Sir Edward May, 2nd Baronet

Sir Edward May, 2nd Baronet
Member of Parliament for Belfast
2nd Baronet, of Mayfield (cr. 1763)
In office 1 January 1801 – 23 July 1814
Monarch	George III
Preceded by	Constituency established
Succeeded by	Stephen May
Member of Parliament for Belfast
In office 3 February 1800 – 31 December 1800
Preceded by	Alexander Hamilton (Irish lawyer)
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
Sovereign of Belfast
In office 1803–1806
Sovereign of Belfast
In office 1809–1810
High Sheriff of County Waterford
In office 1781–1782
Personal details
Born	c. 1751 Mayfield, County Waterford, Ireland
Died	23 July 1814(1814-07-23) (aged 63)
Spouses	Elizabeth Bragg (m. 1773) Elizabeth Lumley (m. c. 1809)
Children	Sir Stephen May Rev. Edward Sylvester May Anna, Marchioness of Donegall Elizabeth May
Parents	Sir James May, 1st Baronet (father) Anne Moore (mother)
Alma mater	Trinity College Dublin
Occupation	Politician, barrister

Sir (James) Edward May, 2nd Baronet (1751? – 23 July 1814) of Mayfield, County Waterford, was an Irish politician who was twice Sovereign of Belfast, a Member of Parliament in successive Irish and United Kingdom parliaments, and High Sheriff of County Waterford.

He was born the eldest son of Sir James May, 1st Baronet of Mayfield, and privately educated before entering Trinity College, Dublin (TCD), and studying law at the Middle Temple in London, where he was called to the bar in 1789. He succeeded his father to the baronetcy in 1811.

He was appointed High Sheriff of Waterford for 1781–82.

He was an MP in the Parliament of Ireland in 1800, the last parliament before the Union of Great Britain and Ireland. He continued afterwards as the member for Belfast in the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1814. He also served as Sovereign of Belfast (an earlier title for the mayor) from 1803 to 1806 and 1809 to 1810.

He married twice and had 2 illegitimate sons and 2 daughters. He was accordingly succeeded in the baronetcy by his younger brother Humphrey. An illegitimate daughter, Anna, married The 2nd Marquess of Donegall.