Lawrence enlisted in 21st Regiment of the Fusiliers at Kells, 18 March 1826. He married Eliza O'Reilly at Marybro, 18 March 1827 and two children were born before they left Ireland. In March 1833 they sailed from Chatham, England. Lawrence was a guard over the convicts as far as Van Diemens Land and they arrived in the Swan River Colony September 1833. Ann attended the Barracks school before the Regiment moved to Albany in 1836. In 1840 Lawrence was discharged at his own request. He joined the Police Force on May 23 1857. He retired in 1868. He applied to be a lighthouse keeper at Point King. Lawrence died 14 February 1895 at Albany and Eliza died 25 February 1885. The Mooney's were some of the first known Catholics in Albany and their home was used for all services until the first church was built c1860. There is a panel in the stained glass window in the new church that commemorates their contribution to the Catholic Church in Western Australia. More information can be obtained about the Mooney family from the Geoff Blackburn book 'Conquest and Settlement'.