John Byres

Chief Surveyor of the Ceded and Neutral Islands and author of maps and keys for them that record early land purchasers there. He himself appears to have speculated in land on Dominica and St Vincent.

1. John Byres appears as the original purchaser of 265 acres in St David Dominica (Lot No. 44) ('present possessor c. 1773 Sir William Young) and George Guise for John Byres as the purchaser of 255 acres in St Andrew (Lot No. 54) (present possessor c. 1773 Vance), and with William Richardson and James Elder the purchaser of a further 130 acres in St Joseph (Lot No. 86).

2. The will of John Byres Captain of Engineers of the Hon E.I. Co. Service [made in 1788] was proved 26/07/1793. LBS has surmised that this is the will of John Byres the surveyor: although it has no mention of slave-property, it identifies his brother as James Byres of Tonley (q.v.)

1. John Byres, References to the Plan of the Island of Dominica, as surveyed from the year 1765 to 1773 (London, 1777) pp. 2, 6 and 17.

2. PROB 11/1234/270.