May, Phil (1864-1903), was a popular British caricaturist and poster artist. May won fame in the 1890’s for his humorous pen-and-ink drawings, depicting scenes and characters among the poorer classes of the East End of London. May began publishing annual collections of his drawings in 1892. His work was also published in Phil May’s Sketch Book (1895) and Guttersnipes (1896).
Philip William May was born on April 22, 1864, in New Wortley, near Leeds. He had no formal art training and began work for a magazine at the age of 19. From 1885 to 1888, May lived in Australia and worked for the Bulletin, a literary magazine in Sydney. He returned to England in 1892 after studying in Paris. May worked on the staff of several magazines. In 1896, he joined the staff of the magazine Punch. He died on Aug. 5, 1903.
