Dee ihe ọzọ maka paragraf a - A mụrụ Lyster na Dublin, Ireland, nwa nwoke nke atọ nke Chaworth Lyster, onye isi ndị agha, na nwunye ya Anne, "née" Keightly. Nwanne nna ya bụ William Saurin, Attorney-General maka Ireland. Ezinụlọ Saurin si n'agbụrụ ndị French Hugenot. Onye ọzọ n'ime ndị nwanne nna ya bụ James Saurin, Bishọp nke Dromore. Mgbe Lyster dị afọ 13, mgbe ọ rịasịrị ọrịa, e zigara ya njem gburugburu ụwa ma gaa Sydney na Melbourne na 1842. Mgbe ọ laghachiri England, ọ gara India na ebumnuche nke ịghọ onye na-akụ ihe, mana ihu igwe anaghị adabara ya, ọ laghachiri England ọzọ. N'afọ 1847, ọ nọ na Saụt Afrịka ma lụọ ọgụ na 7th Cape Frontier War
, na otu afọ mgbe e mesịrị, nọ na United States ebe ọ nwara ọdịmma ya dị ka onye na-eme ihe nkiri na obere ihe ịga nke ọma.