Australian Royalty: Genealogy of the colony of NSW

Lawrence was sentenced in Dublin to 7 years and was transported to the colony aboard the ship Queen in 1791 with the Third Fleet.

Lawrence received a 30 acre grant on Robinson's Lagoon. By 1802 his farming flourished, if not his domestic affairs. In 1804 it took a coroner's verdict of 'death from excessive drinking' to quell the malicious rumour that May's wife Ann had been the victim of his violence.

"All Settlers and others are cautioned against harbouring, secreting or employing George Goodman, on pain of prosecution, he being my indented servant 5 weeks since absconded."

"To be LET.
And entered on immediately.
AN excellent Thirty acre Farm at Prospect, 18 acres clear, with good Dwelling House, barn, and large garden. For further particulars, apply to Mr. Lawrence May, settler at Hawkesbury."

"To be Sold by Private Contract, with immediate possession, a truly valuable House at Parramatta, known by the name of Sign of the Wheatsheaf, and formerly the property of John Graham, delightfully situate near the Church, and having 5 good Rooms, capital ovens and bakehouse, Stabling for 5 Horses, good Well, and spacious Garden in thorough tilth; the whole occupying an Allotment on Lease, 12 Years of which are unexpired. - Applications relative to this most enviable money-making situation are requested to be made to the present proprietor, Lawrence May, at Hawkesbury, who will have no objection to accommodate the fortunate Purchaser with 6 Months Credit for half the Purchase Money."

In 1810 he held farms at Prospect and Concord, and others down river which were available on clearing leases. His affluence is attested by the silver pencil case (which he lost), the racing prowess of his chestnut gelding 'Tickle Toby' and his exhortations of 1813 to his debtors to pay up.
In 1815 he opened the Windsor Horse mill, of powerful mechanism for grinding flour, and provided complimentary cartage for gain from wharf to mill.

The Sydney Gazette: We are extremely sorry to report the unhappy con dition of an old and much respected Settler in this Colony, Mr. Lawrence May ; who was brought to Sydney in a caravan a fortnight since, his leg being in a state of mortification, proceeding from friction in riding, on a speck which was at first a mere pimple. Amputation, of the limb, we are informed, must inevitably take place.

Sydney Gazette: In these awful seasons of drought, it is cheering to witness the contrivance of any promising means for the mitigation of its severity. A Mr. Lawrence May, a respectable settler at Pitt Town, has had the courage to erect a pump for the purpose of irrigating his land ; an experiment, we believe, perfectly novel and unprecedented in the Colony. The pump is placed on the margin of the river, and conveys the water, through leaden pipes, into a ditch or trench, whence it is conducted at pleasure, by means of furrows, to any part of his farm. It is calculated that it will discharge 20 tons an hour, and requires only two men to work it. The first trial is to be made on Monday next, and a considerable number of respectable gentlemen intend to be present at so interesting a scene ; and the most sanguine hopes are entertained, that it will prove completely successful in rescuing the growing wheat from the destruction which, it is apprehended, would be otherwise inevitable. As Mr. May is not in affluent circumstances, his example is the more generally encouraging, and we hope will attract the earnest attention of those farmers who are in the vicinity of copious bodies of
fresh water.

May, Lawrence, 55, free by servitude, Ocean, 1791, 7 years, Catholic, farmer, Pitt Town
May, Rosetta, 40, free by servitude, Indefatigable, 1809, 7 years, Catholic
May, John, 11, born in the colony
May, James, 8, born in the colony

Death.
On the 23rd Instant, at the residence of Mr.
Robert Cooper, Juniper Hall, Mr. Lawrence
May, of Pitt Town, in the 65th year of his age.