By the 1980s, George had established five main areas – London, Oxford, Southampton, Surrey and Luton. During the 70s, the main Japanese-derived Katas plus the technique Katas, Chopping, Fistway, Elbow, Falling and Kicking, were finalised by a collaboration of the area coaches with George Mayo inputting ideas on natural movement, which he maintained would lead to effectiveness. Variations of these Katas go back into the 60s in the areas, but the versions I know were finalised in the five areas mentioned.

When George moved back to France in 1986, the KIA merged into the KIJA, but the Luton area broke away under Dennis Graves to train under the name Kyu Shin Ryu. Dennis maintains that he practised Kyushindo as George taught but used the name to avoid confusion. He believed the KIJA would not continue without George’s presence in the country. 

There were disagreements; only London, Surrey, and Oxford could agree on a combined syllabus in 1985. Surrey and Southampton occasionally trained together, but most of the Surrey interaction was with the Oxford area. Martin Hardy moved from Surrey to Essex in 1988, with David Frost taking over the Surrey club. Martin then occasionally trained at an Essex Budo club run by Brendan Hayes, who gained a black belt at the London Highgate club and studied under Alfred Bates of the Tokushima Budo Council.

Over the next ten years, many seminars were held involving the remaining two or three areas, and they also started to be opened up to all grades rather than just black belts. George Mayo frequently visited England to attend seminars and gradings and provide private tuition. This remoteness led to a further breakup, and George created ‘Mayoshindo’, which Derek’s Oxford clubs and the Cornwall club joined (Cornwall was an existing Oxford offshoot).

Senior Instructors in Mayoshindo. Derek Collins is back row centre R.

The Oxford area clubs that did not go with Mayoshindo remained under the leadership of Mike James.

George Mayo passed away in December 2004 at the age of 86.

I didn’t have much exposure to George to form an honest opinion. I saw him at national gradings and then seminars, but I only spoke to him once, during the lunch break at a seminar in Banstead, whilst a 1st Dan. Martin introduced me and Sean McCrossen to George and said, ‘Talk to these guys’ – which he did for around half an hour, but I honestly couldn’t tell you what was said as I don’t remember. Martin Hardy and the other area coaches had much more contact, including private lessons. Martin did say that George didn’t cover the mental aspects of martial arts as much as he would have liked and felt this aspect was lacking. Martin focused on Judo in his private lessons with George.