Larger-than-life Weymouth character Ernie Mayne

If you were around Weymouth in the 1920s, 30s and 40s, you would have needed blinkers not to be aware of Ernie Mayne.

Ernest Mayne was your man-about-town, a bloke who everyone knew and someone who could always be relied upon to stir up a bit of interest and brighten up the drudgery of town life.

Many years ago we featured a short piece in the Looking Back nostalgia section of the website. The short piece was remembering the achievements of amateur fishermen in the town, including one E M Mayne.

Plucky Ernie managed to land a 40lb 8oz monkfish that was nearly as big as him!

Brenda Dimond, granddaughter of Ernie, inherited her grandfather’s medals.

“My grandfather was a lively little fella, a real character,” said Brenda back in 2006.

“He was a plumber and worked at Whitehead’s Torpedo Works at Wyke Regis. He lived at 38 Park Street, which is where the photo of him holding up his prize monkfish is. We lived there as youngsters and that house has since been turned into three flats. He was always doing the carnival, always fundraising. Once he went as a Punch and Judy stand.

Ernie dressed up as a Punch and Judy stand raising money at Weymouth Carnival

"He made a mock-up of it and put it over him. Another time he and his friends went as a betting shop.

Ernie as a betting shop at Weymouth Carnival

"I remember him always dressing up his car in different designs to raise money for the carnival.

“He was always making things, always out and about. He would make us scooters and during the war he made a boat and called it Berylenda after me and my sister, Beryl. He sold it without ever putting it in water.”

Ernie was a big fish in a small pond and perhaps why other big fish seemed so attracted to him, making him extremely successful at angling. The monkfish he is holding up in Park Street house back yard weighed in at 40lb 8oz and was nearly as big as the man who caught it!