South Yorkshire Times, March 11th, 1944
Squire of Newhill
Death of Mr Richard Payne J.P.
Mr. Richard Payne J.P. of Newhill, Wath, died at his home on Monday at the age of 77. He had been ill for about three weeks.
Mr. Payne, a bachelor, was a member of an old Wath Quaker family, the fourth son of the late Dr. Henry Payne M.D. of Newhill Hall, an old Georgian mansion famous for its Adam ceilings, fireplaces and panellings, which was built by Mr. Richard Payne’s great-grandfather in 1785.
Mr. Payne was born at the Hall in 1866, and at his death was the oldest inhabitant of Newhill who had been born in the village. His school days were spent at Highfield House School at Wath and a Society of Friends School at York. From boyhood his hobbies were the study of plant, bird and insect life. He had also always taken an active interest in horses and at one time bred at Newhill some hardy polo ponies that helped to uphold the America, Spain, and this country, and had carried off many prizes at Royal, Yorkshire, and other shows, along with fine hunting stock, also bred by him.
Mr. Payne was a keen follower of hounds and his mounts were hunted regularly with Lord Fitzwilliam’s (Wentworth) and the Badsworth hounds. Other hobbies were shooting and photography. He was president of Wath and West Melton Cage Bird Society, and had won many prizes with his canaries and other birds. He was at one time a fairly regular contributor of articles to the “Sheffield Telegraph” under the nom-de-plume “Kittywake.”
He lived the life of a country squire, and was a highly respected friend of the villagers at Newhill and others in the district. In his younger days he took an active interest in the public life of Wath, being a member of Wath Urban Council and Wath Joint Hospital Board, sitting on the House Committee. He was a member of the West Riding County Council and was also a member of Wath Education Committee, as well as military representative during the last war, for the Mexborough District Tribunal, a member of Brampton Bierlow Poors’ Estate Trust, president of Wath Chrysanthemum Society, and a member of the Royal Agricultural Society.
He was a County J.P. and it was only about seven years ago that he ceased to take his seat on the bench, although he carried out other duties connected with the office until his death. He was admitted a solicitor some years ago, having been articled with Messrs. Nicholson, but did not practice. Mr. Payne is survived by a brother, Mr. Frank Payne, aged 85, of Bournemouth, and two sisters.