John Ayres d.ca.1705

John AYRES d.ca.1705

Biographical Note

Writing master and author of works on calligraphy and penmanship, Ayres taught handwriting and accounts in St Paul's Churchyard and produced copybooks at the Hand and Pen in St Paul’s School. Samuel Pepys’ Calligraphical Collection contained five of Ayres’ works: The ala mode secretarie, 1681; The Accomplisht Clerk, 1683; The Penmans Daily Practise, 1692; A Tutor to Penmanship, 1698; and The Accomplish'd Clerk Regraved, 1700. The presence of Ayres’ work in Pepys’ collection is testament to his success and prominence as calligrapher in the late seventeenth century.

Books

Ayres is listed in Edward Bernard's Catalogi manuscriptorum, 1697 as owning a number of manuscripts.

Sources

• Whalley, Joyce Irene. "Ayres, John (d. 1704x9), writing-master." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.