William Charles May

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W. C. May
Born
William Charles May

(1853-03-16)16 March 1853
Reading, Berkshire, England
Died28 December 1931(1931-12-28) (aged 78)
Hampstead, England
NationalityEnglish
EducationRoyal Academy of Arts
Known forPortrait painting and sculpture
Notable workArmada Memorial (Plaque) and bust of George V
Patron(s)Samuel Hoare MP

William Charles May (16 March 1853[1] – 28 December 1931[2]) was an English sculptor and painter active from about 1870 to 1931.

He was regarded as a distinguished portrait sculptor. He studied at the Royal Academy Schools. His most famous works include his contribution to the Armada Memorial sculpture on Plymouth Hoe, a bust of king George V and painted portraits of Mr. Edmund Yates and Sarah Bernhardt.

Early life[edit]

W. C. May was born in Chain Street, Reading, Berkshire, England in 1853, son of a butcher William May and Mary Ann May (nee Ball). It is said that Mary Ann was the great-grand niece of William Penn of Pennsylvania. He ran away from school and tried to join the Navy, but was refused. After that he went to work for as a butcher’s lad for Mr. Farrow, Mayor of Newbury. He then made his way to South Kensington, where he studied at the studio of Mr. Thomas Woolner R.A.. He studied for and passed the entrance exams to the Royal Academy School. While at Royal Academy School, he painted ‘A Warrior Bearing a Youth From Battle’ Later he studied with Raffaelle Monti and Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux.[3]

Career[edit]

He was contemporary of Sir Alfred Gilbert RA. and Sir William Hamo Thornycroft RA. After leaving Royal Academy School, he set up shop in Hampstead (Frederick Street and later Rudall Crescent). He cast his own bronzes. The admiralty commissioned a bust of admiral Sir William May, for which they supplied three obsolete howitzers, to be used for the sculpture. The Art Journal commissioned him to do a classical sculpture ‘The Death of Panthea’. Samuel Hoare MP was an enthusiastic patron. At about the same time he was working on the ‘Armada Memorial’, he painted ‘In Ambush’ for barrister Mr. Irwin Cox MP and later painted a portrait of him. He was a friend of Raffaelle Monti, whom he helped with trophies and cups.[4]

Notable works[edit]

Memorials etc.

Busts

Oil paintings at the Royal Academy

  • "Poachers"
  • "Deaf As a Post"
  • "Going On A Perilous Journey"

Other works

  • Sarah Bernhardt
  • Edmund Yates
  • "In Ambush"
  • “Fresco for St. Peter’s, Belsize Park, London, England”[12]

Personal life[edit]

William Charles May was eldest son of William May (12 December 1826[13] – 24 December 1896[14]) and Mary Ann Ball (1822[15] – 9 March 1922[16]). Mary Ann Ball was the great-grand niece of William Penn of Pennsylvania. She lived to the old age of 100, in Sonning on Thames, Berkshire, England. He was an excellent swimmer and had, in his lifetime, rescued nine people from drowning. He was a member of the Royal Humane Society. He was married to Susan Giddens (b. 1855)[17][18] and they lived, until his death in 1931, at 13 Rudall Crescent, Hampstead, London, England. They had four children: Charles Albert[19] and three daughters, Edith,[20] Dorothy[21] and Phyllis.[22]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Birth certificate - '1853, Mar, MAY, William Charles, Reading, 2c, 347'
  2. ^ Death certificate - '1931, Dec, May, William C., 78, Hampstead, 1a, 722'
  3. ^ "Mr. W. C. May - Distinguished Sculptor and Painter". City of London Illustrated. August 1909.
  4. ^ Wyke & Cocks (2004). Extract from 'Public Sculpture of Greater Manchester'. ISBN 9780853235675.
  5. ^ Wyke, Terry; Cocks, Harry (2004). Barnes Memorial illustration. ISBN 9780853235675.
  6. ^ "Town Hall Frieze" (PDF).
  7. ^ "Reading Municipal Buildings". Berkshire Chronicle. October 1897.
  8. ^ "Panthea and Abradatus Print". Steve Bartrick Antique Maps and Prints.
  9. ^ Benezit Dictionary of Artists. Oxford University Press. 2006. ISBN 9780199773787.
  10. ^ "Pearson Hall, Sonning on Thames".
  11. ^ "National Archive entry for Joseph Stevens".
  12. ^ "Tomb With A View". Tomb With A View.
  13. ^ Parish Register, Sonning On Thames, Berkshire, England
  14. ^ Death certificate - '1896, Dec, May, William, 70, Wokingham, 2c, 248'
  15. ^ Parish register, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England
  16. ^ Death certificate - '1922, Mar, May, Mary A., 100, Wokingham, 2c, 598'
  17. ^ Birth certificate - 'Giddens, Susan, St. Pancras, 1b, 3'
  18. ^ Marriage certificate - '1877, Mar, MAY, William Charles, Marylebone, 1a, 862'
  19. ^ Birth certificate - '1877, Dec, MAY, Charles Albert V., Pancras, 1b, 14'
  20. ^ Birth certificate - '1885, Dec, May, Edith Alberta M. P., Hampstead, 1a, 647'
  21. ^ Birth certificate - '1888, Mar, MAY, Dorothy Eva P., Hampstead, 1a, 669'
  22. ^ Birth certificate - '1898, Dec, May, Phyllis Margaret L. P., Hampstead, 1a, 602'
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