Ancestor Details
Name of Ancestor: Mavon John May
Ancestor's date of birth: 21/09/1877
Ancestor's date of death: 15/10/1957
Cause of Death: Cerebral Thrombosis - Myocardial Degeneration Congestive Cardiac Failure.
Service and Life Before the Boer War: bookkeeper North Condobolin Station
Service Number: 322
Colony or State of enlistment: NSW, Place of Enlistment: Forbes
Unit: C Squadron, NSW Citizens' Bushmen
Rank attained in Boer War: LCPL, Date Effective: 01/01/19
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): No evidence of post Boer War military service.
Murray Page: 81
Contingent: Third New South Wales
Ship: Maplemore, Date of Sailing: 28/02/1900
Memorial details: Buried in Church of England section, Condobolin Cemetery NSW
Decorations: Queen's South African medal 4 Clasps
Personal Characteristics: Height: 1.78 m
Reasons to go and fight: For the British Empire.
Details of service in war: April 1900 in Rhodesia, west Transvaal including defence of Elands River Post (4-16 August 1900), and in northern Transvaal. He was invalided back to Australia on the 8 January 1901 on board the Orient. In his brother's diary there is no mention on what injury he suffered.
Service and life after the Boer War: About eight months after he was discharged, Mavon joined the Mounted Police and during his time with the force he was stationed at Armidale, Tingha, Uralla, Howell, and Inverell. According to his discharge paper he joined the service on the 31 January 1902 and resigned on the 28 February 1906. His conduct was stated as excellent and he was described as being 5 foot 10 inches (1.78 m) in height, brown eyes, brown hair and sallow complection. Following his resignation from the Mounted Police, he came back to Codobolin to take over as a mamager of Merriwee Station, succeeding his father who had managed the property for 38 years. Mavon left the station on the 14 September 1914. Towards the end of 1914 he took over the licence of the old Tattersalls Hotel which was on the site of the present Ambulance Station. In June 1925 he sold the licence and took up wool classing. He retired in 1947 aged 70 years.
The following is an extract from an article published in the 'Western Stock and Station Journal'dated 9 October 1956. 'Condo Man Remembers the Elands River Siege In 1900 some 500 Australians Bushman defeated 2,000 Boers to win a great victory at the siege of Elands River, South Africa. The siege lasted 13 days and at the end the soldiers were living on a biscuit a day. One Condo Man well remembers the event, he was there and he is Mavon John May,now in his 80th year. Around about 1896 he was a bookkeeper at North Condobolin Station being paid 15 shillings ($1.50) per week. It is from here he proceeded to Forbes on the 16th January 1900 to link up with the NSW Citizens Bushman, a contingent for South Africa. In those days, before a man could join such a unit he had to have a reference from a leading citizens of the town, had to be of good character, a good shot and a good rider. The Unit comprised Forbes, Eugowra and Condonolin men and they left Forber by train with what they called the "Fighting 50" - so named because on the train were exactly 50 men and 50 horses. The Contingent sailed for South Africa on the 28 March (official records say February) on the ship Maplemore'
Note- Maplemore was the name given to the Boulton's house in Napier Street, Condobolin - Elizabeth Boulton was Mavon's sister.
Descendant Details
Name of Descendant: John Norton, Sutherland NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Great NephewName of Descendant: Robert James Willis, Cherybrook NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: grandsonName of Descendant: Joan Claire Pritchard, Argents Hill NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Grand DaughterName of Descendant: Kim Willis, Longbeach NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: GrandsonName of Descendant: Amanda Hall, Longbeach NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Great Grand DaughterName of Descendant: Jennifer Gray, Wagga Wagga NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Great Grand DaughterName of Descendant: Millicent Hall, Spence ACT
Relationship to Ancestor: Great Great Grand Daughter
