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Sir Lyonel Lyde, 1st Baronet

1724 – 1791

English tobacco merchant

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About Sir Lyonel Lyde, 1st Baronet

Lived 1724 – 1791 (aged 66–67).

Sir Lyonel Lyde, 1st Baronet (1724–1791), also known as Lionel Lyde, was a tobacco merchant.

Lyde was born in Bristol, where his father served as mayor. The Lyde family had interests in the tobacco plantations of Virginia and in slave trading. Historic England describes Lyde as a tobacco merchant and a director of the Bank of England, but also indicates that the Lyde fortune came from the slave trade. Lyonel and his brother Samuel formed a partnership dealing with the family's business affairs in London. Lyonel was made a director of the Bank of England in the 1760s. The American War of Independence subsequently created difficult conditions for the tobacco trade.

Homes Lyonel acquired a country estate at Ayot St Lawrence, which had belonged to his uncle and father-in-law Cornelius Lyde. He partially demolished the existing village church, and replaced it with a neo-classical building nearby. The new St Lawrence's Church features twin mausolea for Lyonel and his wife Rachel. The Ayot House estate passed to relatives, some of whom changed their name to Lyde. For example, Lionel Ames, who inherited the estate in 1806, assumed the surname and arms of Lyde.

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Important facts

Born
1724
Birth century
Died
1791
Positions held
High Sheriff of Hertfordshire
Also known as
Lionel Lyde

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Sir Lyonel Lyde, 1st Baronet's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Sir Lyonel Lyde, 1st Baronet?

English tobacco merchant

When was Sir Lyonel Lyde, 1st Baronet born?

Sir Lyonel Lyde, 1st Baronet was born in 1724.

When did Sir Lyonel Lyde, 1st Baronet die?

Sir Lyonel Lyde, 1st Baronet died in 1791.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Sir Lyonel Lyde, 1st Baronet

· Wikidata: Q60602786

· DBpedia: Sir Lyonel Lyde, 1st Baronet

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Sir Lyonel Lyde, 1st Baronet. https://biography.guide/sir-lyonel-lyde-1st-baronet/

MLA: "Sir Lyonel Lyde, 1st Baronet." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/sir-lyonel-lyde-1st-baronet/.

Chicago: "Sir Lyonel Lyde, 1st Baronet." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/sir-lyonel-lyde-1st-baronet/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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