Richard Landrum Mays, Jr
(“RLM” 1/1926 to 5/1932)
Richard Landrum Mays, Jr. (11/28/1905 to 10/25/2002 (Signal Hill Memorial Park in Hanover County, Virginia lived the longest life of any Charles M. Robinson Architects’ employees and principals. He was the son of a travelling candy salesman for the Westmoreland Candy Company and later the Chesterfield Candy Corporation. From 1917 to 1924, the family bounced around between rented apartments at 2209 Fairfax Avenue, 1627 West Grace Street, 1818 West Grace Street and 3124 Floyd Avenue. In the 1925 and 1926 City Directories, Richard L. Mays, Jr. is listed as a “clerk” with Charles M. Robinson Architects. From 1927-1932 he was listed as being employed by Charles M. Robinson Architects as a draftsman.
In the 1933 directory he is listed as living at 2808 2nd Avenue, but no occupation or place of employment. In the 1934 directories he is listed as being and employee of J. Binford Walford. In the 1937 Directory he is listed as employed as a draftsman for Edward F. Sinnott. In the 1940 census he is listed as a draftsman, living with his wife and 5-year-old daughter Barbara.. His October 27, 1941 draft card lists him as married to Ms. Cornelia Marion Mays, living at 2104 Hilliard Road in Henrico and employed by Edward F. Sinnott, architect at 112 East Cry Street in Richmond.
There are no listings from 1941 to 1950. From 1950 to 1959 he is listed as a draftsman for Carneal and Johnston. Throughout his career, Richard L. Mays, Jr. did small graphic design projects. An early one was for the Yorktown Centennial in 1932, another was for the 1940 State Chamber of Commerce where he designed an illustrated map of the State of Virginia. Richard L. Mays, Jr. is in the February 1926 photo of the drafting room.
Mr. Mays was a pallbearer at Charles M. Robinson’s Funeral. David Robinson met him several times in 1977 and it was Mr. May’s love of his time at Charles M. Robinson Architects that inspired David to learn more about the employees of the Firm. No obituary could be located.