Born at Kentish Town, London, Aldis arrived in New Zealand with his family including a brother, also an artist who confusingly signed paintings A. Aldis. Their father was W. Steadman Aldis who had taken a position as Professor of Mathematics at Auckland University College. A.E. Aldis exhibited with the Auckland Society of Arts in 1887-88. Although still listed as a member of the society in 1889 he had apparently moved to Sydney where he settled for the rest of his life. To add to the confusion, the 1890-91 Wise's Dictionary lists the two Aldis brothers as Auckland artists but today A.E. is regarded as an Australian painter.