Charles Kyte

Resident in British Guiana, dying c. 1834, deputy vendue master and possibly in that capacity his executor A.R. Hollingsworth counterclaimed for the 'last two installments on vendue note' on Woodley Park in British Guiana. Probably the father of the three Chalmers Kyte siblings in British Guiana no. 95. Charles Kyte had previously owned an estate called Hammersmith in Berbice.

1. Will of Charles Kyte deputy vendue master of Berbice British Guiana proved 05/11/1834. In the will Kyte describes himself as 'born in the parish of Hammersmith in the County of Middlesex England but presently residing in Berbice British Guiana deputy vendue master.' He recited his gift by a deed of 1833 to 'the free mulatto woman Eliza Chalmers and her children Robert or Patrick, James and Caroline' of five negroes Nicholas, Matt, Henry, Peter and Phoebe' and his subsequent exchange of 'the woman Rose' and her children for Nicholas 'whom I purpose manumitting.' He left Caroline (his daughter by the free woman Eliza Chalmers) the slave woman Bess and her daughter Eliza and their issue. To Richard Stanley son of Jane Stanley (formerly a slave of mine but manumitted in 1828') he left 6000 guilders to be lent on mortgage until Richard was 21. To the mulatto boy Frederick 'son of my slave Henrietta' he left 1000 guilders on his completing his full term of his apprenticeship in whatever trade or calling the executors felt fit. He instructed the freeing of his two valued domestics Nicholas ('the first slave I ever owned and whom I purchased in May 1805 from Mr Thomas Welch [?]' and William, and left the latter 1000 guilders, with the injunction to his children to take care of the two men in case of sicknes or poverty or distress ('I entertain no fear of them becoming a burthen upon the colony'). He left the rest of his estate to his wife Mary (born Wade) and their children.

2. The sisters Isabella and Sarah Kyte aged 52 and 51 born Berbice who in 1881 were living at 1 Whitehall Terrace, Holy Cross, Shrewsbury, 'Interest of money', were daughters of Charles Kyte. In 1861 they had been at the same address with their mother Mary aged 74 who had been born in Speights Town Barbados. Isabella died in 1893 leaving £2455 14s 4d and Sarah in 1899 leaving £4401 17s 8d.

3. Charles Kyte's sister Anne married Joseph Timperon (1762-1846, q.v.); Charles Kyte’s daughters, Isabella and Sarah Kyte, and their sister, Mary (Kyte) Malet, received legacies of £1000 plus annuities of £150 per annum in the will of Joseph Timperon's daughter Isabella Worley.

1. PROB 11/1838/350.

2. 1881 census online; 1861 census online; National Probate Calendar 1894 and 1899.

3. Email from Anne Wares, 18/01/2018.

We are grateful to Anne Wares for her assistance with compiling this entry.