. ▁ ▁Biography ▁Born ▁in ▁L ime house , ▁a ▁mar itime ▁district ▁of ▁London , ▁C ay zer ▁was ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁Charles ▁C ay zer , ▁a ▁school master , ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁Mary ▁Elizabeth ▁n ée ▁Nick lin . ▁At ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁fifteen ▁C ay zer ▁took ▁a ▁position ▁as ▁cl erk ▁on ▁a ▁commercial ▁sh ipping ▁route ▁to ▁Japan . ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 1 ▁he ▁took ▁up ▁employ ment ▁as ▁a ▁sh ipping ▁agent ▁in ▁Bomb ay ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 8 6 8 ▁was ▁working ▁for ▁the ▁British - Ind ia ▁Ste am ▁Navigation ▁Company ▁as ▁master ▁of ▁stores . ▁ ▁He ▁left ▁India ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 3 , ▁to ▁work ▁for ▁the ▁British - Ind ia ▁Line ' s ▁London ▁agents . ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 6 ▁he ▁approached ▁British - Ind ia ' s ▁owner ▁William ▁McK inn on , ▁seeking ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁business ▁partners hip . ▁McK inn on ▁refused , ▁and ▁C ay zer ▁founded ▁his ▁own ▁sh ipping ▁business ▁C . W . ▁C ay zer ▁& ▁Company ▁in ▁Liverpool ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 7 . ▁The ▁company ▁trad ed ▁between ▁India ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom , ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁he ▁formed ▁a ▁partners hip ▁with ▁Captain ▁William ▁Ir v ine ▁and ▁the ▁firm ▁became ▁C ay zer , ▁Ir v ine ▁& ▁Company . ▁Later ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁year ▁the ▁Glasgow ▁ship builder ▁Alexander ▁Stephen ▁took ▁a ▁st ake ▁in ▁the ▁business