 Hayes was born in Bridekirk, Cumberland, England, the son of Fletcher Hayes and Elizabeth Martin.On 7 December 1781, at age 13, he joined the Bombay Marine as a midshipman on the "Bombay".On 6 February 1793, he sailed from Calcutta on a private trading voyage with two chartered ships, the "Duke of Clarence" of 250 tons (bm) and 14 guns and the "Duchess", an armed snow of 100 tons (bm).