was deemed Thomas' dependant as his widow's army pension included a portion for the child and although the pension record gave his birth surname as 'Wood' Frederick later took the surname Mayman. Mary Ellen completed a form for the army in June 1919 listing her late husband's surviving blood relatives. She named herself and Fred Mayman (sic) who were living at 2 Westwood Place, Mansfield Lane, Mansfield, and Thomas's widowed mother, Annie Mayman, who was living in Alberta, Canada. Fred (Fred M Wood/Fred MW Mayman) married Winifred Powell in 1935 (reg. Mansfield). In 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled, Mary Ellen was living in Southwell with her married sister, Ethel Thornewill, and her husband Frederick Thornewill, a colliery deputy (m. 1921). Mary Ellen died in 1963 (reg. Mansfield).

1901/1911 - slater's labourer employed by Ald. W Singleton. Later employed as a 'dental operator' by Mr Odam of Rosemary Street, Mansfield.

7 Wood Street, Mansfield. Enlisted Mansfield

1/8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment). A Territorial Force battalion, the 1/8th was raised in Newark in August 1914 and was part of the Notts and Derby Brigade, North Midland Division, until the formation became the 139th Brigade, 46th (North Midland Division) in May 1915. The Battalion served in France from 25 February 1915. Thomas enlisted on a Territorial Force engagement (one year's embodied service at home) on 8 September 1914. He had previously served for three years in the Volunteers (pre-1908). Thomas consented to serve overseas and after serving at home to 1 March 1915 (175 days), he was drafted to France on 2 March 1915. Six weeks later he was one of six members of the Battalion who died in the trenches at Kemmel on 21 April 1915 (Sgt G Wilmore and Privates F Adams, A Bates, J Beresford, JT Murden). Thomas was buried in Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery, Belgium (grave ref. E.65). He served for 246 days, 51 days in France. He qualified for the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. CWGC - History of Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery (extract): the cemetery is 8km from the town of Ieper (Ypres). 'Kemmel Chateau was north-east of Kemmel village and the cemetery was established on the north side of the chateau grounds in December 1914. It continued to be used by divisions fighting on the southern sectors of the Belgian front until March 1918, when after fierce fighting involving both Commonwealth and French forces, the village and cemetery fell into German hands in late April. The cemetery was retaken later in the year, but in the interval it was badly shelled and the old chateau destroyed.' (www.cwgc.org)

Mansfield Reporter and Sutton Times, 30 April 1915: 'MANSFIELD MEN KILLED IN ACTION. We regret to announce the death of a Mansfield soldier named Mayman, who for 10 years was in the employ of Ald. W. Singleton. After leaving Mr. Singleton he became a canvasser for Mr. Odom, [sic. Odams] whose dental surgery is in Rosemary-street. By the way Mr. Odom [sic] has joined the Transport Corps. [1] Mayman was very highly respected by his soldier chums, for Fred Sansom, in a letter to the Alderman, which was received on Monday, says: “One of our Mansfield fellows was killed last night – a man who used to work for you. The poor fellow was Mayman. He was a dentist, and used to pull out the teeth of the men of our battalion. He was very much respected by his colleagues. I thought as he was one of your old workmen you would like to know.' [1] Henry Dodson Odams, of 1 Layton Avenue, Mansfield, enlisted at Nottingham, joining the Army Service Corps on 18th April 1915. He served at Salonika with the 338th Motor Transport Company. On 4th August 1918 he was admitted to St. Andrew's Hospital, Malta, suffering from malaria; and to the Epsom War Hospital on 24th September 1918. Mansfield Chronicle Advertiser, 29 April 1915: also published a letter from Fred Sansom explaining how Thomas used to pull teeth for the other soldiers. Above courtesy of Jim Grundy, facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918. Mansfield Reporter, 26 November 1915: ‘Free Churches and the Valiant Dead. Memorial Service at Bridge Street. Laurel Leaves for Heroic Men.’ Report of a memorial service for ‘sixteen gallant men who have given their lives for the nation, and who were connected with the Free Churches of Mansfield, was a most impressive and touching occasion. It was held in the Bridge-street Wesleyan Church on Sunday evening at 7.45, an hour fixed so as to allow worshippers in other churches to attend in order to do honour to the memory of the heroes.’ Three ministers took part in the service. Rev. FJ McAdam (Congregational), Rev WH Proudlove (United Methodist), Rev. J Leonard Webber. The sixteen names included: Thos H Mayman, 8th Sherwood Foresters and five others from the 8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters: Harold Foster, Geo. Hinton, Percy May, Ernest Millband and William Radford. (britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Thomas's personal possessions were returned to his widow at 7 Wood Street, in September 1915: belt, ID disc, lighter, pouch, watch and chain, clasp knife, hairbrush, pocket book, letters, postcards, pipe, prayer book, new testament, comb, and holdall containing knife, fork, spoon, cleaning kit and box of dental instruments (5prs. forceps, 1pr, tweezers, 1 syringe). Registers of Soldiers' Effects: his widow Ellen was his legatee. WW1 Pension Ledgers: Named his widow, Mary Ellen Mayman, and child, Frederick Marshall Wood. The War Office awarded Mary Ellen a pension of 15 shillings a week for herself and one child with effect from 29 November 1915.