Person:William May (71)

Childhood

William May was baptised on 25th July 1835 at Bradninch in Devon. He was the third of five children of a dairy farmer also named William May and his wife Susannah Greenslade. At the time of William's birth, the family lived at Downhead Farm, a remote farm in the parish of Bradninch. The family moved about the area quite a lot - never travelling far, but generally appearing in a different parish on almost every sighting.

By 1841, the family was living at Knowle in the parish of Cullompton. By 1851, William had left home and was working as a farm labourer at Shot Ash in the parish of Bickleigh.

Adulthood

On 28th February 1860, William married an Ann Hutchings. They married in her native parish of Crewkerne in Somerset - some distance from William's Devon roots. Presumably he had gone to work in Crewkerne and met her there. They did not stay long in Crewkerne: eleven months later their first child was born in Devonport.

In Devonport, the family lived at the Jolly Bacchus public house at 30 Pembroke Street, with William being the publican. They stayed there for a couple of years, with their daughter Kate's baptism record from 1863 also giving 30 Pembroke Street as their home. By the time their next child, Frank, was baptised in 1865, the family had moved again, this time to the Portland Inn public house at 29 James Street, Plymouth. (A photograph of the Portland Inn taken in about 1956 is available here: Plymouth Reconstruction.) They stayed at the Portland Inn for at least eight years, with William still being listed as the publican in trade directories from 1873.

By 1881 the family had moved again, but this time just around the corner from James Street, to the neighbouring John Street. Here they lived at 10 John Street, where William was described variously as a beer retailer and a shopkeeper. 10 John Street was later renumbered 19 John Street.

William's mother Susannah died in 1879, after which his father initially went to live with William's sister Elizabeth, but following her death William senior came to live at 10 John Street with William. For a time, therefore, there were three William Mays living in the same house - father, son and grandson. William senior died in 1890. William's son William later moved next door to 21 John Street.

Some time between 1901 and 1910 William and Ann moved back to Devonport, where Ann died in 1910. After her death William lived with his daughter Elizabeth and her family; he appears with them in the 1911 census. William appears to have become a great grandfather in January 1911 when his eldest son's eldest daughter Winifred had her first son.

The 1911 census also tells us that William had had nine children altogether, but only five were still alive in 1911. Four months after the 1911 census William's eldest son also died; it appears William outlived five of his nine children. William died on 22nd May 1913 at his daughter's house in Devonport. He was 77 years old.

1. ↑ Church of England. Parish Registers of Bradninch, Devon. (Exeter: Devon Record Office).

   Baptised: 26 Jul 1835
   Name: William
   Parents: William & Susan
   Surname: May
   Abode: Downhead Farm
   Father's occupation: Husbandman

2. ↑ England. 1841 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 225; Book 6; Folio 7; Page 9, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Knowle, Cullompton, Devon
   William May, male, 25 [1811-16], Ag lab, b. in county
   Susan May, female, 35 [1801-06], b. in county
   Ann May, female, 7 [1833/4], b. in county
   William May, male, 5 [1835/6], b. in county
   Elizabeth May, female, 3 [1837/8], b. in county

3. ↑ England. 1851 Census Returns for England and Wales. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 1888; Folio 19; Page 3, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Shot Ash, Bickleigh, Devon
   Robert Pitt, head, married, male, 50 [1800/1], Farmer 160 acres 2 labours, b. Barnstaple, Devon
   Mary Pitt, wife, married, female, 59 [1791/2], Farmer wife, b. Silverton
   Elizabeth Brown, visitor, married, female, 79 [1771/2], Farmer wife, b. Winkley, Devon
   Mary Ann Dunn, servant, unmarried, female, 21 [1829/30], House Servant, b. Cullompton
   Richard Carpenter, servant, unmarried, male, 26 [1824/5], Farmer Labourer, b. Cullompton
   William May, servant, unmarried, male, 14 [1836/7], Farmer Labourer, b. Cullompton
   John Quant, servant, unmarried, male, 15 [1835/6], Farmer Labourer, b. Bradninch
   John Allen, servant, unmarried, male, 11 [1839/40], Farmer Labourer, b. Bickleigh

4. ↑ England. 1861 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG9; Piece 1450; Folio 11; Page 16, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: The Jolly Bacchus, 30 Pembroke Street, Devonport, Stoke Damerel, Devon
   William May, head, married, male, 25 [1835/6], Victualler, b. Collumpton, Devon
   [page RG9/1450/12/17]
   Ann May, wife, married, female, 26 [1834/5], b. Crewkerne, Somerset
   William May, son, male, 2 months [1861], b. Devonport, Devon
   John Deacon, lodger, unmarried, male, 39 [1821/2], Seaman R.N., b. Greenock, Scotland
   Samuel Walker, lodger, unmarried, male, 37 [1832/3], Seaman R.N., b. Stokenham, Devon

5. ↑ England. England and Wales. 1871 Census Schedules. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG10; Piece 2116; Folio 56; Page 2, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: 29 James Street, Plymouth, Devon
   William May, head, married, male, 34 [1836/7], Beer House Keeper, b. Collumpton, Devon
   Ann May, wife, married, female, 35 [1835/6], b. Crewkerne, Somerset
   William May, son, male, 10 [1860/1], Scholar, b. Stoke Damerel, Devon
   Frank May, son, male, 6 [1864/5], Scholar, b. Plymouth, Devon
   Maud May, daughter, female, 3 [1867/8], Scholar, b. Plymouth, Devon
   Elizabeth M. May, daughter, female, 1 [1869/70], b. Plymouth, Devon

6. ↑ The Three Towns' Directory for Plymouth, Devonport and Stonehouse, 1873, accessed 24 Feb 2012.

   May William, Portland Inn, 29 James street

7. ↑ England. 1881 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands: . (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG11; Piece 2194; Folio 7; Page 19, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: 10 John Street, Plymouth, Devon
   William May, head, married, male, 45 [1835/6], Publican & Hauler, b. Tiverton, Devon
   Ann May, wife, married, female, 45 [1835/6], Publican's Wife, b. Crewkerne, Somerset
   William May, son, unmarried, male, 20 [1860/1], Compositer Printer (unemployed), b. Devonport, Devon
   Frank May, son, male, 16 [1864/5], b. Plymouth, Devon, Imbecile
   Maud May, daughter, female, 13 [1867/8], Scholar, b. Plymouth, Devon
   Elizabeth M. May, daughter, female, 11 [1869/70], Scholar, b. Plymouth, Devon
   Annie May, daughter, female, 8 [1872/3], Scholar, b. Plymouth, Devon
   Hannah May, daughter, female, 6 [1874/5], Scholar, b. Plymouth, Devon
   Edmund Hutchings, father, widower, 70 [1810/1], Gardener, b. Crewkerne, Somerset

8. ↑ Plymouth, Devonport and Stonehouse: Private Residents' and Commercial Directory, 1888, accessed 24 Feb 2012.

   May Wm. beer retailer, 10 John st P[lymouth]

9. ↑ England. 1891 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG12; Piece 1726; Folio 14; Page 21, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 10 John Street, Plymouth (Charles), Devon
   4 rooms occupied
   William May, head, married, male, 55 [1835/6], Shop Keeper & General Laborer, employed, b. Cullompton, Devon
   Ann May, wife, married, female, 56 [1834/5], b. Crewkerne, Somerset
   Hannah May, daughter, single, female, 17 [1873/4], b. Plymouth, Devon
   Edmund Hutchings, boarder, widower, male, 80 [1810/11], Gardener, worker, b. Crewkerne, Somerset

10. ↑ Plymouth and Devonport District Directory: A Private Residents' Directory of the Three Towns, A Commercial Directory of the Three Towns, 1896, accessed 24 Feb 2012.

    May William, shopkeeper, 10 John st P[lymouth]

11. ↑ England. England. 1901 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
    Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
    The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
    Class RG13; Piece 2103; Folio 11; Page 13, 31 Mar 1901.

    Address: 19 John Street (General dealer shop), Plymouth, Devon
    3 rooms occupied
    William May, head, married, male, 64 [1836/7], Beer retailer & grocer, own account, b. Bradnick [sic], Devon
    Ann May, wife, married, female, 65 [1835/6], b. Crewkerne, Somerset
    Anna May, daughter, single, female, 25 [1875/6], b. Plymouth, Devon
    Elsie May, daughter, female, 3 [1897/8], b. Plymouth, Devon

12. ↑ England. 1911 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom: The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), (formerly the UK General Register Office.))
    Class RG14; Piece 13032; Schedule 220, 2 Apr 1911.

    Address: 14 Third Avenue, Camels Head, Devonport, Devon
    5 rooms occupied
    William Henry Turner, head, male, 43 [1867/8], married, Chief Stoker - Royal Navy, worker, b. Devonport, Devon
    Elizabeth Mary Turner, wife, female, 41 [1869/70], married 20 years, 3 children born alive, 3 still living, b. Plymouth, Devon
    William Harold Turner, son, male, 16 [1894/5], single, Ship Steward Boy - Royal Navy, worker, b. Plymouth, Devon
    Lionel Claude Turner, son, male, 13 [1897/8], School, b. Pembroke Dock, South Wales
    Leslie Hutchings Turner, son, male, 10 [1900/1], School, b. Devonport, Devon
    William May, father in law, male, 75 [1835/6], widower, 9 children born alive, 5 children still living, Retired market gardener, b. Bradninch Parish, Devon

13. ↑ Death certificate, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

    Registration District Devonport
    1913 Death in the Sub-district of Stoke in the County of Devonport C.B.
    No.	When and where died	Name and surname	Sex	Age	Occupation	Cause of death	Signature, description and residence of informant	When registered	Signature of registrar
    36	Twentysecond May 1913 14 Third Avenue, Camels Head U.D.	William May	male	77 years	Market Gardener (Master)(Retired)	(1) Senile Decay (2) Intestinal Toxaemia Certified by Rob[er]t J. Fleming M.B.	W.H. Turner Son-in-law Present at the Death 14 Third Avenue, Camels Head, Devonport	Twentysecond May 1913	J.W. Brenton, Registrar