The death of Sir Richard Mayne, K.C.B., the late Chief Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, was announced last week. This distinguished public servant was the fourth son of the Hon. Edward Mayne, Judge of the Court of Queen's Bench in Ireland from 1817 to 1830, and was descended from a branch of an old Kentish family, which settled in Fermanagh and Monaghan in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. He was born in Dublin, in 1796, and was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated M.A. in 1821, and in the following year was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn. On the remodelling of the London police by the statute 10 Geo. IV., June 19, 1829, which was introduced to Parliament by the late Sir Robert Peel, then Home Secretary, and which came into force in the succeeding autumn, Sir Richard, then Mr. Mayne, was appointed Joint Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police with Colonel Rowan (afterwards Sir Charles Rowan), on whose death he became Chief Commissioner. In recognition of his meritorious services he was, in 1847, made a Companion of the Civil Division of the Order of the Bath, and immediately after the Great Exhibition of 1851 was created a Knight Commander of the Order. He was a man of untiring and energetic business habits, and was thoroughly zealous in promoting the efficiency of the large body of men under his immediate control. He married, in 1831, Miss Georgiana, eldest daughter of Mr. Thomas Carvick, of Wyke, Yorkshire, who survives him, and by whom he leaves four sons and two daughters. His eldest son, Captain Richard C. Mayne, R.N., C. B., is at present at Rio, commanding her Majesty's ship Nassau. He greatly distinguished himself in the war in New Zealand, where he was wounded, and obtained his post rank in February, 1864, and has commanded the Nassau since July, 1866. Sir Richard Mayne's funeral took place on Wednesday week, at Kensal-green cemetery.
The Portrait is engraved from a photograph by Mr. John Watkins, of Parliament-street, Westminster.
Source: The Illustrated London News, Vol. LIV, Jan. 9, 1869, p.45