Derry

Likely to be the property due south of Marley on James Robertson’s 1804 map of Jamaica, marked ‘Mrs Lyons’. Madden writes, in 1834 ‘I took my leave of Marley… and proceeded to Derry plantation, about three miles distant. The property had also [like Marley] belonged to old Dr Lyons. He had sold it to a Mr Bower, whose daughter I found living there’, with two little children. Madden likely did not know all Derry’s changes in ownership, leasing and/or occupation; nor all the genealogical connections. ‘The house was considerably larger than Marley, and tolerably well-furnished for a mountain residence’. Burke lists ‘Henry [Lyons], married in Jamaica, and died there: his estates in that island, called “Magally” and “Derry,” were sold in 1834” [actually, 1824] and his nephew ‘Theophilus [Lyons], died in Jamaica’. Henry was the son and Henry’s nephew Theophilus was the grandson of Thadeus Lyons, Esq., of Lyonstown, county Roscommon, Ireland. Evidence from Burke and Madden are difficult to reconcile. Burke’s strong genealogical information has only passing references to Jamaica and Madden looks back later, in 1834, through family memories influenced by contention and litigation. The ‘Mrs Lyons’ on James Robertson’s 1804 map of Jamaica might be tentatively identified as the widow of Henry Lyons (likely Madden’s Dr Lyons), with ‘Francis’ or ‘Frances Lyons’ being this widow or their daughter or son. As the name indicate, ‘Derry’ likely had Irish associations (see its linked estate of Marley).

We are grateful to Steven Carter for his assistance in compiling this entry.

Richard Robert Madden, A Twelvemonth's Residence in the West Indies, Vol 1. James Cochrane and Co., 1835, p. 236.

Bernard Burke, A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain and Ireland. Harrison, 1862, pp. 264-65.