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William Ewart Payne

Master Silversmith & Jeweller


William Ewart Payne (1879-1961)
Grave No A4/CON/94

William Ewart Payne was a Master Silversmith and Jeweller and the fifth generation of Payne’s Jewellers. The family firm can be traced back to John Payne who founded the company in 1790 and opened its first shop in Wallingford. Another shop was opened in Banbury, but this was closed when the Tunbridge Wells shop opened for business in 1870. Whilst the company still continues, the Tunbridge Wells shop itself was closed in 2016, after being in the town for over 145 years. One of the most important early commissions for the Tunbridge Wells shop was to supply The Mayor’s chain and badge of office for Tunbridge Wells Borough Council in 1889.

William was born in August 1879 in Abingdon, Berkshire, the eldest child of George Septimus and Octavia Payne. At the time of his birth his father, George, was running the family shop in Abingdon and William was actually born in the living quarters above the shop which was situated in the centre of the town in an old building. His parents named him William Ewart after Prime Minister Gladstone and he was known by his family as Ewart. The shop was an old country watchmakers and jewellers which did not stock a lot of silver just enough for William’s father to fill a narrow shelf in one window labelled “everything on this shelf is Solid Sterling Silver.” The family were still living in Abingdon at the time of Queen Victoria’s Jubilee in 1887. The celebrations included bell ringing, and a grand procession of school children who gathered around Market Place where each child was presented with a “bun” containing a Silver Jubilee Sixpence thrown by the Mayor from the roof of the Town Hall. This was followed by the unveiling of a white marble stature of Her Majesty and the day ended in a grand firework display. In 1888 William attended his first school which was housed in a double fronted house in East St Helen’s Street. After a few terms William continued his education as a weekly border at a school in Wallingford run by his Aunts.

The family remained living in Abingdon until his father George took over the running of the Oxford Shop. William Ewart joined the City of Oxford High School, leaving there in December 1890. He was then at Skinners School, Tunbridge Wells from 1891 until 1896. He became a member of the old boys club, the Guild of Leopards’ Honorary Secretary in 1904 and its President in 1906. William had started his career as an Assistant Silversmith in Oxford, together with his younger brother George, where they were both working alongside their father George Septimus in the 1901 Census record. William continued his career and worked his way up to become a Master Silversmith and Jeweller.

Whilst living in Oxford in 1901 William saved the life of T E Lawence’s older brother. The two brothers had been swimming in the river at Parson’s Bathing Place when the eldest got into trouble. After the event, the Payne family received a letter of thanks from their father, T R Lawrence. In the letter he wrote “I cannot yet understand how the matter occurred for both boys can swim well & the eldest did over ½ mile over a measured course in the sea last summer but your quickness in going to his help were clearly invaluable & Mrs Lawrence & I both thank you most sincerely.” This letter still remains in the Payne family today.

In 1901 George Septimus Payne took over the Tunbridge Wells shop from Helen Elizabeth Payne, the widow of his elder brother Thomas Edward Payne. He placed his own son, William Ewart Payne, in charge of the Tunbridge Wells shop as at the time he was still running the shop in Oxford. By 1905 William had taken over the running of the shop in the High Street and his son Ewart Douglas joined the firm after the second world war in 1946. Douglas took over completely after the death of his father in 1961. This was also the year the new Payne and Son hallmark was registered. In 1981 Douglas’s son Michael also joined the family firm.

William married his first wife Ethel Richardson at St John’s Church, Tunbridge Wells on 1st February 1906 and they had five children. Ethel was born in 1882, the youngest child of James and Julia Richardson. Her father was an Auctioneer and Valuer in the Tunbridge Wells area. Their first family home was in St James Road before moving to Sandhurst Cottage, off Sandhurst Road, and in the 1911 Census it shows them living here with their two eldest children Margaret and Geoffrey and two servants. Whilst living at Sandhurst Cottage an aeroplane landed in the field behind the house in 1912. This was the first plane to come to Tunbridge Wells. The plane was so light that the two pilots put William’s eldest daughter, Margaret, in the cockpit and lifted the plane off the ground saying “now you can go and tell your school mates you have been up in an aeroplane” which she promptly did. During WW1 William let Sandhurst Cottage and rented 8 Prospect Road before returning to Sandhurst Cottage in 1920 and eventually moving to St John’s Road.

Ethel gave birth to twins Pauline Ethel and Charles Edward on 14th August 1916 at the family home in Prospect Road. Sadly, Ethel died of cardiac failure following the birth of the youngest twin, Charles, aged just 36. Ethel was buried in the cemetery on 17th August in Grave No B9/CON/153.

William had served with the 3rd Battalion of the Hants. Regiment, 1898 to 1902. He then served in WWI in the Infantry Brigade of the 29th Battalion of the London Regiment, Royal Fusiliers, having transferred from the 1st Reserve Honourable Artillery Company. William’s military records show that he was granted compassionate leave around the birth of his twins and the sad death of his wife in August 1916, but he became a second-class Infantry Instructor.

In 1920 William married Muriel Grace Shoebrook in her home town of Tunbridge Wells and their son Ewart Douglas was born in 1926.

William was a founder member of the Tunbridge Wells Rotary Club, president of Tunbridge Wells Chamber of Trade in 1937 and an active Freemason. He joined Holmesdale Lodge in October 1912 and later became Grand Master of the Lodge. Muriel took a lifelong interest in the jewellery trade and was a popular member of Rusthall’s Townswomen’s Guild. She was also a devoted member of St Paul’s Church, Rusthall and was actively involved with the Scout movement.

In the 1939 Register William and Muriel were living at 192 St John’s Road. William was listed as being a Jeweller and Master Silversmith and Muriel as a Director of Payne and Company Silversmiths. William was also listed as a member of the Royal Observer Corps in a Civil Defence Role. The Payne’s last family home was 24 Longmeads, Rusthall.

William died on the 8th March 1961, aged 81, in the Kent and Sussex Hospital, Tunbridge Wells, and was buried in the cemetery on the 15th March. Probate was granted in June of the same year to his widow Muriel Grace Payne to the sum of over £20,000.

Muriel died suddenly on 23rd June 1973, in Clarence Nursing Home, aged 72. Her funeral service took place at St Paul’s Church, Rusthall, on Wednesday 27th June and she was laid to rest with William in the family grave. She was survived by her son and two grandchildren. Probate was granted in October 1973 of £30,000.

The simple Payne family grave bears a one-word inscription on the footer that reads “MIZPAH.” This is the Hebrew name for “watchtower” and is mentioned in the biblical story of Jacob and Labon where a pile of stones marks an agreement between two people, with God as their witness. Mizpah can be loosely interpreted as ‘may God watch over you.’

Footnote: Some family information and stories have been provided by William’s grandson Michael Payne.
Picture of 37 High Street, Tunbridge Wells © Payne & Son (Silversmiths) Ltd.

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