May, Philip William RI

1864

1903

‘Phil’ May, as he was always known, was born near Leeds in 1864, son of an engineer. His mother was the daughter of an Irish actor, Eugene Macarthy. Phil May’s father had been a pupil in George Stephenson’s locomotive works at Newcastle-on-Tyne, but hadn’t succeeded in business on his own account, as a result of which the son was brought up with the six other children of the family in straightened circumstances. Phil May was orphaned at the age of nine and at one time he was even reduced to begging in the street. After a little acting and drawing, he had his first break at the age of nineteen, in 1883, when he drew a caricature of Irving, Bancroft and Toole leaving a Garrick Club supper. It was published as a print, and the Prince of Wales, Sir Arthur Pinero and Sir Squire Bancroft acquired replicas. Phil May subsequently found well-paid work as a humourous draughtsman for magazines. From 1885 he spent seven years in Australia, returning to London, were he worked for various periodicals and for the “Daily Graphic” newspaper. His work provides a telling image of London street life towards the close of the nineteenth century. May was a heavy drinker and his health also suffered from a destitute childhood. He died from a wasting disease in 1903, aged 39.