Research by Tony Burgess.

Nathaniel Lucas was born about 1764, and in 1787 was convicted of theft in England, transported to Australia on the vessel " Scarborough" in the First Fleet; arriving in Sydney Cove on 26 January 1788. It is believed by his ancestors that being a Master Carpenter, he was "needed" to help establish the colony, so goods were planted in his lodgings and he was convicted of theft.

He was transferred to Norfolk Island, arriving in HMS Supply on 6th March 1788, with 14 other convicts, including his future wife. On 5th November 1790, he 'officially' married Olivia Gascoigne, believed to have been born in Droitwich Worcestershire in about 1760; she was also a 'First Fleeter" arriving on the vessel 'Penrhyn'. (Olivia had been sentenced to death on 5th March 1785, for 'gunpoint robbery', but later commuted to seven years transportation.) They had a total of 13 children, [twins girls were killed by a falling tree on Norfolk Island]. On Norfolk Island, Nathaniel prospered, eventually farming seventy-five acres in his spare time; as well as supervising the construction of many of the first buildings on that island.

In 1795, Nathaniel constructed an overshot water mill on Norfolk Island for a fee of three ewe sheep, the mill having a capacity to grind and dress eighteen bushels of flour in a day.

In 1804, Governor King invited Nathaniel to return to Sydney; it is here that there are records of him constructing Flour Mills

Nathaniel Lucas was instructed to erect a windmill for the Government on a site on Church Hill (approximately where the toll gates for the Sydney Harbour Bridge now stand.); and on completion of that he could erect another mill for himself in the Government Domain (approximately where the Shakespeare Memorial stands near the State Library of New South Wales.)

These two windmills were prefabricated in Norfolk Island and shipped to Sydney on HMS Investigator. It is stated that these two mills of the unusual post type, which had never been built in the colony before. The upper unit, holding the propellers rotated on a post with their direction being determined by sails placed like rudders. Previous mills had generally by mechanical means after calculating the best position according to the wind. Millstones were manufactured in Norfolk Island, and stated to be 'superior in point of durability to any that can be produced here'

The Sydney Gazette of 23rd June 1805 stated "An excellent post-mill the first that has been erected in the settlement is now completed by Mr. Nathaniel Lucas behind Black Row East. It was undertaken and finished within the space of six weeks, and has been several weeks at work. It is found capable of grinding six bushels per hour, which was, last week, accomplished for twelve hours successively."

The Sydney Gazette of 16th February 1806, states "The frame of an octagon smock mill was last week erected by Mr. Nathaniel Lucas, for the use of the Government, near the Esplanade of Fort Phillip. The height of the frame is 40 feet, and the diameter of the base, from opposite angles, 22 feet. It is to work two pair of mill stones, which are the best that could be procured at Norfolk Island, and every possible attention has been bestowed in its formation to the leading objects, real use and durability".

Nathaniel's return to Sydney was due to the death of the Colony's Superintendent of Carpenters, James Blood worth; assuming that position. After 1805, the Lucas family lived in Sydney, having a house next door to John Macarthur. (Now 1, York Street) and they operated the "Government Mill"; and at some time leased the Domain mill to Henry Kable, after which this mill was known as Kable's Post Mill. This mill was advertised for auction in the Sydney Gazette on 5th April 1807, and again on 17th August 1811.

Nathaniel and his sons constructed a number of windmills elsewhere in New South Wales, as well as numerous other timber buildings. Some of these being: At Harris Creek, near Liverpool built 1822, by John Lucas (born 1796, son of Nathaniel.) (His first flourmill). In 1824 the capacity if this mill was stated as one thousand bushels of grain weekly. At Woronora built 1825, at the head of tidal waters, sufficient to grind one thousand bushels weekly.

Wheat for this mill was at that time being grown at the 'Five Islands", and transported in shallow drift boats into which would have been levied at Sydney Cove. This mill was burnt down late in the 1830's, and was uneconomical to rebuild because by that time a Customs Officer was then stationed at Botany Bay. Today Lucas Heights is named after John and his mill. The mill estate was offered for auction on 14th march 1843, but failed to sell and was abandoned. John Lucas had been given the name of John the Miller.

The Harris Creek water mill had been built in six months, and was the first mill constructed after the arrival of Governor Brisbane; who gave permission for the mill to be called Brisbane Mill. Additional water was supplied from a reservoir close to the mill, approximately 150 acres in area.

In 1812, a son William married Sarah Squire at Ryde, the daughter of a brewer. And in 1816 they moved to Van Diemen's Land, securing a one hundred acre grant near Launceston; especially to grow hops, wheat and barley. The wheat and barley was shipped to Sydney aboard ships owned by Robert Campbell and John Palmer, and ground in Nathaniel's mill, with the barley going to the Squire Brewery. The Hodgett family owned another brewery having a similar arrangement.

Nathaniel Lucas, fell into the Georges River and was drowned in April 1818. Olivia still owned the farm in Liverpool just before she died in 1830.

A fair amount of information has survived about the Lucas family, surely our First Millwrights.