Arthur Mayo was born on the 18th May 1840 and was baptised at St. Giles, Oxford on the 22nd July. His parents were Herbert and Sarah Mayo, a family connected with Devizes and Avebury.

Arthur was educated at Berkhampstead School from 1847 to 1854 and then joined the Royal Navy, sailing in 1855 for India as a midshipman in 'Wellesley'. He joined the Indian Navy on the 18th February 1857 and served for a short while in the steam frigate, 'Punjab'. From June 1857 to January 1860 he was in the 4th Indian Naval Brigade.

In November 1857 the 4th Indian Brigade was in action against Indian Mutineers at Dacca and it was Midshipman Mayo who led the final charge against the guns of the mutineers. In his Despatch on the action, the Commanding Officer, Lt. T.E. Lewis, RN wrote,
"I beg particularly to bring to notice the conduct of Mr. Midshipman Mayo, who led the last charge upon their guns most gallantly, being nearly 20 yards in front of his men".

For this exploit he was awarded the Victoria Cross, being just seventeen and a half years of age, In a report of the action it was stated that ' a young midshipman, Mr Arthur Mayo, a gallant and accomplished young officer, was awarded the Victoria Cross for his gallant conduct on the occasion, placing himself at the head of about 20 of his men and leading them at full speed upon the guns.

Arthur Mayo was invalided home in 1860 and pensioned on the 28th November 1862.

Mayo matriculated at Oxford on 2nd May 1862 from Magdalene Hall and graduated BA on 18th June 1865. He married Ellen Horser Baker at Oxford on 18th July 1865.

On 25th February 1866 he was ordained Deacon at Salisbury for the Bishop of Exeter and served as assistant curate in Plymouth for about 20 months. On the 5th November 1867 he was received into the Catholic Church at Farm Street by Father P. Galway, SJ. Thereafter he lived successively at Torquay and in Malta.

Arthur and his wife had a family of six, named Mary, born 20th April 1866, who became a Dominican Nun at Adelaide in South Australia. A son, Arthur was born in May 1867, but who only lived for six months. There followed three sons, Edward, Francis and Raymond, each of whom eventually became a Jesuit priest, and finally, a daughter Margaret, born on 18th March 1880.

In 1901 Arthur Mayo came to live with his daughter Margaret at 23 Rosebury Road in Bournemouth. He was an active member of Corpus Christi church. A talented musician with a fine voice, he was for some years voluntary organists at the church. He died at his home 18th May 1920 during a small celebration of his 80th birthday.

He was buried with full naval honours with a Naval Detachment from Southampton as pall bearers. The coffin was conveyed on a gun carriage from Rosebury Road to Corpus Christi church for the Requiem Mass and thence to Boscombe Cemetery for internment, where the bearers were a party of Coastguards from Christchurch and Bournemouth. The Royal Engineers provide a Firing Party.

Miss Mayo continued to live in Rosebury Road until her own death in the early 1950s. The Museum of Bombay asked if the actual Victoria Cross could be given to them and the family agreed to this.

In return, the Museum subscribed to the cost of a memorial window to Arthur Mayo in the Lady Chapel of Corpus Christi Church in 1932.



NOTE:

The information regarding the gift of the VC to Bombay Museum was supplied in 1988 by Mrs Bella Bygrave in response to a request.

As Miss Bella Day, she lived with Miss Margaret Mayo for many years. Mrs Bygrave says that the Mayo VC was offered to Stoneyhurst College in 1931, but this was not accepted as Arthur Mayo was not a Old Boy of the College.

An approach was made by the Museum of Bombay asking if they might have it. The Mayo family agreed and Miss Mayo gave it to the Museum. The museum gave a donation on Arthur Mayo's memory.

After consultation with the Parish Priest at Corpus Christi Parish in Boscombe, it was decided that a window be placed in the Lady Chapel of the church in Arthur's' memory.

As to the date: the Lady Chapel was being completely rebuilt from August 1931 until completion in April 1932. By inference it seems likely that the gift of the medal to Bombay was in 1931 or 1932.

The Mayo window is still in place. No details are available of the Museum of Bombay.

John Young DMA

Photo of Arthur Mayo