Arthur Frederick MAY [1907-2000] | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Arthur Frederick MAY [1907-2000]

Primary tabs

Submitted by Admin on Wed, 2013-01-02 22:35
Names
Given: 
Arthur Frederick
Family: 
May
Sex: 
Male
Status: 
Deceased
Birth
Date: 
c.1907-01-01 (Month, Day are approximate)
Birthplace (town, state): 
Redcar, Yorkshire
Birthplace (country): 
England
Death
Date: 
2000-02-01
Connections: 
  • Log in or register to post comments

Photos that show this person

1996

Comments

Submitted by brian edgar on Thu, 2013-01-03 14:56.

Arthur May worked under Dr. Selwyn-Clarke in the early days of the Japanese occupation so remained uninterned. His job was servicing the water and electrical installations of the hospitals. About a year beore the end of the war he was interned in Ma Tau-wai Camp. He played an important role between the Japanese surrender (August 16, 1945) and the arrival of Harcourt's fleet on August 30 - I've put in some links to the Chronology.

He was 88 in 1995 so was presumably born in about 1907 (http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-848305.html)

He died in Hong Kong in 2000.

Submitted by Admin on Thu, 2013-01-03 22:19.

Thanks Brian, I've added in those dates. Amazing stories about his activities at the end of the Japanese occupation.

I also find a couple of mentions that the same flag he raised at the peak was raised in the final handover ceremony when Hong Kong returned to China in 1997. 

Here's a photo of Arthur May.

It looks like there might have been a book (or phd thesis?) written about him.

Regards, David

Submitted by brian edgar on Thu, 2013-01-03 23:37.

Good photo of Arthur May. Lots of sparkle.

As far as I can make out, it's an Arthur May archive and the compiler seems to have used the letters etc. for a thesis on the diplomatic history of Hong Kong.

The archive is in one of the HKU libraries if anyone has the chance to look at it....

Submitted by moddsey on Fri, 2013-01-04 19:07.

It has been a long time but at the 1996 Liberation Day, I took this photo of Jack Edwards and I believe of Arthur May (to be verified) and the Union Flag that was raised on the Peak in August 1945. See http://gwulo.com/node/6563

Submitted by David on Sun, 2013-01-06 20:23.

Here's Moddsey's photo - it certainly looks like Arthur May in the other photo:

1996 Liberation Day

Any chance you have a larger copy, or we can get a close-up of the man in the middle?

I've also received some more about Arthur from Henry Ching:

Arthur May was an Old Boy of the Diocesan Boys’ School. He was working in the Public Works Department in 1941.

When the Japanese attacked he was a Warrant Officer II in the HKVDC, and appears to have been transferred with other PWD men to the auxiliary unit of the HKVDC known popularly as the PWD Corps.  This Corps worked together with the civil defence auxiliary Public Works Corps to maintain, during the fighting, those services for which the Public Works Department was normally responsible. The two organisations are often confused.

Arthur May remained free from internment for much of the occupation, and so did his parents. It is not known precisely how they managed to do this. The usual explanation is that they were Irish, but there seems to be some doubt about this.

Regards, David

Submitted by moddsey on Mon, 2013-01-07 07:20.

I'm in the process of upgrading the comp and saving files. Once completed, I will send an enlarged photo. I recall the SCMP also ran an article about Arthur May and the flag after the 1995 or 1996 Liberation Day.

Submitted by Rachael71 on Fri, 2014-01-31 01:19.

The man in the middle is definitely of my father Arthur May, with Louise, his second wife on the far left.

Mavis Gallant ( nee May )

Submitted by David on Sat, 2014-02-01 10:59.

Dear Mavis,

Thanks very much for confirming it is your father in the photo.

I'm interested to learn more about how he and his parents spent the war years. If you can tell us anything about that time, I'd be very grateful.

Regards, David

Submitted by brian edgar on Sat, 2014-02-01 17:45.

I second David's thanks and interest in more details. From what little I know it's a fascinating story.

Submitted by brian edgar on Wed, 2014-06-25 16:15.

Arthur May died at Queen Mary Hospital at 1 a.m. on February 1, 2000.

Arthur Gomes Newsletter, 1 March 2000, 6

Submitted by David on Fri, 2016-01-01 14:39.

Brian has written a review of the book "The Arthur May Story: Hong Kong 1941-1945". The book covers Arthur May's experiences in wartime Hong Kong.

Submitted by larahubner on Sat, 2018-11-10 15:35.

The man in the middle is definitely Arthur May.  He was my great uncle, the brother of my grandmother.  The lady standing on the far left of the photograph was his second wife Louise, who was Danish.  They would join us every year for Christmas at Normandie, 22 Severn Rd, where I lived as a child with my grandparents, Bertie and Norma Rasmussen.  He was a lovely man and would amuse us all with his stories of old Hong Kong.

Submitted by annpake on Tue, 2021-02-23 18:23.

1911 Census St Jagos Barracks Gibraltar First Company Royal Engineers

Arthur F May age born 1907 born Redcar Yorkshire living with parents

Marriage 1932 Farnham Surrey Doris Amy Parker

Passenger  List May 1946 London to Hong Kong

Arthur F May 39 electrical engineer Address in UK Rose Cottage, Goose Green, Billericay, Essex.