Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Mayo, Henry
MAYO, HENRY (1733–1793), dissenting minister, was born in the west of England in 1733, and coming from Plymouth to London in 1756 was admitted to the academy at Mile End Road. Having preached for a short time at Northampton, he became (1762) the pastor of the Independent Congregation in Nightingale Lane, Wapping, London, of which he continued in charge until his death. He held the degrees of D.D. and LL.D., and upon the decease of Dr. Thomas Gibbons [q. v.] in 1785 he was chosen one of the tutors at the Homerton Academy, a post for which he was well qualified. ‘He was a very sensible man, a good preacher, and a respectable orator.’ In 1763 he was engaged in controversy with Dr. Gill on infant baptism. He frequently met Dr. Johnson at the house of Edward and Charles Dilly, booksellers, in the Poultry. A conversation which he had with Johnson there in 1773 on liberty of conscience is fully reported by Boswell (Life of Johnson, ed. Hill, ii. 247–55). ‘Dr. Mayo's calm temper and steady perseverance rendered him an admirable subject for the exercise of Dr. Johnson's powerful abilities. He never flinched; but, after reiterated blows, remained seemingly unmoved as at first. The scintillations of Johnson's genius flashed every time he was struck, without his receiving any injury. Hence he obtained the epithet of “The Literary Anvil”’ (Boswell).
Mayo died at his house in Wellclose Square 4 April 1793, and was buried in Bunhill Fields. He was twice married, first to Jane Marder, the widow of Mr. Martin, a West India merchant, and secondly to Dame Elizabeth Belfour, and had issue three daughters.
[W. Wilson's MSS. in Dr. Williams's Library; Wilson's Dissenting Churches, ii. 531; Boswell's Johnson, ed. Hill, ii. 252 n, &c.; private information.]