Mayne, Richard (1796-1868)

Mayne, Richard

BARRISTER (IRELAND)

BORN 27 Nov 1796, Dublin - DIED 26 Dec 1868, London: Chester Square, Belgravia
GRAVE LOCATION London: Kensal Green Cemetery, Harrow Road, Kensal Green (056/PS (21708))

Richard Mayne was the son of judge Edward Mayne. He studied at Trinity College in Dublin and at Trinity College in Cambridge, where he graduated in 1821. He joined the bar at Lincoln's Inn in 1822 and practiced in the Northern Circuit. In 1831 he married Georgina Carvick and Rear-Admiral Richard Mayne was their son.

In 1829 he applied to become one of the Joint Commissioners of the new Metropolitan Police and was accepted immediately. There he became close friends with Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Rowan and they worked together until Rowan retired in 1850 and was succeeded by Captain William Hay. Mayne was responsible for part of the General Instruction Book for police officers. Working with Hay was more difficult, but Hay died in 1855 and he became sole Commisioner afterwards and he was in charge of the Metropolitan Police until his death.

In 1866 he took charge himself of the suppression of a demonstration in Hyde Park, but things went out of hand and he was injured. His resignation was refused by Home Secretary Spencer Walpole, who blamed him all the same. In 1867 the Clerkenwell bombing was handed badly by the police but his resignation was refused again. He died in 1868 at his home in London.

Images
The grave of Richard Mayne at Kensal Green Cemetery, London. Picture by Androom (02 Aug 2019)	The grave of Richard Mayne at Kensal Green Cemetery, London. Picture by Androom (02 Aug 2019)