The Wayman family have a long history in Bury St Edmunds, and a Great-great- grandson of the John Wayman who was coroner in 1827 was Mayor of the Borough of St Edmundsbury in 2000-2001.

Today's Councillor John Wayman has supplied the family portrait of the 1827 coroner, and writes about him as follows:-

"He was the son of John and Mary Wayman, who were married at St Marys Church, Bury St Edmunds on 11th November 1787.

He was born about July 1788; was articled to a solicitor in Bury in 1805, and was coroner by the time of the Red Barn murder. He conducted the inquest on Maria Martin and committed William Corder straight to the Assizes, at which he would have briefed the prosecuting counsel.

We do not know anything about his schooling or other activities, except that he died on 8th August 1836.

Incidentally his son Harry was also the coroner, and was in a firm called Wayman, Green and Partridge from which Partridge and Wilson evolved with the role of coroner passing down to Bill Walrond until recent days. At one time Harry Wayman appears in a Bury register as "Solicitor, Coroner and Clerk to the County Magistrates, Abbey Ruins".

John Wayman was my great great grandfather.

Article written by
John Wayman
Mayor of St Edmundsbury 2000-2001"

In the 1880's the firm of Wayman and Long, solicitors, opened in Clare and continues to this day. Another great great grandson of John Wayman remains a consultant to that firm in 2001.