John Eyre

John Eyre was born at Coventry, the son of Thomas Eyre, a wood-comber and weaver to whom he was apprenticed. 4/6/1804: CP John Eyre was an artist and a painter, in 1811 he was engaged to paint numbers on all buildings on the east side of the Tank Stream at sixpence a time; and in February 1812 he received £12 for painting the constables' staffs of office. On 15 August 1812 Eyre advertised his intention of leaving the colony. By this time he had become associated with Absalom West, an emancipist who was a prosperous brewer. In March 1812 West published two views of Sydney, engraved by Philip Slaeger, also an emancipist, and the originals of these were almost certainly by Eyre. On 15 August 1812 Eyre advertised his intention of leaving the colony. He obviously left a considerable number of his works with West, and the proceeds of these may well have paid for his passage. In January 1813, when West issued a set of twelve views of Sydney, Port Jackson, Botany Bay, Parramatta and Newcastle, no fewer than ten were from originals by Eyre, two engraved by Slaeger and eight by Walter Presston, another convict, who arrived in the Guilford in January 1812. A second series of twelve views was issued in 1814: four were credited to Eyre and two others were probably from his originals. Colonial Secretary Papers: EYRE, John. Per "Canada", 1801 1809 Feb 22: Submitting account for copying charts of Captain Flinders and others, to the order of Captain Bligh (Reel 6041; 4/1722 p.43) 1811 Jan 5 Appointed to paint numbers on houses in Sydney (Reel 6038; SZ758 p.156) 1812 Feb 1 Paid from Police Fund for painting Constables' Staffs of Office (Reel 6038; SZ758 p.278) He left the Colony as a free man in 1812; nothing is known of his later life.