The Times/1939/Obituary/Isaac Herbert Jeayes

MR. I. H. JEAYES

Mr. Isaac Herbert Jeayes, who died at Upminster on Monday, aged 89, was for many years a member of the staff of the British Museum.

He was educated at Rugby, but owing to the death of his father did not go to the University. He held one or two minor posts in the Civil Service, including for a short time a clerkship in the Meteorological Office, before joining the staff of the British Museum about 1872. There he was appointed to the Department of Manuscripts, becoming a Senior Assistant in 1875 and Assistant Keeper (equivalent to the present rank of Deputy Keeper) in 1906. He retired in July, 1913, and had since lived in Essex.

In his Department proved himself a very quick worker, and was much employed on the catalogue of the Stowe MSS. He also did a great deal of work on English charters of which he catalogued several big private collections, and was in general a most useful and kindly member of the staff. In 1896 he edited the Rydeware Chartulary, which was later acquired by the Museum.

A correspondent writes:—

Isaac Herbert Jeayes lives on in my affectionate memory of many friends, especially that sadly diminished band his sometime colleagues in the Department of Manuscripts. His cheery and equable disposition and his unfailing readiness to give a helping hand where it was needed endeared him to all who were brought into contact with him. A man of unflagging industry, he accomplished much useful work in arranging and cataloguing private and municipal collections of charters and other manuscripts in various parts of the country, both during his term of official service and for many years after his retirement. He edited Randle Holme’s "Academy of Armoury" for the Roxburghe Collection. A sound musician and keen churchman, he acted as choirmaster to a church in Highgate. There must still be a few living, besides the present writer, who have enjoyed the delightful four-men part-songs in which he sand the alto part (frequently contributing to the same programme a bass solo!). A widower for several years, he was cared for to the last by his daughter. One of his sons is the well-known actor Allan Jeayes.