I have a photo of a headstone with a Matilda Ayers, d. Jan. 17,1886 and a John Ayers, b. Jan. 13, 1822, d. Jan. 6, 1900.
The headstone states it is the family grave of Edward & Mary Brickwell, who are also mentioned on the headstone along with a sone Arthur Francis Brickwell, d.Mar.23,1924
Mary,d.Aapril24, 1930 and Edward T.S.Brickwell, d.March24, 1943.

Edward Brickwell if my husbands' g.g.grandfather and we know that he was adopted. We are wondering if the Ayers are his biological parents? Any help would be appreciated and I thank you in advance.
Karen Patterson, Armstrong, Canada

I am wondering where is the location of this cemetary? The
John Ayers interests me. It is a family name. My Ayers
family are from Georgia (northern). And I hope that you have
better luck than I have had. This is a hard family to find. My
"brick wall" is Alvin Dean Ayers, b. abt 1827 in Georgia. He
died abt 1870. They were living in Hall County Ga. at the time.
He married Jane M. Hyde in Dawson Co. in 1862. They had
two sons. I was just curious about the cemetary.
By the way, there is a town in Franklin Co. Georgia, called
Ayersville. You might be able to find something there. It is a
lovely quaint little town. Nathaniel Ayers settled it. He is
buried on top of a hill, but there is a cemetary there with lots
of Ayers names. Good hunting. Jean

Sorry to be so long in answering. We are in the middle of a major forest fire and have had other things on our minds. The cemetery in question is in London, England

Hi Karen,

I found Edward through a few documents by searching by his different surnames. On his birth certificate he is Edward Thornton Stannard born 24th September 1856 at 16 Paddington Street, Marylebone. His parents are Eleanor Grace Brickwell and William Thomas Stannard a Printer. I searched the address on the 1851 and 1861 census but they were not living there. I have had a hard time finding either of them on other documents as well.
By the 1861 census he is living with the Ayers (although it has been transcribed incorrectly as Agers. He is down as Edward Thornton only. On the 1871 census he is still with the Ayers but his name is down as Edward T Brickwell.

I'm wondering if there is any way we can find out more about his birth parents and adoption?

Hi Colleen, boy I am just blown out of the water with the information you have found. If you have a copy of the birth certificate I would like to have a copy if possible.
I have been having problems with my connection to Ancestry, I have to type in my username and password on every page I go to. I don't think he was adopted. In those days if you were born out of wedlock you took your mothers' maiden automatically. Under births and deaths there is a Eleanor Grace Brickwell, I will send for her birth and death certificates. I have John Ayers on the 1851 census and he was a shoemaker, then on the 1861 census he was an artifical tooth maker, by 1871 he was a Dentist and Grocer. In 1881 a Dentist and 1891 he had a wine store. I think he was paid to look after Edward. I will do some more hunting, but good on you for finally solving the puzzle.
Love Norm & Karen