Born in Roseau, Dominica, West Indies, in 1908, she was the daughter of Francis Byam Berkeley Shand and Elfreda (daughter of Henry Alfred Alford Nicholls), and was baptized Phyllis Byam.
In the context of Phyllis Byam's early life, it is essential to note that she was born in 1908 in Roseau, Dominica, West Indies, as the daughter of Francis Byam Berkeley Shand and Elfreda. Her name, Phyllis, was given to her upon baptism.