{{short description|Master ship builder of East India Company}} {{about||the Scottish actuary|James Gray Kyd}} {{Infobox person | name = James Kyd | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = 1786 <!-- {{Birth date and age|df=yes|YYYY|MM|DD}} or {{Birth-date and age|Month DD, YYYY}} --> | birth_place = | death_date = 26 October 1836 | death_place = | other_names = | occupation = Ship builder | known_for = }}
'''James Kyd''' (1786 – 26 October 1836) was a Master ship builder of the East India Company in Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, India.
== Life == James Kyd was born in 1786 in India to Major Alexander Kyd, a lieutenant general and the Surveyor General of Bengal and his brother is Robert Kyd, a British Army officer. Kyd went to Great Britain to learn shipbuilding and returned to India in 1800 to work as an apprentice to A. Wadell. He succeeded Wadell in 1807 to become the Master ship builder of the East India Company in Calcutta (now, Kolkata).<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|title=Dictionary of Indian Biography|last=Buckland|first=Charles Edward|publisher=Haskell House|year=1968|isbn=9780838302774|pages=241}}</ref> Kyd built various steamers and yachts for the Bengal government and other countries for personal and trading purposes. A collection of few are given below: {| class="wikitable" |+ !Year !Name !Comment !Ref(s) |- |1808 |''Phoenix'' |Yacht, 187 tons, sold to the government |<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://worldcat.org/oclc/903682640|title=A collection of papers relative to Ship Building in India : With descriptions of the various Indian Woods employed Therein, their qualities uses and value : Also a register, comphrehending all the ships and vessels built in India to the present time : With many other particulars respecting India Shippingand the external commerce of Bengal.|last=Phipps, John.|date=1840|publisher=Scott and Co|pages=103|oclc=903682640}}</ref> |- |1811 |{{ship||Maitland|1811 ship|2}} |634 tons, sold for free trade |<ref name=":0" /> |- |1812 |{{ship||Castle Huntly|1812 EIC ship|2}} |1276 tons, built for China |<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://worldcat.org/oclc/903682640|title=A collection of papers relative to Ship Building in India : With descriptions of the various Indian Woods employed Therein, their qualities uses and value : Also a register, comprehending all the ships and vessels built in India to the present time : With many other particulars respecting India Shipping and the external commerce of Bengal.|last=Phipps, John.|date=1840|publisher=Scott and Co|pages=104|oclc=903682640}}</ref> |- |1813 |''General Kyd'' |1279 tons | |- |1814 |{{ship||Lord Hungerford|1814 ship|2}} |685 tons |<ref name=":1" /> |- |1815 |{{ship||East Indian |1815 ship|}} |553 tons, was lost in 1826 at Saugor Sand | |- |1816 |''Mary Ann'' |587 tons | |}
In 1814, the Admiralty and Court of Directors sent honors and appreciative testimonial to Kyd for the repair work done to ''HMS Semiramis'' at St. Helena.<ref name=":1" /> Most of the ships were launched from the Kidderpore docks.
He died on 26 October 1836 due to a knee injury, and was interred at the Scotch Burial Ground.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Bengal Hurkaru|date=27 October 1836}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://readinggamesplayingbooks.com/scots/node/503|title=James Kyd|website=readinggamesplayingbooks.com|language=en|access-date=2020-02-06}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kyd, James}} Category:1786 births Category:1836 deaths Category:Indian shipbuilders Category:People from the Bengal Presidency