Philip Mayne
Encyclopedia
Philip Mayne is thought to have been the last surviving British
officer
of the First World War
. He is also thought to have been the oldest surviving member of Christ's Hospital
, of the University of Cambridge
Engineering Department, of King's College, Cambridge
and indeed of the whole University of Cambridge.
Mayne was born in Hampstead
. His father was a caterer. He won a scholarship to Christ's Hospital and then to King's College, Cambridge, but the Great War intervened. Mayne became a cadet in the Royal Engineers
and was commissioned as a second lieutenant
in September 1918. Attending a training camp in Wales, he caught the Spanish flu
, and was not fit to be sent to the front before the war ended. Mayne was demobilised on 24 December 1918, and attended Cambridge University from January 1919, having missed only the first term of his first year. He studied mathematics and then mechanical, electrical and civil engineering. Mayne graduated in 1921 and joined the electrical department of the National Physical Laboratory
. He moved to Imperial Chemical Industries
in Billingham
in 1924. Mayne worked in a reserved occupation
in the Second World War
, making chemicals for explosives. He rose to the position of technical director before he retired in 1961.
Mayne attributed his longevity
to a healthy lifestyle claiming that "I have never had too much to drink and have always cycled, swum and gardened".
He died peacefully in his sleep in Richmond, North Yorkshire
on 9 April 2007, aged 107.
Mayne was survived by his three children, eight grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. He was the paternal grandfather of Australia
n journalist Stephen Mayne
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
of the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He is also thought to have been the oldest surviving member of Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital is an English coeducational independent day and boarding school with Royal Charter located in the Sussex countryside just south of Horsham in Horsham District, West Sussex, England...
, of the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
Engineering Department, of King's College, Cambridge
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
and indeed of the whole University of Cambridge.
Mayne was born in Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
. His father was a caterer. He won a scholarship to Christ's Hospital and then to King's College, Cambridge, but the Great War intervened. Mayne became a cadet in the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
and was commissioned as a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in September 1918. Attending a training camp in Wales, he caught the Spanish flu
Spanish flu
The 1918 flu pandemic was an influenza pandemic, and the first of the two pandemics involving H1N1 influenza virus . It was an unusually severe and deadly pandemic that spread across the world. Historical and epidemiological data are inadequate to identify the geographic origin...
, and was not fit to be sent to the front before the war ended. Mayne was demobilised on 24 December 1918, and attended Cambridge University from January 1919, having missed only the first term of his first year. He studied mathematics and then mechanical, electrical and civil engineering. Mayne graduated in 1921 and joined the electrical department of the National Physical Laboratory
National Physical Laboratory, UK
The National Physical Laboratory is the national measurement standards laboratory for the United Kingdom, based at Bushy Park in Teddington, London, England. It is the largest applied physics organisation in the UK.-Description:...
. He moved to Imperial Chemical Industries
Imperial Chemical Industries
Imperial Chemical Industries was a British chemical company, taken over by AkzoNobel, a Dutch conglomerate, one of the largest chemical producers in the world. In its heyday, ICI was the largest manufacturing company in the British Empire, and commonly regarded as a "bellwether of the British...
in Billingham
Billingham
Billingham is a town in the unitary authority of Stockton on Tees, in north east England, with a population of 35,765 . It was founded circa 650 by a group of Saxons known as Billa's people, which is where the name Billingham is thought to have originated...
in 1924. Mayne worked in a reserved occupation
Reserved occupation
A reserved occupation is an occupation considered important enough to a country that those serving in such occupations are exempt - in fact forbidden - from military service....
in the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, making chemicals for explosives. He rose to the position of technical director before he retired in 1961.
Mayne attributed his longevity
Longevity
The word "longevity" is sometimes used as a synonym for "life expectancy" in demography or known as "long life", especially when it concerns someone or something lasting longer than expected ....
to a healthy lifestyle claiming that "I have never had too much to drink and have always cycled, swum and gardened".
He died peacefully in his sleep in Richmond, North Yorkshire
Richmond, North Yorkshire
Richmond is a market town and civil parish on the River Swale in North Yorkshire, England and is the administrative centre of the district of Richmondshire. It is situated on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and serves as the Park's main tourist centre...
on 9 April 2007, aged 107.
Mayne was survived by his three children, eight grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. He was the paternal grandfather of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n journalist Stephen Mayne
Stephen Mayne
Stephen Mayne is an Australian journalist, local government councillor and self-described shareholder activist. Mayne is also considered “serial runner”, continually running for elected office and election onto company boards, more often than not in futile attempts, or just to make political...
.
See also
- LongevityLongevityThe word "longevity" is sometimes used as a synonym for "life expectancy" in demography or known as "long life", especially when it concerns someone or something lasting longer than expected ....
- Veterans of the First World War who died in 2007