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Ayers, Henry
DESCRIPTION
Place of ResidenceOak Flats
BiographyHenry William Ayers was born in England in 1856 to Thomas and Mary Ayers.
He came to Sydney Australia on the 'Eloura' in June 1883. Henry's immigration records state he was a labourer, his parents were deceased, he could read and write, and he had no relatives in Australia.
We don't have a lot of details about henry's life until June 1896 when he was listed in the N.S.W. Hospital and Asylum records.
Henry married Ellen Skelton (nee Arundell) in Eden N.S.W. in 1912 he was 56 yrs. old. Sadly, Ellen died in 1914.
Henry (Harry) at some stage moved to Oak Flats and was elected as Alderman of Shellharbour Municipal Council. He continued to serve in that position in 1934, 1936, 1937, and 1941. Henry was the first alderman to represent Oak Flats from 1934 to 1941.
While an Alderman, Harry worked towards the improvement of the living conditions in Oak Flats and was repeatedly recorded in the newspapers expressing his passion for the town.
Henry was known in Oak Flats as 'Daddy Ayers'. In an oral history of Oak Flats by local residents, he is mentioned as 'the unofficial mayor of Oak Flats'. He was involved in many aspects of life in the town and could be relied on to assist in entertainment, either by singing, playing his concertina, or fiddle.
The Shellharbour Valuation Book in 1926-28 records Henry William Ayers as a bricklayer, owning a house Section B, Lot 274 of the Lake Illawarra Township Estate - today 51 Deakin Street.
Betty Jago bought the house from Henry, and he asked her to keep its name 'Glen Ayers'.
'Ayers Lane', Oak Flats is named in his honour. His death in 1946 was registered in Balmain N.S.W.
Sources:
Green Meadows - William A Bayley
B.D.M Registers.
Shipping Records.
Oak and Folks - A Oral History of Oak Flats
Oak Flats Garden Suburb - Kevin Gillis.
External LinkH Ayers Entertaining at function 1937H Ayers new entertainment hall 1936H Ayers sanitation success 1939H Ayers Happy 86th Birthday 1939H Ayers resigns 1941
BiographyHenry William Ayers was born in England in 1856 to Thomas and Mary Ayers.He came to Sydney Australia on the 'Eloura' in June 1883. Henry's immigration records state he was a labourer, his parents were deceased, he could read and write, and he had no relatives in Australia.
We don't have a lot of details about henry's life until June 1896 when he was listed in the N.S.W. Hospital and Asylum records.
Henry married Ellen Skelton (nee Arundell) in Eden N.S.W. in 1912 he was 56 yrs. old. Sadly, Ellen died in 1914.
Henry (Harry) at some stage moved to Oak Flats and was elected as Alderman of Shellharbour Municipal Council. He continued to serve in that position in 1934, 1936, 1937, and 1941. Henry was the first alderman to represent Oak Flats from 1934 to 1941.
While an Alderman, Harry worked towards the improvement of the living conditions in Oak Flats and was repeatedly recorded in the newspapers expressing his passion for the town.
Henry was known in Oak Flats as 'Daddy Ayers'. In an oral history of Oak Flats by local residents, he is mentioned as 'the unofficial mayor of Oak Flats'. He was involved in many aspects of life in the town and could be relied on to assist in entertainment, either by singing, playing his concertina, or fiddle.
The Shellharbour Valuation Book in 1926-28 records Henry William Ayers as a bricklayer, owning a house Section B, Lot 274 of the Lake Illawarra Township Estate - today 51 Deakin Street.
Betty Jago bought the house from Henry, and he asked her to keep its name 'Glen Ayers'.
'Ayers Lane', Oak Flats is named in his honour. His death in 1946 was registered in Balmain N.S.W.
Sources:Green Meadows - William A Bayley
B.D.M Registers.
Shipping Records.
Oak and Folks - A Oral History of Oak Flats
Oak Flats Garden Suburb - Kevin Gillis.
External LinkH Ayers Entertaining at function 1937H Ayers new entertainment hall 1936H Ayers sanitation success 1939H Ayers Happy 86th Birthday 1939H Ayers resigns 1941CONNECTIONS
Ayers, Henry. Shellharbour City Council, accessed 24/01/2026, https://discover.shellharbour.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/15850