Background
He was the eldest of the five sons of Thomas Street Lawrence, 13th Baron Howth and his wife Mary Barnewall, daughter of the 2nd Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland.
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William Street Lawrence
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He lived for part of each year in Howth Castle, but spent much of his time at Kilfane House near Thomastown, County Kilkenny, where he could indulge his passion for sport. He sat in the Irish House of Commons as Member of Parliament for Ratoath between 1716 and 1727. Swift became a regular visitor to Howth Castle, exchanged numerous letters with Lord Howth, and at Howth"s request had his portrait painted by Francis Bindon.
Scandal and tragedy hit the Street Lawrence family in 1736.
While the Howths were at Kilfane, a cousin called Mission Barford, and her friend Mission Hawley, who were staying with them, were killed in a carriage accident. When news of the tragedy reached Dublin, it led in a rather obscure fashion to a violent quarrel between Lord Howth"s brother, Henry Street Lawrence, and Lady Howth"s brother, Hamilton Gorges.
Street Lawrence challenged Gorges to a duel in which Gorges killed him. Gorges was tried for murder but acquitted, the jury, as almost always in such cases, accepting his plea that he had acted in self-defence.
Elrington Ball describes William as a man of considerable gifts, keen insight and a humorous disposition, but far too fond of his own pleasure.
He was a keen sportsman and a heavy drinker. At the same time he took a strong interest in improving agriculture, and as his last will shows, was notably charitable to the poor. His widow remarried Nicholas Weldon.
Membership
He was regarded as a man of shrewd political judgement, and became a member of the Privy Council of Ireland in 1739.
