George Payne was born in North Street, Thame on 9th May 1866. His mother was Ann Payne, but no father was recorded on the birth certificate. He was baptised at St Mary’s Church on 16th August 1888 when he was 22 years old.

George, who was a farm labourer, lived at Church Row, Thame with his mother and grandmother until 1888 when he married Rhoda Ann Brocklesby in Abingdon, Berkshire.

Soon after their marriage they moved to Oxford where he worked as a coachsmith. They had two sons, Wilfred and Arthur and three daughters, Ellen, May and Phyllis.

George volunteered for service with the Royal Engineers and went to France on 10th August 1915 when he was age 49. Having survived the war he died, age 52, of influenza at Queen Alexandra’s Military Hospital, Westminster on 17th February 1919.

97429 Sapper George Payne, Royal Engineers, is buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery, Woking, Surrey. His name is to be added to Thame War Memorial.

* Note on address:

The census returns for 1871 and 1881 place George Payne living at No 4 Church Row. Following the post war conversion of the row of twelve cottages into six, No. 4 Church Row became part of what is now No. 2 Church Road.