Lydia Byam

Lydia Byam (baptized 1772) was a botanical illustrator known for her works depicting plants from the Caribbean. Byam's career flourished during the period between 1797 and 1800. She published two works A collection of exotics, from the Island of Antigua (1797) and Fruits of the West Indies (1800) respectively. These are important for the role they played in garnering interest in botany of the Caribbean islands and the dietary and medicinal benefits they offered.

Lydia Byam
Byam Bombay gossipium
Baptized4 September 1772
OccupationNaturalist, scientific illustrator
Known forscientific illustration

Family

Lydia Byam was born to parents William Byam (a lawyer and member of the Privy Council in Antigua, died and was buried in St. Georges, Antigua in 1779) and Martha Rogers (daughter of Edward Rogers).[1] Lydia Byam was baptized on September 4, 1772 in Antigua and she died at sea, on an unknown date.[1]

The prominence of the Byam family on the island of Antigua is clear from the will her father wrote, describing the extensive estate he owned. William Byam's will, dated March 1773, left his estate in Antigua, real & personal, to the first son Edward Byam, 4000 pounds to son Samuel Byam, and 3000 pounds to daughter Lydia Byam; his wife Martha was granted the house and lands in Pembrokshire and which was to be granted to Lydia at her death.[2]

Her family tree going back to her great grandfather Edward Byam, who served as deputy or Lieutenant governor of Antigua from 1715-1741, further establishes the prominence of the Byam family in Antigua.[3]

Works

The books were published anonymously with dedications to dedication to her distant relative Viscountess Galway.[4]

  • A collection of exotics, from the Island of Antigua (1797)[5]
  • Fruits of the West Indies (1800)[6]
  • Acacia mimosa
  • Avocado pear
  • Bombay gossipium
  • Canella alba
  • Carica papaya female
  • Carica papaya
  • Rocou
  • Cashew
  • Castor
  • Coffee tree
  • Dates
  • Granadilla
  • Guaiacum
  • Poinciana
  • Potato vine
  • Rose apple
  • Sea-side grape
  • Smooth cerasee
  • Sorrel hibiscus
  • Syringa lacinitia
  • Wythe apple

See also

References
  1. Lanaghan, Mrs. (1844). Antigua and the Antiguans. 2. London: Saunders and Otley. pp. 323–324.
  2. Oliver, Vere Langford (1894). The History of the Island of Antigua. London: Mitchell and Hughes. p. 415.
  3. Henige, David (1970). Colonial Governors from the Fifteenth Century to the Present: A Comprehensive List. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN 0299054403.
  4. Batsaki, Yota; Tchikine, Anatole; Celnik, Leib; Chaivaranon, Ariana. "Margaret Mee: Portraits of Plants". Dumbarton Oaks. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  5. "Search Results: All Fields similar to 'Lydia and Byam and D797' - John Carter Brown". jcb.lunaimaging.com. Retrieved 2019-05-14.
  6. "Search Results: All Fields similar to 'Lydia and Byam and D800' - John Carter Brown". jcb.lunaimaging.com. Retrieved 2019-05-14.
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