Ruby M. Ayres

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BSU student brings bestselling family author back into the spotlight

Tuesday, 9 June, 2026

Bath Spa University English Literature student, Ruby Lawson, has turned a remarkable family connection into a digital dissertation, exploring the life and work of her great, great, great aunt, romantic novelist Ruby M. Ayres. 

Widely renowned in her time, Ayres was described by literary historians as “one of the most popular and prolific romantic novelists of the twentieth century,” producing more than 150 novels and becoming one of the most commercially successful female writers of her era, reportedly selling more than eight million copies worldwide. 

Despite her commercial success, Ayres’ legacy did not remain at the centre of mainstream literary discussion. But with the help of her family, Ruby hopes to place it back in the spotlight. 

For her dissertation project, Ruby created an interactive online museum dedicated to Ayres. Using family archives held onto for over one hundred years, photography, literary research, and storytelling, she has reintroduced the early 20th-century author to modern audiences, tapping into BSU’s network of creatives to bring the project to life. Photography student Ella Davis took over 400 pictures of Ruby’s archival materials, assisted by Oliwia Wudarowicz, which are available to view on her website.

The interactive website guides visitors through themed digital rooms, including sections dedicated to Ayres’ writing, articles, and archives. Using books, photographs, postcards, and family memorabilia given to her by her grandmother, Ruby has brought her aunt’s work back to life. 

Discussing how the project became something much bigger than her dissertation, Ruby described connecting with family across the world: 

“I spoke regularly with my relatives in America and Canada, who shared memories and stories of my aunt. My grandmother supplied much of the archival material, dating back to the 1920s. She was the most excited; every day, I’d get a text asking for the link to my website so she could show it to somebody else. She’d kept so much memorabilia but never expected it to be used in this way.” 

Ruby describes her family’s emotional response as one of the most rewarding parts of the project. Connected by her namesake, she shared that her grandmother burst into tears after learning the name her parents had chosen: 

“My mum came out of the delivery room and told my nan they’d called me Ruby. They hadn’t told anyone the name beforehand, and my nan burst into tears because it was her mother’s name as well as Ruby Ayres’. Out of all the names they could have chosen, it felt like such a coincidence.” 

Alongside researching Ayres’ literary career, Ruby became fascinated by the author’s independence and business-oriented mindset. Through her research, Ruby discovered that despite her successful career writing romance novels, Ayres resisted many of the domestic expectations placed on women of her era, choosing not to have children and instead leaving much of her estate to animal charities. According to Ruby's research, Ayres was earning the modern-day equivalent of around £1 million a year by the age of 30.  

Discussing her success, Ruby said: 

“She knew what would sell. Her stories evolved over time, but they also stayed true to the formula her readers loved. She knew exactly what she was doing and was a really savvy businesswoman.” 

A 1955 quote from Ayres for The Times read: 

"First I fix the price. 
Then I fix the title. 
Then I write the 
book." 

Not only did Ruby’s dissertation earn her a first, but the project has also already attracted attention beyond BSU, with Ruby’s grandmother nominating her for a segment with Bronwen Lewis on BBC Radio Wales about people their listeners were proud of. 

Browse the archives on Ruby’s dedicated website and find out more about English Literature at BSU on the University’s course page.