Friday, September 15, 2006

Hugh AINSCOUGH (1822-1882) m1843 Ellen (Elizabeth) COWLEY (1824-1895)

Old Oak Inn
Our Lady and St Michaels Catholic Church, Alston
Our Lady and St Michaels Catholic Church, Alston
Hugh & Helen Ainscough
Hugh & Helen Ainscough


For those of you that are still getting to grips with the family history, Hugh and Ellen are my GGG grandparents. His son Thomas A is my GG granddad, father of Henry A, grandfather of Norbert, Maurice, Bernard, Kathleen, Harry and the others!

Having stopped off in Longridge, Lancs. On the way back from the South Lakes I thought I’d go in search of the pub that Hugh Ainscough had been landlord at in the 1870’s – The Old Oak Inn. It is still there and obviously a popular choice with the locals, although it is bizarrely situated on a mini-roundabout close to Alston, which makes parking quite difficult. After a quick drink and tapping the locals for information about “Grimbledstone farm”, (which is where he had been a farmer for many years prior to being a pub landlord), I headed off down the road towards Alston. “Grimbledstone farm” was just down the road and from there I followed my instinct. I was lucky to spot an RC primary school on the left, with a church next to it and pulled in. After a 15 minute look around there was the headstone I had been looking for! Buried in Our Lady and St Michaels Catholic Church cemetery, Alston - situated between Grimsargh and Longridge near Preston…….not just Hugh but Ellen his wife, Edward and George – 2 of their sons, Margaret, Edward’s wife and Elizabeth daughter of Hugh and Ellen………it was a good feeling and has been a major inspiration to find out more about my ancestors.
If you decide to go and take a look for yourself, it’s on the front row adjacent to the road – left hand side when facing the road.

The Headstone reads:
Reads, "Hugh Ainscough who died July 21st 1882 aged 60 years, also of Helen (known as Ellen) wife of the above who died Nov 8 1895 aged 71 years."

Reads, "Also of Edward their son (Hugh and Helen) who died June 1st 1902 aged 42 years and Margaret his wife who died May 1st 1940 aged 83 years.

Reads "George Ainscough (son) who departed this life Feb 11th 1874 aged 6 years. Also of Elizabeth Houghton daughter of the above (Hugh and Helen Ainscough) who died Dec 18 1934 aged 86 years";

Potted History - census detail from Jonathon Hopper:
Born Mawdesley

7 Aug 1843
7 Aug 1843 full age Husbandman of Mawdesley at time of marriage
26 Jul 1844 Farmer of Wrightington, Standish, Wigan, Lancashire (birth of dau Alice)
30 Mar 1851 Farmer of 26 acres Town rd Chorley 27yrs
1858 PO Directory Lancs Farmer Alston Preston
7 Apr 1861 Farmer of 45 acres Grimbledstone Alston 39yrs
21 April 1862 mentioned in Probate of will of his father as Yeoman of Mawdesley
13 Oct 1866 Farmer of Longridge Alston at marriage of son Thomas
2 Apr 1871 Licensed victualler Old Oak Inn Alston 49yrs
3 Apr 1881 Farmer of 2 acres Caster lane Longridge Alston 59yrs
See also & {Note 1881 entry includes 2 granddaughters {Ellen Ainscough 9 F Scholar bn Alston Lancs. Eng & {Elizabeth " (Earsnshaw) 3 F bn Alston Lancs. Eng whose parents are Henry Earnshaw (222) & Ann (nee Ainscough (72))
Sept Q 1882 death Preston 8e 401
25 November 1882 Letters of Administration granted to his widow Ellen Ainscough of Regent Street Alston
25 November 1882 Probate granted Personal Estate £213-4-2 Administration of the Personal Estate of Hugh Ainscough late of Kester Lane, Alston near Preston in the County of Lancaster who died 21July 1882 at Alston was granted at Lancaster to Ellen Ainscough of Regent Street, Alston, the lawful Widow the Relict. Sureties Richard Ainscough of 55 Essex Street Preston in the said County, Railway Inspector and Edward Ainscough of Dilworth near Preston in the said County Railway Porter
In 1845 Alice born in Wrightington.
In 1851 lived in Town road, Mawdesley - farmer of 26 acres - employs 1 worker. (Is this Town Road Croston?)
Moved to Alston in 1857.
In 1861 lived in Alston, Parish of Ribchester Church. "Grimbledstone" ? Near Preston
Farmer of 46 acres in 1861.

In 1871, lived with family at Old Oak Inn, New Town, Chipping road, Village of Longridge,Township of Alston - Licensed Victualler.
In 1881 lived in Caster Lane (now Kestor Lane) Longridge, farmer of 2 acres.

So Hugh moved away from Mawdesley (place of birth) in 1844 age 22 to Wrightington, Wigan initially, probably to find work as a farmer. Previous family are buried in Mawdesley RC Churchyard.

Census information suggests that in 1882 at the time of Hugh's death, Thomas was working in Chorley with the railways, Edward Ainscough was living in Dilworth near Preston and was the County Railway Porter and that Richard Ainscough of 55 Essex Street Preston in the said County, was Railway Inspector. 
This all seems to make sense and was obviously the change in occupation from farming to Railways that the family made. My great grandad Henry, son of Thomas was also a Station Master at Dean Lane Moston and so too was Bernard his son in Southport, Lancashire.....Im sorry to say that it was probably working on the railways that led to Henry's early death in 1912.

Ellen Cowley Ainscough
11 Dec 1826 born Croston
Elizabeth (Ellen), dtr. of Richard and Alice Cowley. Bispham. Joiner
31 Dec 1826 Baptised at St Michael & All Angels,Croston no.1479.
6 Jun 1841 Family servant 15yrs at Blackmore Grove, Mawdesley of William Finch
7 Aug 1843 full age Spinster of Mawdesley at time of marriage to Hugh Ainscough
24 July 1844 birth of dau Alice at Wrightington
5 Sept 1844 registration of birth of dau Alice
30 Mar 1851 Farmer's wife Town rd Chorley 28yrs bn Wrightington
7 Apr 1861 Farmer's wife Grimblestone Alston 37yrs bn Bispham
2 Apr 1871 Licensed vics wife Old Oak Inn Alston 48yrs bn Mawdesley
3 Apr 1881 Caster Lane Alston Wife Mar 58yrs housekeeper Bispham
25 Nov 1882 of Regent St Alston when granted Letters of Administration of her husbands estate as the lawful Widow & Relict.
5 April 1891 census age 67 years

Hugh and Ellen’s Children:
1.1 Alice – 26 July 1844
1.2 Thomas -1846 – 18 Sept 1929
1.3 Elizabeth – Nov 1848 – 18 Dec 1934
1.4 Richard – June 1850 – 6 Dec 1928
1.5 Ann (Annie) – 1853 – before 1901
1.6 Mary Margaret – 6 march 1856
1.7 John Hugh – March 1857
1.8 Edward – May1860 – 1 June 1902
1.9 William James – March 1862? – 30 Jan 1910
1.10 Henry – 24 Jan 1864
1.11 George – 1868 - Feb 11th 1874

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