Charles MAY [1817-1879] | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Charles MAY [1817-1879]

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Submitted by David on Mon, 2013-05-06 12:44
Names
Given: 
Charles
Family: 
May
Sex: 
Male
Status: 
Deceased
Birth
Date: 
c.1817-01-01 (Month, Day are approximate)
Birthplace (country): 
United Kingdom
Death
Date: 
1879-04-25

I'm looking for photos of Charles May, to be used in the Central Police Station project. If you know of any, please could you let me know in the comments below?

Dates of birth & death given by Robert Nield in the Dictionary of Hong Kong Biography. Robert's article also mentions:

  • May was the first Captain Superintendent of Police, arriving in Hong Kong on 28th Feb, 1845.
  • When Britain acquired Kowloon in 1860, May was appointed the special commissioner in charge of defining its boundary.

Christine Thomas' research also includes several notes about Charles May:

I've searched for Charles May in the HKPRO without any results. I'm sure I've seen an album of photos of the group that set out Kowloon's boundary in 1860, but I can't remember where!

Regards, David

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Comments

Submitted by David on Tue, 2013-05-21 16:54.

He has two connections to the CPS project. First as head of Police, second as magistrate. He was Assistant Magistrate (I'm not sure exactly when he started that) until 1861, when Callaghan, the current Chief Magistrate left Hong Kong. Endacott writes:

In October 1861 [May] became Acting Chief Magistrate.

In 1862 there was an overhaul of the Colony's courts. A Summary Court was set up with a puisne judge, and the offices of Chief and Assistant Magistrate were abolished and replaced by two Police Magistrates. May was appointed first Police Magistrate. He held this port for the next seventeen years.

Submitted by Adam on Wed, 2013-05-22 15:15.

There's a bit more about him in The Great Fire of HK, as he was made the first superintendent of the Fire Brigade in 1868 (pages 32-5 and 93-4).

regards,

Adam

Submitted by David on Wed, 2013-05-22 22:18.

Thanks Adam - he was a one-man civil service!

Regards, David

Submitted by dmcmobile on Fri, 2021-03-26 00:27.

I am also researching Charles May, infact the May family, has anyone got a picture of him?