Richard Charles Mayne ( 1835 - 1893)

Son of Sir Richard Mayne KCB, who was the first joint commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, and the grandson of Judge Edward Mayne. Both his father and grandfather were graduates of Trinity College, Dublin. Mayne received his education at Eton. His family had a longstanding connection to Mount Sedborough in County Fermanagh during the Plantation of Ulster and later resided at Freame Mount in County Cavan, Ireland.

Mayne’s naval career involved significant exploration, particularly in the context of British Columbia. In 1856, as Lieutenant Mayne, he joined the Nautical Survey of Vancouver Island and British Columbia. He sailed on expeditions with Captain George Henry Richards on HMS Plumper and HMS Hecate to survey the coast of British Columbia from 1857 to 1859. During this time, he also served with the Royal Engineers under Colonel Richard Moody and was tasked with exploring and mapping uncharted areas of the colony. His journal from these expeditions remains a valuable source of British Columbia history. The island of Mayne in the Gulf Islands and Hecate Strait were named in honour of his contributions. In recognition of his work, he was promoted to Commander in 1860 and returned to England.

In 1862, Mayne assumed command of HMS Eclipse for service in New Zealand and participated in the New Zealand Wars until he was seriously wounded in 1863, after which he was invalided home. For his services, he received mentions in despatches, a promotion to the rank of Captain, and, in 1867, he was awarded the Companionship of the Bath.

Mayne also led a survey expedition to the Straits of Magellan from 1866 to 1869, commanding HMS Nassau. During this expedition, the naturalist Robert Oliver Cunningham was on board. Charles Darwin had requested the Admiralty to have Mayne collect a substantial amount of fossil bones of extinct quadrupeds in the region, which were of significant scientific interest. Many of these fossils were collected with the assistance of Hydrographer Capt. Richards and were later deposited in the British Museum.

In addition to his naval and exploratory achievements, Admiral Mayne was elected a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and served on its council. He authored “Four years in British Columbia and Vancouver Island,” contributing to the understanding of this region’s history and geography.