John Guy

The son of a merchant, Guy played a prominent role in the London and Bristol Company, as well as in the Bristol’s Society of Merchant Venturers. Connections with the latter society enabled him to gain the approval for establishment of the colony in Newfoundland, regarded the first English colony in Canada and the second oldest colony in North America.

For the site of the settlement Guy selected Cuper Cove, now Cupids and became the first governor of the colony. Under his leadership the colony that is founded in 1610 prospered while number of its inhabitants increased from 39 members in the first year to over 60. The main value of settlement at Newfoundland was "to secure and make safe the trade of fishing".

After five years spent in America, Guy returned to England although he remained a strong supporter of the Newfoundland settlement against English migratory-fishing interests, economic difficulties and war.