encyclopedia titanica

Mr Arthur William May : Titanic Engineering Crew

Summary
Age: 60 years
Marital Status: Married.
Last Residence: at 75 York Street, Northam Southampton Hampshire England
Occupation: Fireman Messman
Engine crew
First Embarked: Southampton
Died in the sinking.
Body Not Recovered

Other Information
Mansion House Titanic Relief Fund : Arthur William May
Various Memorials to Arthur William May

Mr Arthur William May

 
Left: Arthur William May
Right: His family await news (Daily Sketch).

Mr Arthur William May, 60, of 75 York St, Northam, Southampton was born in that city. He had previously worked on the Briton but a bad leg had recently prevented him from joining his old ship.

May's son Arthur May was also aboard the Titanic as a fireman.

Ann May and six of their eight children - Joy, Grace, Mabel, Annie Louisa, Philip Nelson and Gladys - recieved money from the Mansion house Titanic Relief Fund (No.190).

Both men died in the sinking, Arthur May senior's body, if recovered, was never identified. However, a recently rediscovered grave in the Old Cemetary in Southampton mentions the two men:

THIS STONE WAS ERECTED BY JOHN B. MAY IN MEMORY OF MY BELOVED BROTHER ARTHUR W. MAY WHO LOST HIS LIFE ON THE S.S. TITANIC, APRIL 15TH 1912, AGED 60 YEARS. ALSO HIS SON ARTHUR LOST HIS LIFE ON THE S.S. TITANIC, APRIL 15TH 1912, AGED 23 YEARS. ALSO DAUGHTER ALICE M. WHITE DIED FEBRUARY 20, 1913 AGREDE 25 YEARS. AND MY WIFE ALICE MAY OCTOBER 11 1917 AGED 53 YEARS.

The family's loss was also recorded by an unknown Daily Mail reporter writing of York Road in the aftermath of the disaster:

Mrs May, across the way, lost her husband and eldest son. The son was married a year ago and his wife had a baby six weeks ago... Crossing the road I had a talk with the elder Mrs May, a slight, pale woman with dark sorrowful eyes. She asked eagerly for news, but when I had none to give, she sighed and the corner of her apron went to her eys. "Yes, it's true," she said in a weary voice. "Husband and son have gone and left eleven of us. It was the first time that Arthur and his father had been at sea together, and it wouldn't have happened if Arthur hadnt been out of work because of the coal strike. He tried to get work ashore but failed, and he had his wife and a baby to keep. So he signed on aboard the Titanic as a fireman. His father shouldn't have been on the Titanic but a bad leg kept him from going on his own ship, the Britannia. Now they're gone and there's eleven of us. The eldest boy, nineteen, makes a few shillings a week by odd jobs. My own youngest baby is six months old." Daily Mail April 18 1912

References
The Mansion House Titanic Relief Fund Booklet
Ticehurst, B. (1995) Titanic Victims discovered in the Old Cemetary - the Common, Southampton

Acknowledgements
Chris Dohany