John Lyttle was a wholesale grocer and seed merchant who served as Mayor of Belfast for three consecutive terms from 1863 to 1865.

Lyttle was born in Garvagh, Co. Derry in 1814. He came to Belfast in August, 1830 to work as an apprentice in the grocery business. He opened a business at North Street in the city and later relocated to Victoria Street, trading under the name John Lyttle & Sons.

He was active in the civic life of Belfast and sat on many of the city’s major public, commercial, educational and charitable boards including the Belfast Board of Guardians. Lyttle was a member of the Belfast Corporation for sixteen years and acted as alderman for Smithfield Ward. He acted as chairman of the Prince Albert Memorial Committee and personally donated £1,200 towards the erection of Belfast’s Albert Memorial Clock.

Lyttle served as Chairman of Belfast’s Town Improvement Committee and was a member of the Harbour Board. He occupied the position of President of the Chamber of Commerce and for several years served on the Management Committee of the Belfast Bank.

John Lyttle died on 18 September 1871 aged fifty-six.