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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]
May, William Thompson
May, William Thompson , Farmer, “Mayfield,” Winton. Mr May was born in May, 1839, in Sydney, New South Wales, where his father was a master baker. In 1851, father and son visited the Turon diggings in New South Wales, and in the following year went to Forest Creek, in Victoria. In those days phenomenal finds of gold were frequently made on the diggings. Mr May has seen as much as 5th weight of gold taken out in one day from a claim measuring only eight feet, by eight feet, and he and his father have earned as much as £3 each per day. The father said, however, that it would not pay him to remain at that rate, and so re- page 991 turned to his business at Sydney, but the son continued to follow up gold mining for sixteen years, and in 1862 arrived at Gabriel's Gully, Otago. Having saved money, he settled in the Winton district, where he bought land. Shortly afterwards, Mr May was attracted by the Hartley and Riley rush, and having made money on that field also, he returned to Southland, and bought land at Longbush. He did not, however, settle in that district, but shortly afterwards went to the West Coast diggings, where he was again successful. In 1865, he returned to the Winton district where he has since been engaged in farming. His property, which is known as “May-field.,” consists of 370 acres of freehold, which has been brought from its natural rough state into good cultivation, and Mr May also owns 330 acres at Bayswater, which is worked by his sons as a mixed farm. He has served on the Lochiel River Board since its inception. Mr May married a daughter of Mr David Jenkins, of Dalwood, Maitland, New South Wales, and has had three sons and two daughters, of whom one daughter has died.