A recent query by Anthony Ayres about one of his relatives being the landlord of Ayres Inn in Yarm brought to mind a photograph I have in my collection showing Ayres Saddlers in Yarm. It is possible that the man in the shop doorway is the same person who was landlord at Ayres Inn, Cliff Thornton discovered that J. Ayre was an innkeeper as well as being a saddler, Cliff also said that Ayres Inn was in fact the Cross Keys, now known as The Keys. I was wondering if the group of people standing by the trestle table may possibly be the Ayre’s family. The person with the child is standing in the entrance to Danby Wynd, the Wynd is still there but the entrance has been widened, the Wynd is on the West side of Yarm High Street, the same side as the Cross Keys with about eight buildings between them.
Photograph and details courtesy of Bruce Coleman.
I think these “Ayre. Sadler” premises are further north on the High Street than Danby Wynd. I think the left-most building in the photo is the only building to still exist (at No. 87 & 89 https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1139873 ).
Notice there are 3 sets of windows in that building, with those furthest away having a larger gap between them and the other two, this and the design, matches up with those still at No. 87 & 89. The ground floor bay windows must have been removed when it became shops.
The other buildings in this photo have all been demolished and rebuilt.
You can also see these premises on the following photo: https://picturestocktonarchive.com/2002/10/01/yarm-high-street-c1900-3/
Bella Barker who lived a few doors down from me on Forest Lane, Kirklevington was an Ayers. I remember seeing an old enamel sign saying Ayers. My Dad Albert told me about Ayers the saddler.