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St Alfege Church, Greenwich, Saturday, 1 June, 2024 Photo available for reuse under this Creative Commons licence. |
George Ayres (bap. 31 Mar 1782 at St Mary, Redcliffe, Bristol), son of Elnathan Ayres and Elizabeth Perry, married Jane Elizabeth Sears (bap. 15 Jun 1788 at St Mary, Whitechapel, St Mary Matfelon), daughter of William and Mary Sears at St Alfege Church, Greenwich on 20 Jan 1808.
(There was a marriage of a William Sears and Mary Stone at St. Botolph Aldgate on 10 Sep 1776, who were very likely Jane's parents. Their address at the time of Jane Elizabeth's baptism was Well Close Square, Whitechapel.)
George and Jane Elizabeth Ayres appear to have two children:
- Jane Elizabeth Ayres b. 15 Mar 1809, bap 16 Apr 1809 (at 32 days old), daughter of George and Jane Ayres, at Saint Mary, Rotherhithe. Died, with age listed as 27, her burial on 7 Feb 1835, is in the London, England, Church of England Deaths and Burials, as All Saints, Poplar.
- William Richard Ayres b. 16 Apr 1812, bap. 10 May 1812 (at 24 days), son of George and Jane Ayres, at Saint Mary, Rotherhithe
Meanwhile, in 1810 and 1811, there were records of a George Ayres listed in the Surrey Registers of Licensed Victuallers. In both years he is the first listing under the heading Rotherhithe. Sadly, it doesn't identify the pub.
There is then the record of the burial of George Ayres on 7 Jul 1812 at Saint Mary, Rotherhithe, named, but listed as "a drowned man near Allard's Hill".
We can be sure that this was 'our' George Ayres, because in July 1812, he was listed as Intestate in the Inland Revenue Index To Death Duty Registers, with Jane E Ayres of 222 Rotherhithe Street, listed as administrator. (George Ayres had been listed in Rotherhithe Street in the Surrey, England, Land Tax Records.) There didn't appear to be a will, which this confirms. However, I can also find nothing in the newspapers regarding George's death. One would imagine something would be said, whether this was an accident or a suicide and then one would expect there to be an inquest. George's father had committed suicide in India only ~10 weeks before and it could well have taken about that long for the news to reach the family. As the only surviving son, George will have suddenly become head of the family. So who knows?
Also in 1812, the Registers of Licensed Victuallers, again the first entry in Rotherhithe, lists Jane Ayres, which also ties in with George's death.
Then in 1813 in the Registers of Licensed Victuallers, again the first entry in Rotherhithe, was Elizabeth Ayres, who could well have been George Ayres' mother (or sister). Had something happened to Jane? If she died, or remarried, I've not yet found a verifiable further record for her.