Joseph Payne (1876–1961)

Gunner

Royal Garrison Artillery 152047 431 Siege Battery

Photo courtesy Vanda Coulson

Joseph Payne

Biography
Joseph, born in about 1878 at Heage, was the son of Joseph and Leah Payne. He married Florence Elizabeth Smith in 1905 at Crich and the couple lived on the Dimple, Crich. He enlisted in June 1916 and was called up in March 1917, at Derby, aged thirty-nine, a married building contractor. Serving with the 431 Siege Battery in France from September 1917, he was demobbed in February 1919.

After the war he won the contract to build the new Memorial Tower (commonly called Crich Stand) to relace an earlier stand which had been severely damaged. The tower was opened in 1923 and dedicated to all the men who died serving the Sherwood Foresters during WW1.

Around 1930, Joseph Payne left Crich. After several years living in the Skegness area, he settled at Kimberley, Nottinghamshire, where he had previously been responsible for building a new sewerage works during 1928/9. Joseph passed away on 8 March 1961 and was interred in Kimberley Cemetery. As the building contractor who built Crich Stand, Joseph's headstone features an engraved image of the tower. It is appropriate that the hilltop cemetery commands an impressive panorama, and on a clear day Crich Stand can be viewed in the distance.

headstone of Joseph Payne

Joseph Payne's headstone at Kimberley Cemetery

information board at Kimberly Cmetery

Viewing information board at Kimberley Cemetery, Crich Stand is indicated.

Kimberley Cemetery information board

Information board at Kimberley Cemetery listing notable graves
4. Joseph Payne – builder of Crich Stand War Memorial

View from Kimberley Cemetery

View from Kimberley Cemetery showing scaffolded Crich Stand on the skyline (September 2017)

See a history of the 1923 Crich Memorial Tower.

Photo courtesy David Bull

Construction of Crich Stand

Crich Memorial Tower under construction by Joseph Payne pre 1923

Photo courtesy Vanda Coulson

Joseph Payne

Newpaper Items

Derbyshire Courier ,20 March 1920
CRICH, LEA & HOLLOWAY
The Crich and District branch of the Comrades of the Great War held a whist tournament and a dance at the Council School on Saturday. Mr Josph Curzon was M.C. for whist and Mr Joseph Payne officiated for dancing. The whist winners were Miss Elsie Moore, Miss Doris Wragg, Mr D.M. Brown and Mr Cyril Brown. For the dancing Messrs. J. Curzon and G. Haynes supplied the music. The ladies committee of the branch catered foe the refreshments.

Derby Daily Telegraph, 17 March 1922
PARISH COUNCIL ELECTIONS
Nominations for the Belper Union
For the following parishes there are no contests.
Crich: Frederick Joseph Lynam, Charles Joseph Else, Joseph Payne, James Henry Dawes, Edgar Ashmore, Frederick Snow, George Anthony Brumwell, Edward Watkins, Percy Peter Taylor

Medal Roll Index Card
He was awarded the Victory and British War Medals.

Army Service Record
He was called up 30/03/17 at Derby, aged 39 years and 107 days, a married contractor who wished to join the Royal Engineers. He was 5ft 8½in tall and next of kin was his wife Florence Elizabeth Payne (née Smith), whom he marri edon 6 June 1905 at Crich. His address was The Dimple, Crich and he was C of E.
24/06/16 Enlisted
30/03/17 Called up to RGA
31/03/17 to 10/04/17 Leave
28/04/17 Posted to 431 Seige Bty
13/09/17 BEF France
29/02/19 Demob

CENSUS INFORMATION

1901: Starven Valley, Heage

Forename Surname Relationship Age Occupation Where born
Joseph Payne Head 58 Stone mason & farmer Duffield
Leah Payne wife 48   Stafford
Joseph Payne son 23 Stone mason Heage
Yedekiah Payne son 16 Masons labourer Heage
Mary Cowshill servant 12 General servany domestic Ripley

RG13 piece 3230 folio 101 page 23

1911: Dimple, Crich

Forename Surname Relationship Age Occupation Where born
Joseph Payne Head 35 Builder Heage
Florence Elizabeth Payne wife 33   Crich

RG14PN20983 RG78PN1251 RD436 SD4 ED12 SN16

1918 Voters List
Joseph Payne, Dimple, absent on military service.