In a joint venture Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council and Hinckley District Past & Present have unveiled plaques in two locations of the town. One in a quiet corner of Argents Mead and the other in Hinckley cemetery. This was in way of grateful recognition of a wonderful amenity right in the heart of the town to be enjoyed forever.

Paul Gardner BEM of Hinckley District Past & Present brought to the attention of the Borough Council, Margery’s story and suggested a plaque be erected to commemorate such a generous gesture and that future generations would be aware of how Argents Mead became a wonderful green space in the heart of the town and playing host to loads of local events throughout the year, all thanks to Margery’s wonderful gift.

Then local heritage group HDPP (Hinckley District Past & Present) held a fundraising event to be able to put a duplicate plaque on Margery’s final resting place in Hinckley cemetery. After reporting the sad condition of the grave Paul Gardner approached the council who agreed that they would have the grave tidied and re-erected before the second plaque was put into position.

Special thanks to Joseph Barsby of G Seller Funeral Directors in upper Bond Street who also took charge of refurbishing the site in Ashby Road cemetery. Both plaques were unveiled on the same day and the local branch of the Royal British Legion were in attendance. Margery was a big supporter of the RBL.

Margery Payne was one of two children of William Hurst Payne and Mary Freeman. Her father was a well know hosiery manufacturer of the time, who had premises in Upper Bond Street. This traded until 1957. The family lived at The Limes on Derby Road. Margery’s sibling Harry died in his teens and is commemorated on a brass tablet in St. Mary’s church.

Not having any children of her own she was very community minded, she was a driving force behind getting Hinckley’s war memorial created and donating land to afford access to it.

Upon Margery’s death in 1946 she bequeathed as a gift, the land between St Mary’s church and the castle mound which we know as Argents Mead. Her will reads as follows:

“I devise to the Urban District Council of Hinckley, free of all duties, the close of land lying near to St. Mary’s church, Hinckley and known as Argents Mead, which has been leased by me to the said council upon trust to maintain the same forever as an open space or recreation ground for the use of inhabitants of the town of Hinckley and neighbourhood”

Paul added that it had been a special day and now everyone knows the story behind Argents Mead and more importantly future generation will know her name too.