Reuben Payne (1815 – 1882)

Reuben was born circa 1815 in Wiltshire. He was probably born in the village of Dalton Marsh, which was his birth place recorded in the 1851 and 1861 censuses. In the 1871 census his birth place was stated as Warminster and in 1881 as Westbury, they are both small towns close to Dalton Marsh.

There is also some doubt about when Reuben was born. According to his age recorded in the censuses he could have been born as late as 1827 (as he was stated to be 44 in 1871) but he was recorded as being aged 67 on his burial which implies he was born circa 1815. He may well have been the Reuben Payne baptized on 13 June 1828 at Longbridge Deverill son of William, a weaver, and Anne and recorded as being 11 years old. Longbridge Deverill is about 8 miles from Dalton Marsh, his probable birth place.

There is no trace of Reuben in the 1841 census. In the 1851 census Reuben was recorded living as a lodger in Canal Street in Wolverhampton and he was a wood turner.

By the time of the 1861 census Reuben had moved to Newbury and he was a lodger in Back Lane in Newbury and working as a chair maker. Ten years later in the 1871 census Reuben was lodging in Mayor Lane in Newbury and still a chair maker.

Reuben was recorded as a pauper in Newbury Union Workhouse in the 1881 census, his occupation was chair maker.

Reuben died on 22 November 1882 aged 67 in Jack Street in Newbury and he was buried at Newtown Road Cemetery on 24 November after a service at St Nicolas. An announcement appeared in the Newbury Weekly News dated 30 November as below.

PAYNE – Nov. 22, at Jack Street, Newbury, Reuben Payne aged 67.

Sources: