Whakaotihia te rerenga e whai ake nei: I whanau a Lyster i Dublin, Ireland, te tuatoru o nga tama a Chaworth Lyster, he rangatira i roto i te ope, me tana wahine a Anne, "née" Keightly. Ko tana matua keke ko William Saurin, Attorney-General mo Ireland. Ko te hapu o Saurin he waahanga no te tangohanga French Hugenot. Ko tetahi atu o ona matua keke ko James Saurin, Pihopa o Dromore. I te 13 o ona tau, i muri i te mate a Lyster, i tukuna ia ki te haerenga huri noa i te ao ka toro atu ki Sydney me Melbourne i te 1842. Whai muri i tana hokinga ki Ingarangi, ka haere ia ki Inia me te whakaaro kia noho hei kaiwhakato, engari kaore i pai te rangi ki a ia, ka hoki ano ia ki Ingarangi. I te tau 1847, i Awherika ki te Tonga ia, a whawhai i roto i te
I te 7 o nga pakanga o Cape Frontier, a kotahi tau i muri mai, i te United States i reira i whakamatauria ai e ia tana waimarie hei kaiwhakaari me te angitu iti.