Arthur Mays was the first child of William Mays & Elizabeth Mays born at Markbeech, Chiddingstone, & christened May 5th, 1861 at St Mary’s, Chiddingstone Kent.
In 1871 Arthur, his 3 younger brothers & his parents were living at 12 Portland Place, Cuckfield, Sussex.
By 1881 the family had moved to Mill Cottage, Cuckfield & Arthur was still at home along with 3 brothers & a sister.
Arthur married Elizabeth Caroline Fowler on August 10th, 1890, at St Wilfrid’s, Haywards Heath, Sussex. Witnesses at the wedding were Owen Picknell & & Adela Godsmark. Elizabeth was was christened May 15th, 1864 at Croydon, Surrey, the daughter of Mary Jane & John W Fowler, a brewer.
In 1891 Arthur & Elizabeth were living at Bolmore Rd, Cuckfield & Arthur was working as a general labourer.
By 1901 they had moved to Hatchgate Cottages, Cuckfield & Arthur was now a domestic gardener. They had 4 children – Alfred (8), Ethel M (5), Amelia E (3) & William Ernest (10 months).
In 1911 Arthur & Elizabeth were living at Oak Cottage, Broad St, Cuckfield & Arthur continued to be a domestic gardener. Children at home were Alfred John, a gardener out of work, Amelia (known as Milly), Ernest William & Lilian (7, known as Lily). It was noted on the census that Arthur & Elizabeth had had 6 children, only 5 of whom were still alive. Daughter Ethel Mary was working as a domestic servant in the household of Edith & Rev. Joseph Montague Harris, a Clerk in Holy Orders, at 41 Cornwall Gardens, Kensington, London.
Son William Ernest served with the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Service & on enlisting gave his occupation as gardener. Sadly William died aged just 29 in 1929 & an obituary in the Mid Sussex Times of October 22nd, 1929 stated the following. William had born an illness with fortitude for 8 years before passing away peacefully at Robertsbridge Sanatorium. He was associated with the local boy scouts when war broke out & later became a member of the VTC. William had joined the Royal Navy before he was 18 & for the last 2 years of the war he was a wireless operator on a ‘K’ ship patrolling the coasts of GB. He was a member of the British Legion & from birth had been connected with the Haywards Heath Court of Foresters, of which his father is secretary.
Son Alfred married Emma Norris in 1924 in Cuckfield & one of the witnesses was his sister Ethel Mays.
Elizabeth, aged 70, died at Chesterfield Rd, Cuckfield & was buried on October 13th, 1934 at Cuckfield.
Arthur of Norfolk House, Chatfield Rd, Cuckfield died May 5th, 1935 at King Edward V11 Memorial Hospital Hayward’s Heath, Sussex. Probate was granted to brother, Alfred Ernest Mays, gardener & his effects were £536.17s.6d.
Daughter Amelia Elizabeth trained as a nurse & enrolled as a midwife in 1929 & was listed as a practicing midwife at Hill House Hospital, Newhaven, Sussex in 1937/8. The 1939 register shows her as ward sister, trained nurse & midwife at Newhaven Infirmary.
The 1939 register shows daughter Ethel Mary employed as a cook for Violet Ethel Beatrice Godber at Sandbourn, Canford Cliffs, Poole, Dorset. Violet was the wife of Frederick Godber, an oil executive, later to be made Baron Godber of Mayfield.
Daughter Lilian was living at 27 Chatfield Rd, Cuckfield at the time of the 1939 register & described as secretary to the Haywards Heath Foresters.
The children of Arthur Mays & Elizabeth Caroline Fowler were:
m.4.1.1.1 Frank Arthur Mays christened November 8th, 1891 at Hayward’s Heath, Sussex; buried November 17th, 1891 at Cuckfield, Sussex
m.4.1.1.2 Alfred John Mays born December 13th, 1892 & christened January 29th, 1893 at Haywards Heath, Sussex; died at Redhills, Surrey & buried August 5th, 1931 in Cuckfield
m.4.1.1.3 Ethel Mary Mays born July 2nd & christened September 2nd, 1895 at Cuckfield, Sussex; died June 2nd, 1984 at East Ridge House, Sussex
m.4.1.1.4 Amelia Elizabeth Mays born February 21st, & christened May 1st, 1898 at Cuckfield, Sussex; died March 6th, 1985 at East Ridge House Nursing Home, Bolney, Sussex
m.4.1.1.5 William Ernest Mays born June 1st & christened August 4th, 1900 at Cuckfield, Sussex; died at Broad St, Cuckfield & buried October 19th, 1929 at Cuckfield
m.4.1.1.6 Lilian Mays born June 25th, 1903 at at Hatchgate Cottages,Cuckfield; died Oct-December 1975 at Cuckfield