May was the daughter of Samuel Houghton, cousin to H.E.’s maternal grandfather, George Lucas, and a close friend of George’s youngest daughter, Florence.

May married Harry Larkins who farmed at Lower Dean about 8 miles from Higham Ferrers. May was a very generous woman and much loved in the village, especially by the children, and was known affectionately by her nickname, ‘Larky’. When H.E. was stationed at RAF Oakington during WW2 he visited the Larkins often, occasionally taking along his fellow officers and wives as guests and sometimes staying on for a day or two.

It has always been thought that H.E. gave the name Larkin to Ma and Pop in The Darling Buds of May in memory of the happy days he spent at Dean Farm.

May also appears as Sam Houghton’s daughter in the story 'Day’s End'.