Aaron Ayers

Ayers was born in Gloucester, England, in 1836. He married Isabella Eliza Ayers (née Williams) in Newington, Surrey in 1859. She was a daughter of F. F. Williams of London. They came to Canterbury on the Gananoque, which arrived in Lyttelton on 9 May 1860.{{cite book |title=The Cyclopedia of New Zealand (Canterbury Provincial District) |publisher=Cyclopedia Company Limited |location=Christchurch |year=1903 |chapter=Ex Mayors |url= https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc03Cycl-t1-body1-d3-d9.html |access-date=25 April 2012}}{{cite news|title=Shipping News |url= http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=LT18600512.2.9 |access-date=11 May 2012|newspaper=Lyttelton Times|volume=XIII |issue=783 |date=12 May 1860|page=4}}

Upon his arrival, he built a house at 290 Riverlaw Terrace in Opawa (these days a suburb of Christchurch). The building is these days registered with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust as Category II, with registration number 3730.{{NZHPT|3730|290 Riverlaw Terrace, Opawa|26 April 2012}}

File:Ayers, Beauchamp & Co.jpg

For his first 20 years in Christchurch, Ayers was a hairdresser and tobacconist. In 1880, he changed profession and became an auctioneer. His firm, Ayers, Beauchamp & Company, was based at 190 Cashel Street{{cite news|title=Auctions|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP18981031.2.45|access-date=25 April 2012|newspaper=The Press|volume=LV |issue=10181 |date=31 October 1898|page=6}} (just east of Manchester Street) and auctioned land, livestock, fruit and general goods.{{cite web|title=Ayers, Beauchamp & Compy, Cashel Street, Christchurch |url= http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/heritage/photos/disc13/IMG0028.asp |publisher=Christchurch City Libraries|access-date=25 April 2012}}

Ayers was elected as a councillor at Christchurch City Council in 1878, 1879 and 1882.{{cite web |url= http://www1.ccc.govt.nz/handbook/councillorsofthecityofchristchurch.asp |title=Councillors of the City of Christchurch |publisher=Christchurch City Council |access-date=12 May 2010 |location=Christchurch | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110720010657/http://www1.ccc.govt.nz/handbook/councillorsofthecityofchristchurch.asp | archive-date = 20 July 2011}}

Ayers and James Gapes contested the Christchurch mayoral election on 24 November 1880, which was won by Gapes.{{cite news |title=Mayoral Elections |url= http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18801125.2.15 |access-date=13 April 2013 |newspaper=The Star |date=25 November 1880|issue=3933 |page=3}} Charles Hulbert and Ayers were nominated for the mayoralty in Christchurch November 1883,{{cite news |title=Christchurch |url= http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18831121.2.24.1 |access-date=27 August 2013 |newspaper=Star |date=21 November 1883 |issue=4855 |page=3}} and since both were well-known personalities, the election campaign period was interesting and lively.{{cite news |title=Christchurch |url= http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18831128.2.26.1 |access-date=27 August 2013 |newspaper=Star |date=28 November 1883 |issue=4861 |page=3}} Hulbert won the election, which was held on 28 November, and received 671 votes to 496, a majority of 175 votes.{{cite news |title=Mayoral Elections |url= http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP18831130.2.21 |access-date=27 August 2013 |newspaper=The Press |date=30 November 1883 |volume=XXXIX |issue=5679 |page=3}}

On 17 November 1885, Ayers was elected unopposed as Mayor of Christchurch.{{cite news|title=Mayoral Elections |url= http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18851117.2.14 |access-date=25 April 2012 |newspaper=Star |date=17 November 1885|issue=5469|page=3}} He was installed by the outgoing mayor, Charles Hulbert, at a meeting on 16 December 1885.{{cite news|title=Mayoral Installations |url= http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP18851217.2.9 |access-date=25 April 2012 |newspaper=The Press |date=17 December 1885 |volume=XLII |issue=9317 |page=2}}{{cite news |title=Mayoral Installations, Christchurch |url= http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18851217.2.26.4 |access-date=25 April 2012 |newspaper=Star |date=17 December 1885 |issue=5494 |page=4}} Even before his installation, he had attended civic duties as mayor-elect together with the mayor, for example the opening of a band rotunda in Latimer Square, the start of the construction of the Corporation Line (tramway) and the opening of the Armagh Street Bridge into Hagley Park.{{cite news |title=Opening of the Band Rotunda |url= http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18851205.2.31 |access-date=25 April 2012 |newspaper=Star |date=5 December 1885 |issue=5485 |page=4}}{{cite news |title=The City Tramway and Park Bridge |url= http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP18851202.2.11 |access-date=25 April 2012 |newspaper=The Press |date=2 December 1885 |volume=XLII |issue=6304 |page=3}} One of his first tasks as mayor was the unveiling of the Moorhouse Statue (commemorating William Sefton Moorhouse) in the Botanic Gardens.{{cite news|title=Unveiling the Moorhouse Statue |url= http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=THD18851223.2.12 |access-date=25 April 2012|newspaper=Timaru Herald|volume=XLII |issue=3506 |date=23 December 1885|page=3}}

Ayers stood for the mayoralty again in 1886. He was challenged by Charles Louisson, who had been a councillor since 1881. Louisson stood for the mayoralty after a public request made by the other eleven councillors (including Samuel Manning, Samuel Paull Andrews, William Prudhoe and Charles Gray), nine ex mayors (John Ollivier, Henry Sawtell, Fred Hobbs, Henry Thomson, William Wilson, Charles Hulbert, James Gapes, John Anderson and George Ruddenklau) and 13 ex councillors (including Daniel Reese).{{cite news|title=Election Notices |url= http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18860922.2.13.7 |access-date=8 November 2011|newspaper=The Star|date=22 September 1886|issue=5730}} It was the most keenly contested mayoral election thus far, and Louisson was narrowly beaten by Ayers, with 636 to 631 votes.{{cite news|title=Mayoral Elections|url= http://www.paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18861125.2.22 |access-date=5 November 2011|newspaper=The Star|date=25 November 1886|issue=5785|page=3}} Ayers retired at the end of his mayoralty a year later, and Louisson decided to stand again and was elected unopposed.{{cite news|title=Mayoral Elections |url= http://www.paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18871121.2.25 |access-date=5 November 2011|newspaper=The Star|date=21 November 1887|issue=6090|page=3}} Hence, Ayers had been mayor for two terms.{{cite web|url=http://www.ccc.govt.nz/thecouncil/howthecouncilworks/ourhistory/chairmenmayors.aspx |title=Chairmen and mayors |publisher=Christchurch City Council |access-date=25 April 2012 |location=Christchurch |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100522063807/http://www.ccc.govt.nz/thecouncil/howthecouncilworks/ourhistory/chairmenmayors.aspx |archive-date=22 May 2010 }}

File:Ayers 78.JPG]]

The death on 17 December 1886 of John Coster, who represented the {{NZ electorate link|Heathcote}} electorate in Parliament, caused an {{By-election link|Heathcote|1887}}. There were several people interested in standing in the electorate, but with Frederic Jones and Ayers, who had just been elected as Mayor of Christchurch, considered as the only contenders as having a chance of success,{{cite news|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18870201.2.8|title=The Heathcote Election. |date=8 January 1887|issue=5820 |newspaper=The Star |page=3 |access-date=24 April 2012}} most other candidates withdrew from the contest. On nomination day on 2 February 1887, Jones and Ayers were nominated. A third person, James Arthur Williams, nominated himself, but could not find anybody to second this motion. Thus, the by-election was a two-person contest.{{cite news|url= http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18870202.2.17 |title=The Heathcote Election.|date=2 February 1887|issue=5841|newspaper=The Star |page=3|access-date=24 April 2010}} On election day, 8 February 1887, the majority opinion was that Ayers would win.{{cite news|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18870208.2.23|title=Heathcote Election.|date=8 February 1887|issue=5846|newspaper=The Star|page=3|access-date=24 April 2010}} There was great interest in the election, as evidenced by the high turnout. Jones had a considerable majority over Ayers, with 527 and 336 votes, respectively. The 191 votes majority was mirrored by Jones having won all four polling stations.{{cite news|url= http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18870209.2.25.1 |title=Result of the Polling|date=9 February 1887|issue=5847|newspaper=The Star|page=3|access-date=24 April 2010}}

Westby Perceval, Ayers, Henry Thomson and Eden George contested the Christchurch South electorate in the {{NZ election link|1887}}. Perceval won the election and Ayers came a distant second.{{cite news|title=Christchurch South |url= http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18870916.2.10.2 |access-date=21 April 2012|newspaper=The Star|date=16 September 1887|issue=6034|page=2}}{{cite web |title=The General Election, 1887 |url= http://atojs.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/atojs?a=d&cl=search&d=AJHR1887-II.2.1.9.13 |publisher=National Library |access-date=25 February 2012 |page=2 |year=1887}}

After his mayoralty, Ayers lived a mostly private life. He did, however, become a borough councillor in Linwood. He was known as an avid gardener and had a great love for flowers, and generally had a flower in his button hole.{{cite news |title=Obituary |url= http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS19000915.2.56 |access-date=26 April 2012|newspaper=Star|date=15 September 1900|issue=6901|page=5}}{{cite news|title=Death of Mr Aaron Ayers |url= http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=CHP19000915.2.40.30 |access-date=26 April 2012|newspaper=The Press|volume=LVII |issue=10762 |date=15 September 1900|page=8}}

After suffering from failing health for some time, Ayers died on 16 September 1900 at his home in River Road in Avonside.{{cite news|title=Funeral Notices|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP19000917.2.54.7|access-date=26 April 2012|newspaper=The Press|volume=LVII |issue=10763 |date=17 September 1900|page=8}} He was buried at Linwood Cemetery.{{cite web|title=Christchurch City Council Cemeteries Database |url=http://librarydata.christchurch.org.nz/Cemeteries/interment.asp?id=131528 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120710175853/http://librarydata.christchurch.org.nz/Cemeteries/interment.asp?id=131528 |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 July 2012 |publisher=Christchurch City Libraries |access-date=27 April 2012 }} He was survived by his wife and eight of their children. His wife died on 9 September 1927 and was buried with her husband.{{cite web|title=Christchurch City Council Cemeteries Database |url=http://librarydata.christchurch.org.nz/Cemeteries/interment.asp?id=96874 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120710175414/http://librarydata.christchurch.org.nz/Cemeteries/interment.asp?id=96874 |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 July 2012 |publisher=Christchurch City Libraries |access-date=27 April 2012 }}

{{Commons category}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{s-start}}

{{s-off}}

{{s-bef | before = Charles Hulbert }}

{{s-ttl | title = Mayor of Christchurch |years = 1885–1887}}

{{s-aft | after = Charles Louisson }}

{{s-end}}

{{Mayors of Christchurch}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ayers, Aaron}}

Category:1836 births

Category:1900 deaths

Category:Mayors of Christchurch

Category:Christchurch City Councillors

Category:Burials at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch

Category:Unsuccessful candidates in the 1887 New Zealand general election

Category:New Zealand auctioneers

Category:19th-century New Zealand politicians