About Herbert Mayo
Lived 1885 – 1972 (aged 87). Herbert Mayo was a British and Australian lawyer, judge and university teacher.
Sir Herbert Mayo (3 June 1885 – 1 October 1972) was a prominent South Australian jurist.
History Herbert Mayo was born in Adelaide a son of George Gibbes Mayo (–), and Henrietta Mary Mayo, née Donaldson (–). George Mayo was an engineer. Herbert was educated at St Peter's College, Adelaide and studied law at the University of Adelaide, and was called to the Bar in December 1909. He had a practice at Lameroo and Pinnaroo before in 1914 joining with Stanley Murray and Collier Cudmore as the legal firm of Mayo, Murray & Cudmore with offices in Street. Sir Josiah Symon was later to join the firm. In 1929 he joined with William A. "Willie" Magarey (who died later the same year), Ronald Finlayson and J. P. Astley to form Magarey, Finlayson, Mayo & Astley, then became Finlayson, Mayo, Astley & Hayward, with which A. R. Downer and John Hervey Bagot were early associated. He was appointed King's Counsel in 1930.
He served from 1924 to 1941 on the council of the Law Society of South Australia and its president in the years 1932–33, 1934–35 and 1939–41, and was for many years South Australian editor of the Australian Law Journal. He also lectured at the School of Law at the University of Adelaide.
Family Herbert Mayo married Clarice Gwendoline Thomson Melrose (27 March 1890 – 29 May 1957) on 17 May 1911. She was a daughter of James Melrose (1857–1922) and granddaughter of George Melrose (1806–1894). Their children included: Eric Elton Mayo (28 July 1912 – 19 November 1941) who as Lieut. Eric Elton Mayo RAN on 4 July 1939 married (Edith) Janet Allen Simpson (1915–1995), and was lost in the sinking of . They had two sons. Clarice Elton Mayo (1914– ) Diana Elton Mayo (1917– ) George Melrose Elton Mayo (1918– ) Helen Prudence Elton Mayo (1921– ) He married again, to the widow Gwen Alister Brookes, née McInnes (1908– ) on 3 June 1958.
The medical doctor Helen Mayo (1878–1967) was a sister and the organizational theorist Elton Mayo (1880–1949) was a brother.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Herbert Mayo's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Herbert Mayo's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Herbert Mayo?
Australian judge (1885-1972)
When was Herbert Mayo born?
Herbert Mayo was born on 3 June 1885 in Morphett Street.
When did Herbert Mayo die?
Herbert Mayo died on 1 October 1972 in Hyde Park.
What was Herbert Mayo's occupation?
Herbert Mayo was a lawyer, judge and university teacher.
What nationality was Herbert Mayo?
Herbert Mayo was British and Australian.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: Herbert Mayo (judge)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Herbert Mayo. https://biography.guide/herbert-mayo/
MLA: "Herbert Mayo." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/herbert-mayo/.
Chicago: "Herbert Mayo." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/herbert-mayo/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:17 UTC