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Francis Henry May




Sir Francis Henry May (Chinese Translated Name 梅含理) ( 1860 - 1922 ) was a British colonial administrator who became Governor of Hong Kong .


EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION

May was born in Dublin , Ireland on 14 March , 1860 . He was the 4th son of Rt. Son. G. A. C. May, Lord Chief-Justice of Ireland. May was educated at Harrow and Trinity College, Dublin , where a few of his predecessors to the Governorship of Hong Kong attended school. May received the 1st Honourman and Prizeman Classics and Modern Languages and B.A. in 1881 .


CAREER IN HONG KONG

In 1881 , May was appointed to a Hong Kong Cadetship after a competitive examination. In 1886 , he became the Assistant Protector of Chinese and private secretary to Governor Sir George William Des Vœux . He was also the private secretary to Accting Administrator Digby Barker from 1889 to 1891 .

May would hold the office of Assistant Colonial Secretary in 1891 and Acting Colonial Treasurer in 1892 . He was made a member of the Legislative Council in 1895 . From 1893 to 1902 , Blake was the Captain Superintendent of the Hong Kong Police Force, and Superintendent Victoria Gaol and Fire Brigade for Hong Kong between 1896 and 1902 .

He held the position of Colonial Secretary for Hong Kong in 1902-1910, and became an acting administrator of Hong Kong in 1903 , 1904 , 1906 , 1907 , and 1910 . In 1910, May was appointed Governor Of Fiji and High Commissioner Western Pacific, a position he would hold until 1912 .


GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG

In 1912 , Blake was appointed Governor Of Hong Kong , a position he occupied in his own right until 1919 . It was also his last post in the Colonial Service. May was the only Hong Kong Governor to be a target in an assassination attempt. When he arrived in Hong Kong from Fiji, he rode in a sedan, and was fired upon. May was not injured. Since that incident, May used an automobile as his daily method of transportation.

In 1919 , May was allowed to retire, due to ill health.


PERSONAL LIFE

May married Helena Barker in 1891 . She was the daughter of Acting Administrator Major-General Digby Barker . They had four daughters.
May died on 6 February , 1922 in Canada .


HONOURS



PUBLICATIONS

  • "Guide to Cantonese Colloquial"

  • "Yachting In Hong-Kong"



PLACES NAMED AFTER HIM

May Road , a roadway in the Mid-Levels District in Hong Kong Island , and May Hall was named after him. Also, the Helana May Foundation was named after his wife.


SEE ALSO



  width "25%" align="center"''' Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong '''<br/>1902-1910
  width "25%" align="center"Followed by:<br />'''Sir Claud Severn '''
  width "25%" align="center"Preceded by:<br />'''Sir Henry Arthur Blake '''
  width "25%" align="center"''' Governor Of Hong Kong (Administrator)'''<br/>November 1903-July 1904
  width "25%" align="center"Followed by:<br />'''Sir Matthew Nathan '''
  width "25%" align="center"Preceded by:<br />'''Sir Everard F Im Thurn '''
  width "25%" align="center"''' Governor Of Fiji '''<br/>1910-1912
  width "25%" align="center"Followed by:<br />'''Sir Ernest Bickham Sweet-Escott '''
  width "25%" align="center"Preceded by:<br />'''Acting Administrator Claud Severn '''
  width "25%" align="center"'''15th Governor Of Hong Kong '''<br />1912-1919
  width "25%" align="center"Followed by:<br />'''Acting Administrator Claud Severn '''