Friday, February 16, 2007

My Ainscough tree



Ainscough family 2005

Photo shows the family as we are today. The tree is the simplest way to show my very ancient and extended family. Hopefully this will help to answer many people's questions in search of their roots. Please do get in touch with me if you think you are related or have any images that you woud like to contribute to the "Mawdesley Ainscough History" Group.
barbaraainscough@mac.com

HARROCK HALL - Ainscough



Harrock Hall - 7th July 1991



The newspaper cutting is taken from the Universe, edition 7th July 1991, kindly donated by my dad who has had it squirreled away for many a year now.
Bill Ainscough gets ready to move into Harrock Hall.....Another branch of Ainscough's from the Hugh (1680- 1741) & Elizabeth (1690-1755) origins, who were also my GGGGGGG grandparents. My line splits from Bill's after John (1794-1872) and Margaret Wignall (1797-1860). John (1794) was the youngest brother of Thomas(1780-1861) who married Betty Whitehead (1796-1879).

Parents of Thomas and John were:
John (1752-1835) m Margaret Worthington (1751-1835)
see previous blog entry: Sept.8th 06
CHILDREN
There had been 8 children:

1.1 Elizabeth ((Betty),1776-1816) m Richard Ainscough(1773-1842) - previous blog:Jan.21st & Jan 5th 07
1.2 James(1778-aft1843)m Jane Sergeant (1798-?)
1.3 Thomas (1780-1861) m Betty Whitehead (1796-1879)
1.4 Margaret (1782-1835)m Robert Gortly
1.5 Nancy ((Ann),1784-1851) m Robert Alty (1794-1861)- previous blog:Sept.7th 06
1.6 Richard (1787-1849) m Nancy Sergeant inherits the Rutters estate
1.7 Jane (1789-1794)died of smallpox age 6 years.
1.8 John 1794-1872) m Margaret Wignall(1797-1860)inherits Reynolds Farm, Mawdesley

John is the start of Bill's line, the Harrock Hall link.

The following list illustrates how Bill is related to our Ainscough branch of the family. Bill is my 4th cousin 3 times removed.......

BILL'S BRANCH
12. Hugh m Ann. no dates.
11. Hugh Ainscough (c1680-1741) m Elizabeth (1690-1755)
10.James AISCOUGH (1711-1781) m Margaret (1739-?)
9. John AISCOUGH (1752-1835) m Margaret Worthington (1751-1835)
8. John AINSCOUGH(1794-1872) m Margaret Wignall(1797-1860)Reynolds Farm
7. John AINSCOUGH (1838 -1916) m 1862 Ellen Smith (1837-1892)Rutters Farm
6. William AINSCOUGH(1880) m Garlin
5. Joseph AINSCOUGH (1916-?) m
4. William AINSCOUGH (Bill)

OUR BRANCH

12. Hugh m Ann. no dates.
11. Hugh Ainscough (c1680-1741) m Elizabeth (1690-1755)
10.James AISCOUGH (1711-1781) m Margaret (1739-?)
9. John AISCOUGH (1752-1835) m Margaret Worthington (1751-1835)
8. Thomas AINSCOUGH (1780-1861) m Elizabeth(Betty)Whitehead (1796?-1879)
7. Hugh AINSCOUGH (1822-1882) m Elizabeth (Ellen) Cowley (1826-1886)
6. Thomas AINSCOUGH (1846-1929) m Margaret Barnes (1839?-1913)
5. Henry AINSCOUGH (1868-1912) m Catherine Farley (1872-1951)
4. Norbert AINSCOUGH (1903-1991) m Freda Faulkner (1910-1998)
3. Peter AINSCOUGH m Margaret Nangle
2. Barbara AINSCOUGH
1. Rhiannon AINSCOUGH

Sunday, February 11, 2007

mid1700's - Ainscough Families in Mawdesley?

I'm sure many of us are curious about where our Ainscough family originate from. There is talk that they migrated to Lancashire from Lincolnshire because of recusancy and yet we find them firmly rooted in Ormskirk from 1558. Andrew Scarisbrick (andy_scarisbrick@hotmail.com) has also successfully managed to identify the 22 different Hugh Ainscoughs recorded in the 1881 census, spreading across the region from Mawdesley to Wrightington, Whittle Le Woods and Leyland. The interesting question is, "but how many different Ainscough families were there living in Mawdesley in the 1700s and were they related?"
We see from historical records that on a couple of occasions, Ainscough marries Ainscough and have enough evidence now to know that these families were not 1st cousins (see blog Richard A m Elizabeth A - 21 Jan 07 & 5 Jan 07).
Andrew has set about to to identify exactly how many different Ainscough families there were living in Mawdesley in the 1700's and is trying to establish any links between these families further back in time - he writes:

"Hi.
I am not sure what my next big project will be, but I have been taking a look at the Croston church records via the online parish clerk, and the following burials back up something you have previously stated (3 different Ainscough families in Mawdesley in 1700's??), which I definitely want to follow up;

Family 1. - Parbold Branch ( Hugh (1746-1822) is son of Thomas 1715 & nephew of James 1711-Barbara's line )
Burial: 12 Mar 1822
Hugh Ainscough -
Age: 75
Abode: Mawdesley
Buried by: Roman Catholic

This gives a year of birth of 1746 or '47. I presume this is the father of Richard Ainscough of Parbold, and James of Ulnes Walton. He was probably executor to James in 1819, if he died in 1822 - (see blog entry Jan 3rd 2007: Will of James of Ulnes Walton).

Family 2. - Richard Ainscough's Branch (married Elizabeth Ainscough (Betty) (1776-1816) is sister to Thomas (1780-1861) my GGGG grandad. She married Richard Ainscough in 1795- see blog entries 21 Jan.07 & 5 Jan.07)

Burial: 25 Oct 1817

James Ainscough -
Age: 74
Abode: Mawdesley
Buried by: G. Parkin Curate

This gives a year of birth of 1743. I believe this is the father of Richard who married your Elizabeth Ainscough. I have James' estate administration, which states his widow as Jane, as shown in the tree I gave you.

Family 3. - Branch? Possibly a son of Thomas (1715-1786) m. Alice and grandson of Hugh (c1680) & Elizabeth
Burial: 16 Apr 1822

Thomas Ainscough -
Age: 73
Abode: Mawdesley
Buried by: Roman Catholic
This gives a year of birth of 1747 or '48.

Family 4. - Branch? Possibly a son of Thomas (1715-1786) m. Alice and grandson of Hugh (c1680) & Elizabeth
Burial: 28 Dec 1786
Thomas Ainscough -
Died: Dec 27 1786
Age: 38
Abode: Mawdesley
Occupation: Husbandn.
Cause of Death: Consumption
Notes: Buried on the south side of the Church yard
This gives a year of birth of 1748.

So in Mawdesley, there are two Thomas Ainscoughs, both born around 1748; a James Ainscough born 1743; and a Hugh Ainscough born 1746. The two Thomases must be from different families, and neither of them are the son of James Ainscough (b.1711 - Barbara's line), as there wasn't a Thomas in his Will, and they both died after he died, in 1781. Therefore, there must be two other Ainscough families living in Mawdesley at this time (mid 1700's) - three in total, including your branch.
Presumably, these three families correspond to James, Thomas and Richard, the three sons of Hugh Ainscough (b. 1680's). So it would just be a case of placing the above Thomases, Hugh and Richard with the correct father i.e. a Thomas with each, Hugh (b. 1746/7) with Thomas (b. 1715), and finding where James (b. 1743) goes.

I may extend my census search of Hugh Ainscoughs through all the censuses - 1841 to 1891. This should be a lot easier now I have identified all the Hugh A.s in 1881. My findings from the 1881 census show that all Hugh A.'s come from my North Meols family - or different branches of the Mawdesley family [via John (b. ~1755), & the Parbold branch] - or Henry Ainscough (b. 1815, Ulnes Walton) which I am sure must come from one of the branches [again, something to follow up]. To me, this would indicate that they all must be the same extended family - it is just a case of finding where my Hugh A. (b. 1740) fits in.
So two possible line of investigation to conduct. I will certainly keep you appraised of any findings.

Best Regards,

Andrew"

And in answer to my query that surely that is 4 Ainscough families Andrew offers the following explanation;
"My theory of 3 Ainscough families comes from the 2 Thomases. Neither of them come from James (b. 1711), so James (b. 1711) is family #1. The 2 Thomases MUST be from different families so these are familes #2 and #3. Hugh (b. 1746 - Parbold branch) and James (b. 1743 - Richard's family) could be brothers to either of them, and could be brother's to each other, or one could be brother to one Thomas, and the other brother to the other Thomas. This has, in fact, been addresed by you in a subsequent email.

One of the Thomases is a son of Thomas (b. 1717) [ you could call this family #2], confirmed by Mary. She says he has another brother James (b. 1759). I know nothing of him, and he can't be the James (b. 1743) father of Richard (b. 1772). Thus James (b. 1743) and the other Thomas is family #3.
The details she has for Hugh from family #2 is confusing. She says Hugh was born 1738, died 1792, but the Hugh of the Parbold branch cannot have died in 1792, as he acted as executor to his son James' Will in 1819. This is consistent with the burial of Hugh Ainscough of Parbold in 1822 - born in 1746. Do you know where she got the dates for her Hugh from? Does she have a baptism from 1738, or a burial in 1792, or a will dated 1792? She must have got the dates from somewhere, but they do not match what is known for the Hugh father of Richard Ainscough of Parbold.
Are we talking about another Hugh here? This certainly needs addressing."
________________________

Thursday, February 08, 2007

Anthony Brown, Australia - contact

Anthony Brown's family
Anthony Brown, Melbourne, Australia (tonybrow@westnet.com.au) writes with the following. I have Anthony to thank for much of the information on this blog and for the earlier geneology work he has undertaken, it was his existing tree, handed to me by my father that inspired me to get started myself to find out more. Anthony is my father's (Peter Ainscough) first cousin. Hugh (1822-1882) & Ellen (Cowley) Ainscough (1824-1895) are Anthony's GG grandparents.

"Hi
Just introducing myself. I am another descendant of Hugh & Ellen living in Australia. I came to Australia in 1927 with my parents Harold Frederick Brown and Margaret Mary (nee Ainscough) and have lived in Melbourne, Victoria ever since.
My mother Margaret was the fourth child of Henry Ainscough (1868 - 1912) and Catherine nee Farley (1872 - 1951)
I have two brothers Harry Kevin & Peter Damien and a sister Margaret Mary who were born in Australia.
I have four children, daughters Jennifer Clare, Rosemary Anne & Jill Patricia, and a son Anthony Gerald.
Also four grandchildren Melanie, Nicholas Emily & Kylara.
In 1954 my mothers youngest brother Harry Ainscough migrated to Australia with his wife Helen & children - Bernadette, Paul & Christopher.
I am a first cousin of Peter Ainscough, father of Barbara.

Best Wishes
Anthony"

Monday, February 05, 2007

1881 census - final Hugh Ainscough b.1868

James Ainscough b.1755 Wrightington branch
You may recall that in an earlier blog (19th January 2007 - 1881 census, Hugh Ainscough - who are they all?) Andrew Scarisbrick (andy_scarisbrick@hotmail.com) had set about to identify all 22 of the Hugh Ainscoughs recorded in the 1881 census.
Once again he has managed to successfully identify the final Hugh Ainscough featuring in the 1881 census (22 of them in total!). Please note that this Hugh is not part of my (Barbara Ainscough) family line but the information may be useful to others. So far my line can be traced as far back as 1558 to Mawdesley/ Ormskirk records - see blog entries 1st Dec 06 and 21st Jan 07.
To view the tree click on the image and this will link to my Flickr account. You need to be registered (free!) to download the original size from here.
Andy Scarisbrick writes the following:

“I think I have identified the final Hugh Ainscough in the 1881 census. He is Hugh born 1868, Wigan. The evidence is a little contradictory, as his mother in 1881 is given as Elizabeth A. born 1841, Wigan; but in 1871, the only Hugh A. born 1868, Wigan, has mother Elizabeth A. born 1816, Wigan. quite a difference in age. The father in 1871 is Hugh A. born 1831, Wigan.
This would make him the son of Hugh A. born 1797, Wrightington, who was murdered, son of James born c. 1755. Maybe Hugh (1831) was married twice? This could make sense as the two other children in 1881, Joseph (b. 1877) and Catherine (b. 1879) are a fair bit younger than Hugh. Also, the mother of Hugh (b. 1831) was Catherine, so it makes sense that he names a daughter after her.
I have been looking at those newspaper reports you forwarded about the murder of a Hugh Ainscough. It sounded absolutely brutal. I don't think he is one of mine (North Meols). The dates for the reports are also a little off. The first one reporting the murder gave a date of Friday May 4th 1890, yet the second talking about the inquest gave Saturday May 6th 1860. Looking into it I think the correct one is 1860. As his age was 63, this would mean the Hugh was born about 1797, rather than 1827.
I have found a Hugh Ainscough born about 1798 in the 1851 census, and had died by 1861, and was living near Hunter's Hill, Wrightington. He was born in Wrightington. Interestingly enough, his wife in 1851 was born in Mawdesley. It looks like she died in 1852, which corresponds to what was said in the report.

…………More about the Wrightington Ainscoughs
These are all children of James Ainscough and Elizabeth Fletcher.
There is a Henry Ainscough (b. 1784), a James Ainscough (b. ~1795), and a Hugh Ainscough (b. 1797 {the one who was brutally murdered}) all born in Wrightington. Actually, Henry (1784) says he was born in Wrightington in 1851, (in 1861 he says he was born Mawdesley, when he also has a sister, Mary (b. 1786) living with him).

There is also the following from Croston records;
Burial: 1 Jan 1799
Margaret Ainscough - Daughter of James Ainscough & Elizth.
Died: Dec 30 1798
Age: 9
Abode: Wrightington
Cause of Death: Consumption
Notes: Buried on the west end of the Church yard

This is why I am certain James Ainscoughs family were from Wrightington. I will complete a tree of this branch and forward it to you.”

See the following news article about Hugh b.1797 at the following website:
http://www.wiganworld.co.uk/stuff/readingroomb.php?opt=readingroomb&rr=n
Friday, May 4, 1860.
A MAN BURIED ALIVE.
 ……. a farmer living near Hunter's Hill, Wrightington, had been found murdered in a field near his own home, under circumstances of the greatest cruelty and barbarity. ………….. A farmer named Hugh Ainscough, 63 years of age, occupying a farm about half a mile from Bispham School, left his home on Tuesday last for the purpose of paying his rent. ………….Instead of going direct home, however, he called at the Farmers' Arms Inn, kept by Mr. John Thomas, where he stayed till near midnight. Amongst the company were a woman named Ellen Fisher, who had been rendering assistance during the holding of the dinner, and to whom it is said the deceased (who was a widower, but has a family grown up) was to have been married in the course of a few weeks; and four young men, named John Prescott, Richard Benson, Charles Hart, and Edward Cubbin. When Ainscough left to go home, the woman Fisher accompanied him, and they had not proceeded far on their way before they discovered that the young men mentioned above were following them; and when they had got into a field, known as "Blackburn's Field," ……………..the following morning (Wednesday), about half-past four, a miner named James Clarke …………. …….was horrified to see a man's head and face, very much disfigured, protruding from the heap. The other portion of the body was completely buried under the earth, which consisted of large clods of clay, about two feet long and eight or nine inches wide. Clarke immediately raised an alarm, and assistance being procured……

Sunday, February 04, 2007

Ed Ainscough, Perth, Australia (3rd cousin)

Ed Ainscough & family 2007

Lovely to hear from another long lost cousin, emerging in Perth, Australia (3rd cousin once removed) via email today..... The photo shows Ed's family along with his brother Martin and daughter from Essex taken this Christmas in Perth.

Ed Ainscough from Australia, Anne Clark's brother writes:

"Hi Barbara
My sister Anne passed on your link to me. She, as you know, has put some time in to tracing back our line, and although we don't have much contact these days knew I was similarly interested in the family's past, the origin of the surname and the peculiar geographical concentration of people blessed with the Ainscough tag in Lancashire. I just thought I would say hi, and thank you for all the amazing work you must have done to put it all together.

Anne mentioned a family of Ainscough's here in Perth who she thought were cousins (2nd/3rd) but I could not see any mention in your blog site. Is this true?. The last time I looked into family history I ended up in touch with Mike Ainscough in Suffolk, who seemed to have gone back a fair way too. Does our line cross with his?

Anyway, hope you are having a lovely start to 2007 and Yorkshire's not too wet. Perth is beautiful, but very hot at the moment. To close, here is a family picture taken this Xmas of the Ainscoughs down under, with my and Anne's older brother Martin, who was visiting with his daughter Sophie from Essex, together with the start of a new line of Aussie Ainscough's, four boys and a girl, and my lovely wife Donna, a Kiwi lass I met on the beach nearly 18 years ago!!!"

In answer to Ed's query about the above mentioned "Mike Ainscough" that would be Mike at this web address: http://www.mjra.net/
His line of Ainscoughs are from Blackrod & Westhoughton and I cant find the link yet, possibly a pre 16th C link but not established as yet.

The following illustrates how Ed and Anne are related to me...they are my 3rd cousins once removed. It works like this.... Edward and Thomas AINSCOUGH were brothers, so their sons were cousins, 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc through generations.

ED'S BRANCH
7.0 *Hugh & Ellen (Cowley)Ainscough (GG grandparents)
I
6.0 **Edward Ainscough (b28 April 1860- d1 June 1902) m 1881 Margaret Whittle (b 29 Sept 1856- 1 May 1940) (G grandparents) SON (BROTHER OF THOMAS)
I
5.0 ***Edward Ainscough (b12 July 1889, d 15 May 1971) m 1920 Elizabeth Potts (b 24 Jan 1890? -d28 May 1976) (grandparents) 1ST COUSIN
I
4.0 ****Bernard Ainscough b19 Jan1924 - d19 Nov 1986 (father) m Veronica Charnock (b.8 Jan 1927-28 Aug 1976) 2ND COUSIN
I
3.0 *****Anne Clark (neƩ Ainscough), Ed & Martin Ainscough 3RD COUSIN

MY BRANCH
7.0 *Hugh & Ellen (Cowley)Ainscough (GGG grandparents)
I
6. **Thomas Ainscough (1846 - 1929) m 1866 Margaret Barnes (1839?-1913) BROTHER
I
5. ***Henry Ainscough (1868-1912) m 28th September 1895 Catherine Farley (1872 - 1951) 1ST COUSIN
I
4. ****Norbert Ainscough (1903 - 1991) m 31st March 1934 Freda Faulkner (1910 -1993?) 2ND COUSIN
I
3. *****Peter Ainscough (grandad) m 4th April 1959 Margaret Nangle - 3RD COUSIN
I
2. ******Barbara Ainscough (mother) (ONCE REMOVED)
I
1. Rhiannon (daughter)

Saturday, February 03, 2007

Another 1881 census Hugh Ainscough

Henry Ainscough Tree - census 1815
More from Andy Scarisbrick (andy_scarisbrick@hotmail.com) regarding Hugh (our number 5) in the 1881 census. Please note that this Hugh is not part of my (Barbara Ainscough) family line but the information may be useful to others. So far my line can be traced as far back as 1558 to Mawdesley/ Ormskirk church records - see blog entries 1st Dec 06 and 21st Jan 07.
To view the tree click on the image and this will link to my Flickr account. You need to be registered (free!) to download the original size from here.

"Since sending you the last email, I think I have confirmed my theory about Richard Ainscough (b.1850) being the father of one of the last two Hugh A.s I am trying to identify from the 1881 census.
I have found the following on:
http://www.familysearch.org/Comenius/

HENRY AINSCOUGH
Spouse: ELLEN WILSON
Marriage: 06 JUL 1835 Croston, Lancashire, England


So Henry's wife WAS Ellen Wilson, and Richard her son, making her brother, Peter Wilson, Richard's uncle, as in the census reports.
This means I have positively identified another Hugh Ainscough from the 1881 census. See the tree for Henry Ainscough (b.1815) with Ellen's surname, and Richard her son.

Henry AINSCOUGH (1815) m (1835) Ellen WILSON (1815) Croston, Lancs
Son - Richard Ainscough b. 1850 Chorley
Grandchild - Hugh Ainscough, b. 1880, Whittle Le Woods

Richard was born in 1850 in Chorley, as were most of the other children of Henry (1815). In all of the censuses, he grew up with an uncle, Peter Wilson, in Whittle Le Woods. Henry Ainscough's wife was Ellen Wilson who was born in 1815 in Whittle Le Woods. This means that Peter Wilson is her brother.