Edmund John Eyre (1767–1816), was an English actor and dramatist. Early life Eyre, son of Mary (née Underwood) (c1740-c1796) and the Rev. Ambrose Eyre (c1740 - c1796), rector of Leverington and Outwell, Isle of Ely, Cambridgeshire, was born 20 May 1767. He had two brothers and four sisters. He entered Merchant Taylors' School when ten years old. In 1785 he was appointed exhibitioner — first on Parkin's and afterwards on Stuart's foundation — at Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, but left the university without graduating to join a theatrical company. Career Eyre's Farce The Dreamer Awake; or, Pugilist Matched was performed at Covent Garden in 1791. The dedication inside the book includes a reference to Eyre, of Shrewsbury, Worcester and Wolverhampton theatres, having spent a short period on the island of Jamaica. It appears that Eyre underwent a marriage ceremony with an Elizabeth Bolton, widow on 14 May 1793 at St.Martins, Birmingham witnessed by Joseph Neale & Sam'l Brooke. Eyre's tragedy of The Maid of Normandy; or, The Death of the Queen of France was performed in the Theatre Royal, Dublin in May 1794. Eyre and his wife were at the Theatre, Leominster in February 1794 appearing in Democratic Outrage: or, Louis the Unfortunate, Eyre as Cleri and his wife as Dauphin. In 1796 Eyre as Antonio and his wife as Nerissa, were at Gloucester Theatre in The Merchant of Venice. Eyre's Dramatic Romance The Fatal Sister; or, The Castle of the Forest was published in 1797. His address is given as 9 St. James's Street. A Benefit for Eyre, the Musical Drama Zorinski was staged at the Theatre Royal Bath on 20 March 1800. He also gave a new Occasional Address to be spoken in the character of a Bath Volunteer. Eyre's The Caffrees; or, Buried Alive was staged at Covent Garden in June, 1802. His publication in February 1804 of 'Observations made at Paris during the peace' is evidence of him spending some time in France. In 1804 he was reported to have married again, at St. Mary's, Stratford-le-Bow, to Miss Harriet Smith, actress of Bath & Bristol, and sister to Miss S Smith of the York Theatre. This promptly triggered the publication, by his first wife Elizabeth, of details of their marriage Certificate including the names of the witnesses - Joseph Neale & Sam'l Brooke. In a review of 'The West Indian' at the Edinburgh Theatre Royal Eyre, as