May, William Morrison (1909–62), politician and accountant, was born 8 April 1909 at Limavady, Co. Londonderry, eldest son of William May, JP, of Marlborough Park, Belfast. He was educated at Methodist College, Belfast, where he won the only scholarship of his year open to boys. He qualified as a chartered accountant in 1931, joined the leading Belfast firm of Quinn, Knox & Co., and was admitted as a partner within four years. Recognised as having one of Northern Ireland's best financial minds, May was a well-known business consultant and became director of more than a dozen companies including Lindsay Brothers Ltd and the Belfast Steamship Co. He became an underwriting member of Lloyds in 1954 and had wide contacts in the city of London. He served in the Auxiliary Air Force (1936–9) and in the RAF (1939–45), rising to the rank of wing commander. After the war he became an active worker in the welfare of ex-servicemen and was a member of the Belfast branch of the British Legion and of the North Down Legion committee.
May had been a founding member of the Junior Unionist Committee (renamed the Unionist Society in 1944) and on his return to civil life he took a prominent part in the reorganisation of unionist associations and branches throughout Northern Ireland. He eventually became a member of the standing committee and the executive and finance committees of the unionist party. Although he failed to secure the unionist nomination for the Ards constituency of Co. Down in 1945, he was selected for the general election of 1949 and was returned unopposed to Stormont. In the Northern Ireland general election of 1953 he was the only unionist to increase his majority. He was returned unopposed in 1958.
From his entry into parliament May became a prominent backbencher; his wide-ranging interests included transport, commerce, education, and housing. As chairman of the 1956 committee of backbenchers who protested against the rents bill, he argued that many of the difficulties might not have arisen had the proposed legislation been more fully discussed within the UUP before publication of the bill. It was largely due to his efforts that a compromise between the committee and Dame Dehra Parker (qv), minister of health and local government, was reached. He was also a strong supporter of the ‘step-by-step’ policy of parity with Britain in social services, and led opposition within the party to the proposal to vary family allowances payments from the British pattern. Describing him as a social reformer, Canon E. S. Barer, vicar of Holywood, stated at his memorial service that May's opposition to these changes was a testimony to his compassion for the less well off in society. May also took a keen interest in the affairs of his constituency and wrote more than 2,500 letters on constituency business each year. He ran a welfare advice centre in Newtownards and served on Down county council for a number of years.
Following the death of Harry Midgley (qv) in April 1957, May was appointed as his successor at the Ministry of Education. In his four and a half years as a cabinet minister he steered an extremely difficult ministry past public and parliamentary criticism. In particular, the ongoing controversy over grants to voluntary (mainly catholic) schools was stilled during his tenure in office. He devoted his energies to the building of schools, further education, day release, and the training of teachers, and enjoyed good relations with both the education authorities and voluntary school management.
He joined Eldon Loyal Orange Lodge (LOL) no. 7, Belfast, and became master of the no. 4 district LOL, Belfast. He was also a member of the Masonic order. Lord Brookeborough (qv) stated that May's death brought to a tragic end a career that was outstanding both in business and in politics. An active member of the Church of Ireland, May was also described by his local vicar as a ‘deeply religious man’. His recreations included photography and golf and he was a past captain of the Royal Belfast club. He was also a member of the Ulster Reform club. In 1957 he was admitted as a privy counsellor for Northern Ireland. He died 3 March 1962 after a long illness.
He married (1934) Olive Muriel Dickinson; they had one son and two daughters.