The following article is the first in an occasional series about characters associated with Southwold and the sea. This article has been written by Bob Jellicoe.
Sam May was born in Southwold in 1860. He was a fisherman and in his later days owned bathing machines situated under Gun Hill. A man of immense character and courage, he was elected cox’n of the lifeboat, Alfred Corry, in 1898, succeeding John Cragie. It is said the Corry never went on service without him.
The winter of 1911-12 was a particularly active on for the two Southwold lifeboats (the other was Rescue). He was awarded a Certificate of Service and a pair of binoculars for his part in the saving of the barge Beryl of Faversham on December 22nd 1911, a service which took 55 hours in all. The following month in January 12th (the same night as the Idun came ashore beneath the town) he was responsible with his crew for saving the lives of the Captain’s wife and four crew of the Dutch schooner, Voorwarts, which foundered off Minsmere. In recognition of his bravery, he was awarded with medals specially struck by the Queen of The Netherlands. He was one of many courageous Southwold men who have served in the Lifeboat over the years.
Huge in frame as well as character, E.R. Cooper told the following anecdote. Having to go to London on a salvage case, he was unable to fit into the taxi so they tried him broadside on, but there was little difference and a crowd soon collected to see the mighty man of the sea being pushed and pulled through an entrance ample for most cockneys. “I don’t like them taxi things” was his verdict “you aren’t properly in afore they go ‘tick’, an’ away go a pint, and you can hardly say ‘knife’ afore that go ‘tack’ and there’s another pint gone.”
