English surveyor and explorer from Devon, son of Rev. Ayscoghe Floyer (1821-1872), and educated by the Rev. C. Boys, at Wing Rectory, Rutland, and subsequently at Charterhouse. At the age of 17 he received an appointment to the Indian Telegraph Service and spent the next seven years stationed on the coast of the Persian Gulf. During his leave he embarked on an expedition to the unexplored interior of Baluchistan (1876-1877) and from there to Baghdad and Basra collecting geographical and linguistic information as well as some natural history material.

Floyer was appointed Inspector General of Egyptian Telegraphs (1878-1903), based in Cairo, where he saw miltary service and was involved in the Gordon Relief Expedition (1884-1885). In 1891 he led an expedition to the Eastern Desert and made historical and geographical discoveries including an old abandoned emerald mine that was subsequently brought back into production. His post was elevated to Director of Plantations, State Railways and Telegraphs of Egypt and during this period was responsible for the introduction of many economic plants to Egypt. He married Mary Louisa Watson in 1887 who later made botanical collections in Argentina, perhaps while visiting her sister-in-law Mabel Frances Williams of Estancia San Anselmo.