The earliest official record that I have been able to confirm in my Mayo family is the marriage of Henry Mayo to Jane Tidd which took place on 27 April 1873 at St. Thomas' Church in Stepney. Henry was listed as being "of full age" and his wife, Jane, was a minor who married with consent of her parents. They were both residents of Stepney at the time of the marriage. Henry's father is listed as being "Henry Mayo - deceased - Sawyer" and Jane's father was listed as "George Tidd - Bricklayer".
There is some doubt as to exactly where Henry Mayo was born although it appears to have definitely been in the East London area. The confusion arises from the Census details that I have been able to find for the family of Henry and Jane that gives conflicting information for Henry's birthplace.
The 1881 Census of Middlesex shows the Mayo family residing at No. 8 Bowcommon Lane, Bromley. The details are as follows -
Henry Mayo - Head - Aged 31 - Labourer - Born in Hackney, London.
Jane Mayo - Wife - Aged 27 - - Born in Bromley, London.
Henry Mayo - Son - Aged 5 - Scholar - Born in Bromley, London.
Jane Mayo - Daughter - Aged 3 - - Born in Bromley, London.
George Mayo - Son - Aged 1 month - - Born in Bromley, London.
The Mayo family is listed in the 1891 Census of London as residing at No. 2 Box Street, Bromley. This Census listed the family group as follows -
Also listed in the same family group at that address were -Henry Mayo - Head - Aged 40 - Woodchopper - Born in Stepney, London.
Jane Mayo - Wife - Aged 35 - - Born in Bromley, London.
Henry Mayo - Son - Aged 15 - - Born in Bromley, London.
Jane Mayo - Daughter - Aged 13 - - Born in Bromley, London.
George Mayo - Son - Aged 10 - Scholar - Born in Bromley, London.
Alfred Mayo - Son - Aged 5 - Scholar - Born in Bromley, London.George Tidd - Father in Law - Aged 65 - Bricklayer - Born in Limehouse, London.
Sarah Tidd - Mother in Law - Aged 64 - - (no birthplace listed).The children child born to Henry Mayo (a Woodcutter) and Jane Tidd were Henry Mayo (born in the March quarter of 1876), Jane Mayo (born about 1878) and George Mayo (born in the June quarter of 1881). Their fourth child was Alfred Mayo and he was born on the 30th of September 1885 at No. 7 Furze Street, Bromley (registration district of Poplar).
It seems at least 3 of the children emigrated from London. Their eldest child, Henry Mayo married Mary Ann Gazley at Greenwich, England in 1901 and started a family. They had 3 children in England - Edith Mary MAYO, Henry George MAYO and Ivy Lillian MAYO. Between 1905 & 1907 they moved their young family to Ontario, Canada. They had 2 further children there - Alfred MAYO and Hilda MAYO.
Jane and Alfred went to Australia. Alfred arrived in Victoria, Australia, on 14th of March 1910 aboard the ship RMS Orsova. According to the information Alfred Mayo told his children, he worked his passage from England as a Stoker aboard a ship. The passenger manifest lists Alfred's proffesion as "Fireman" which may support this story.
Jane was married to Edward Victor Kaye in the September Quarter of 1902 at West Ham, Essex, England. Their first 3 children are not listed in the Indexes for Victoria but the last 3 were (in 1909, 1911 & 1912). It is this that appears to narrow down their date of arrival in Australia to between 1907 and 1909.
Alfred Mayo married Mary May Torode on the 2nd of August 1913 at Saint Peter's Church of England, East Melbourne. Alfred was described as being a Wharf Labourer, aged 26 years, and gave his address as 6 Coates Lane, Melbourne. Mary May was described as a Factory Hand, aged 24 years, and gave her residential address as 100 Bouverie Street, Carlton. Alfred and Mary had 6 children between 1914 and 1929.
