From: Derek Ham <djham27@hotmail.com>
Sent: 16 April 2025 19:35
To: Brooke Kidd-Baker <sbkiddancestry2020@gmail.com>
Cc: Richard Kidd <richk1974@live.co.uk>
Subject: Published Family History of Captain James Kyd of Elie

 

In https://electricscotland.com/history/articles/fifefamilyhistories.pdf

 

6 Aug 1786

The above Rev JAMES NAIRNE (1750-1819) of Claremont, was Minister at Pittenweem from 1776-1819. He m 1778 Helen, dau of Captain James Kyd (d 1795) of Elie Lodge and Mrs Hannah Bevis (d 1757) of Gosport in Yorkshire; they had married early in life when Captain Kyd was only a Lieutenant in the Navy. He soon retired from it and settled in Elie Lodge, where he got command in succession of various yachts in the Customs Revenue Service. He had previously sold his two family estates in Angus - Woodhill, and the larger estate of Craigie, on part of which the eastern part of Dundee now stands. After his first wife's death, he married his Yorkshire cousin, Mrs Anne Elmsall, the widow of Mr Nicholas Staunton, a purser in the Navy.  Captain Kyd's uncle was Thomas Kyd, a wine merchant in Leith. His son was Colonel Robert Kyd (1745-1793), who belonged to the Bengal Engineers and was Military Secretary to the Government of India in 1786. It was he who suggested (in 1787) to the Government the founding of the Botanical Gardens in Calcutta, where a memorial urn, with his name inscribed, stands. General Alexander Kyd (d 1826), the son of Captain James Kyd, was also in India as Chief Engineer to the Bengal Government. He had a natural son by a European woman, John Bevis Kyd, born in 1787, who was sent home to the General's step-mother's relations in Yorkshire; he obtained a cadetship to the infantry, but was lost at sea in the "Lady Burges" in 1806 before reaching India. General Alexander Kyd had also two sons by a Gentoo woman, Robert and James, who were sent to Scotland to be brought up by their grandfather in Elie. Here they were given some training as shipwrights, and in 1801 returned to Calcutta, where they eventually went into partnership as shipbuilders. The first and possibly only battleship built in Calcutta, "The Hastings, " was built by them, as well as the East India Co's ship, "The General Kyd", named after their father, which was commanded for many years by their cousin, Alexander Nairne (below). Robert died in 1825 and James in 1836; the latter was universally recognised as the leader of the Eurasian community in Calcutta.  Of the four sons of Rev James Nairne and Helen Kyd, Captains JOHN NAIRNE (1780- 1807) and ALEXANDER NAIRNE (1785-1866), who both served with distinction in the Royal Navy, helped in part by the patronage of their maternal uncle, General Alexander Kyd, and both have entries in M F Conolly's Eminent Men of Fife (1866). Captain John Nairne died 24 July 1807 off the coast of Africa when commander of "The Favourite," and was interred in Cape Coast Castle. Captain Alexander Nairne was present at the Battle of Copenhagen (1801) under Admiral Nelson. He left the Navy in 1802, and through the influence of Alexander Kyd, obtained an appointment in the Hon East India Company's Sea service in 1804. He made many voyages to both India and China in his ship, "The General Kyd," of which he was part owner as well as master. The other two sons of Rev James Nairne and Helen Kyd were JAMES NAIRNE (1782-1847), who sold Claremont in 1844, and CHARLES NAIRNE (1794-1837), who married Amelia Forbes, daughter of the Rev Andrew Bell of Crail; they were both Writers to the Signet. The children of the above Alexander included Lieut-Gen Sir CHARLES EDWARD NAIRNE (1836-1899) of the Bengal Artillery, and Sir PERCEVAL ALLEYN NAIRNE (1841-1921), Solicitor. The book is profusely illustrated and there are extensive pedigree charts of the various lines.

 

Captain James Kyd d.1795 was contemporary with my Captain James Kidd of Wemyss d.1794