Arthur was born in Hackney, Middlesex. His birth certificate confirms his parents names.

In 1871 he was a 16 year-old provision merchants clerk, unmarried and living with his widowed mother and siblings at 40 Lorsship Road, Stoke, Newington, 29

In 1881 census he was still with his mother at 127 King Henrys Rd , London:
Arthur R. AYERS , Son, Unmarried, 26, born in London, Middlesex, England, Commercial Traveler. 30

When Arthur married Clara Elizabeth Annie Woodzell Lussenden FREWER in 1886, he was resident at 127 King Henry's Rd, Hampstead and she was resident at 46 Tavistock Rd. She was 30. Witnesses were W. H. AYERS (?), Emily FREWER & Elizabeth CHAPMAN. They spent their honeymoon in Hastings. 31

They lived at 36 Agate Rd, Hammersmith, Middlesex in 1887 -1889 and at 87 Streathbourne Rd, , Upper Tooting (Balham), London S.W. in 1905 and 1917.

1891 census
Arthur R Ayers 36, head, leather merchant, b ca 1855 in Kingsland, London, England
Clara Ayers 34, wife, b ca 1857 in Marylebone, London, England
Arthur W Ayers 3, son, b ca 1888 in Hammersmith, London, England
Elsie Ayers 1, daughter, b ca 1890 in Hammersmith, London, England
Emelia Neckers 17, servant, b ca 1874 in Hendon
Annie Southard 16, servant, b ca 1875 in Whitchurch, Herefordshire, England

Civil Parish: Hammersmith
Ecclesiastical parish: St John
County/Island: London
Country: England
Registration district: Fulham
Sub-registration district: St Paul Hammersmith
ED, institution, or vessel: 14
32

The 1901 Census for shows the family at 65 Cam Mansions, Battersea, in the parish od St Stephen:
Arthur Ayeres, head, 46, married, Leather Trade, worker, born Kingsland London ;
Clara Ayeres, his wife, 44 , born Marylebone London;
Arthur Ayeres, his son, 13, born Hammersmith London ;
Elsie Ayeres , his daughter, 11, born Hammersmith London ;
Ada Pooley, their servant, single, aged 23, born in Vauxhall, London. 33
[RG13 Piece 441 Folio 12 Page 16 Schedule 136 ]

Lesley McNaughton has a business card with the following text - A.R. Ayers & Co, Leather, vellum & parchment manufacturers & importers, Tyer's Gateway, Bermondsey, London, S.E. - and in smaller print - Parchment Works, Hackbridge, Surrey - and at the top - Telephone No. 2985 Hop. Written by hand on the reverse is the address 22 Sackville Street. Sue Rowley has a postcard with this address dated 15 Jul 1904. The postcard was sent by Arthur’s wife, Clara, to her son.

According to his grand-daughter, Kathleen Rowley née Ayers, Arthur's business partner cheated him and Arthur retired to his bedroom, never to come out again.

Arthur was buried in a double grave in Hastings Cemetery. His wife wrote to their son Arthur Edward Woodzell AYERS in Victoria, telling him of the death on 3 Dec 1931 and funeral. She said that she expected to join him in Hastings Cemetery. (did she?)