Francis Henry May was the son of George Augustus Chichester May, appointed in 1877 as the Lord Chief Justice of Ireland.

Sir Francis Henry May, was a jockey owner, historian and a colonial administrator,

Francis became The Colonial Secretary for Hong Kong.

• 1881, May was appointed to a Hong Kong Cadetship after a competitive examination.
• 1886, he became the Assistant Protector of Chinese and private secretary to Governor Sir George William Des Vœux.
• 1889 to 1891 was also the private secretary to Acting Administrator Digby Barker (his future father-in-law)
• 1891 Assistant Colonial Secretary
• 1892 Acting Colonial Treasurer
• 1895 member of the Legislative Council
• 1893 to 1902 Captain Superintendent of the Hong Kong Police Force.
• 1896 to 1902 Superintendent of the Victoria Gaol and Fire Brigade for Hong Kong
• 1902-1910 Colonial Secretary for Hong Kong
• 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.

• 1912-07-24 --- 1919-09-30 became the 15th Governor of Hong Kong.
• the leader of the Boy Scouts Association of Hong Kong.