John Stephen Mayfield was born in 1926 in Spalding, Lincolnshire, the son of Albert Stephen Mayfield and Mary Ann (née Chappell). He married Edna Marian Petch in 1954 and there are two known children. He died in 1981 in Holbeach, Lincolnshire.
A fireman and clerk employed by British Railways were married at Holbeach Parish Church on Saturday. They were Miss Edna Marian Petch, second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. P. Petch, of 22, Stukeley Road, Holbeach, and John Stephen Mayfield, only son of Mr. and Mrs. A. S. Mayfield, of “Rosedale,” Alexandra Road, Spalding.
Spalding Guardian (24 September 1954)
Driver’s lucky escape
Motorist Mr John Stephen Mayfield, of 33 Hall Hill Road, Holbeach, had a lucky escape on Saturday evening after his Rover 2000 car burst into flames following a collision involving a tractor.
Mr Mayfield, whose car was completely destroyed, was treated at the Pilgrim Hospital, Boston, for cuts and bruises to his legs and arms but was not detained.
The tractor driver, Мг Richard Pell, of Whitegates, Station Road, Gedney Hill, was unhurt. The accident happened in Cranesgate, Whaplode St Catherines.
Lincolnshire Free Press (8 September 1981)
Inquest opens
An inquest on a Holbeach man who died in hospital 25 days after he was involved in a road accident was opened and adjourned at Boston on Thursday.
Mr John Stephen Mayfield, of 33 Hall Hill Place, died at the Pilgrim Hospital, Boston, on Wednesday morning.
Evidence of identification was given by his son-in-law, Mr Allan Venni, of Crow Tree Farm, Wragg Marsh.
Mr Mayfield was admitted to hospital for emergency treatment six days before his death.
Lincolnshire Free Press (6 October 1981)
MAYFIELD, John Stephen. Mrs Edna Mayfield and family wish to express sincere thanks to the doctors and all the nursing staff and the Pilgrim Hospital for the care and attention given to him during his illness, also relatives and friends for the many kind expressions of sympathy letters, cards and donations recieved for the Heart, Chest and Stroke Association. Many thanks are extended to Susan and Chris, Stephanie and John, Doreen, John W. and Mr A. Crawford. Please accept this the only intimation.
Lincolnshire Free Press (13 October 1981)
Chairbound man died from lack of exercise
A Holbeach man sat day and night in the same armchair for almost a month after he was injured in a road accident. The only times Mr John Mayfield moved was to go to the toilet or for check-ups at the hospital.
And the lack of exercise caused a blood clot to form in his leg and eventually led to his death.
An inquest at Boston heard that Mr Mayfield (52), of 33 Hall Hill Road, would still have been alive if he had exercised.
Recording a verdict of death by misadventure coroner Dr Marcus Gunning said it was an unusual case.
He added: “There is no doubt that had the accident not occurred then the deceased would not have died.
“But it is also clear that the accident, although starting off the process, was not in any way the cause of death.
“Death was caused by the fact that he adopted a life of immobilisation after the accident.”
Consultant pathologist at the Pilgrim Hospital, Boston, Dr Joseph Adler carried out a post-mortem examination on Mr Mayfield on September 30.
Dr Adler told the inquest that although Mr Mayfield was in pain since the accident it was not severe enough to stop him moving about.
“If he had put his mind to it he would still have been alive today,” he added.
“But in the period between the accident and his death the deceased took virtually no exercise whatsoever he was housebound and hardly moved.
“The fact that he had been sitting and sleeping in an upright position compressed the leg veins and resulted in thrombosis.”
Dr Adler gave the cause of death a pulmonary embolism blood clot in the lung.
He explained that Mr Mayfield was taken to the emergency department of the Pilgrim Hospital after an accident at Whaplode on September 5.
Mr Mayfield was not detained after examinations revealed that he only had cuts and bruises to his legs and arms.
He was seen again on September 11 when he complained of pains in the chest and X-rays revealed two fractured ribs.
“An appointment was made for him to attend the fracture clinic on the 21st but on the 19th he called in again complaining of chest pains especially on deep breathing,” said Dr Adler.
He was admitted as an emergency patient on September 24. His condition deteriorated rapidly and he had a heart attack and died on September 30.
Mr Mayfield’s daughter Mrs Susan Venni, of Crow Tree Farm, Wragg Marsh, said that after the accident her father was unable to move about the house because of pains in his leg, ankle and chest.
“He spent all day sitting in the same chair and at night slept in the same chair,” she said.
“He could not get up the stairs very easily and could not lie down flat. He was more comfortable when he was sat up.” Mrs Venni said her father was in a great deal of pain and could not sleep shortly before he was admitted to hospital.
The inquest had earlier been told that the accident in which Mr Mayfield was involved occurred in Cranesgate, Whaplode, on September 5.
Mr Mayfield’s Rover 2000 was burned out after a collision with a tractor and trailer.
In a statement to police after the accident Mr Mayfield said he was dazzled by lights of a vehicle coming towards him. He said he slowed down to pass it but hit the trailer and the car spun round and caught fire.
“I saw a glow of flames start in the glove compartment and so I got out before the flames spread — the car was completely burned out,” he told police.
