Charles Robert Ayre was an English

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

-born merchant and political figure in Newfoundland. He represented Burin

Burin, Newfoundland and Labrador

Burin is a town on the Burin Peninsula in Placentia Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The Burin Peninsula is often affectionately nicknamed "The Boot" due to its resemblance to the footwear when seen on a map, with the town of Burin located near the "heel". Burin is approximately 318 km...

 in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly

Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly

The Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly is one of two components of the General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, the other being the Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Newfoundland and Labrador General Assembly meets in the Confederation Building at St...

 from 1873 to 1878 as a Conservative.

He was born in Exeter

Exeter

Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...

 and came to Newfoundland in 1842 as a clerk. By 1856, he had established his own business in St. John's

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...

 with John Steer

John Steer (merchant)

John Steer was an English-born merchant and political figure in Newfoundland. He represented Trinity Bay in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly from 1873 to 1878 as a Conservative....

. Ayre served in the Legislative Council of Newfoundland

Legislative Council of Newfoundland

The Legislative Council of Newfoundland was established in 1854 when the British Government granted a new constitution to Newfoundland establishing an Executive Council of not more than seven members of the majority party and a Legislative Council of not more than 15 members upon nomination of the...

 from 1879 to 1889 and was a minister without portfolio

Minister without Portfolio

A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister that does not head a particular ministry...

 in the Executive Council in 1885. He died in St. John's at the age of 69.

His son John

John B. Ayre

John Bray Ayre was a merchant and political figure in Newfoundland. He represented Bay de Verde in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly from 1894 to 1897....

also served in the Newfoundland assembly.