Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Harry Mayson, an iron moulder, born 5th March 1851 in Spalding, Lincolnshire and his wife Elizabeth Mayson (nee Elliott, married on the 15th July 1883 in the Nottingham district), born 3rd March 1864 in Radford, Nottinghamshire. Robert was born in the 1st quarter of 1894 in Loughborough, Leicestershire, his siblings were, Charlotte Elizabeth, a wool trade winder, born 9th September 1884 and Harry, born 27th October 1888, the latter two siblings were both born in Radford, Ruth, born 1893, Bertie, born 22nd September 1895 and Lawrence, born 2nd January 1897, the latter three siblings were all born in Loughborough, in March 1901 the family home was at 13, Pinfold Street, Loughborough. In April 1911 Robert was employed as a brick yard labourer and was residing in the family home at 16, The Avenue, Gladstone Street, Loughborough, together with his father, an iron moulder, his mother and siblings, Harry, a needle maker, Bert, a brick yard tile maker and Lawrence, a needle maker. Robert also had the following siblings, James William, born 8th May 1886 in Radford, died 22nd July 1889 in Nottingham, Seth, born 6th November 1887 in Radford, died 20th July 1889 in Nottingham, Rose Ellen, born 1890 in Loughborough. His sister Ruth died on the 16th April 1908 in Loughborough. In 1939 Robert’s widowed mother was residing in the family home at 9, John Street, Loughborough.
Robert’s Army enlistment documents do not survive, all that is known of his military service is that he enlisted into the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, being allotted the service number 11263, and with this unit he first entered the theatre of war in France on the 15th August 1914. He was killed in action at the Battle of the Aisne. He was awarded the 1914 STAR, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
On Friday October 23rd 1914 The Leicester Journal published the following article under the heading. LOUGHBOROUGH MEN MISSING.” – The casualty lists this week contain as missing the names of four Loughborough men, Lance Corporal H. Hallam, Royal Scots, 37, Granville-street; Lance Corporal Varley lodging at 8, Chestnut-street; Private R. Mayson, whose parents live at 19, The Avenue and Private W. H. Jones, whose wife is living with her mother at 8, Chestnut-street.
On Wednesday June 9th 1915 The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. “LEICESTERSHIRE AND THE WAR.” – LOCAL CASUALTIES. – News has been received by his parents at 19, The Avenue, Loughborough of the death of Pte. ROBT. MAYSON, aged 21. Deceased was in the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, and had been reported missing. The official notice states that death took place in Germany on or before April 10th. One brother, Harry, is with Kitchener’s Army in France, another, Lawrence, is with the second 5th Leicester’s at Luton, and a brother-in-law, Pte. J. Hopewell, whose home is in Paget-street, is serving in the 2nd Leicester’s.