Looking for Beckett Ainsworth Connection

[CanadianJP]

I'm wondering if anyone has access to the 1901 UK Census - Location: Runcorn, Cheshire. I'm looking for the family of James Beckett & Mary Alice (Ainsworth) Beckett, children: Mary E, Martha Ellen (Nellie), Catherine (Kitty) and Alice. Location: Runcorn, Cheshire. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.

[Trish]

I'm wondering if anyone has access to the 1901 UK Census - Location: Runcorn, Cheshire. I'm looking for the family of James Beckett & Mary Alice (Ainsworth) Beckett, children: Mary E, Martha Ellen (Nellie), Catherine (Kitty) and Alice. Location: Runcorn, Cheshire. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.Here they are in 1901, living at 63 Shaw Street in Runcorn, Cheshire:

Name / Age / Birthplace / Relationship / Occupation
James Beckett 36 Middlewich, Cheshire, England Head General Labourer
Mary Beckett 38 Frodsham, Cheshire, England Wife
Mary Beckett 11 Winsford, Cheshire, England Daughter
Ellen Beckett 9 Runcorn, Cheshire, England Daughter
Catherine Beckett 6 Runcorn, Cheshire, England Daughter
Alice Beckett 2 Runcorn, Cheshire, England Daughter
Thomas Ainsworth 28 Frodsham, Cheshire, England Boarder General Labourer

Source information: RG13/3336
Registration district: Runcorn
Sub-registration district: Runcorn
ED, institution, or vessel: 18
Folio: 44
Page: 6

Hope this helps.

Trish

[Trish]

Do you have the following info from the 1891 census?

The BECKETTs, living at 62 [looks like] Shard Street, All Saints, Cheshire:

Name / Age / Birthplace / Relationship / Occupation
Beckett, James 26 Cheshire Head Platelayers Labourer
Beckett, Mary A 29 Cheshire Wife
Beckett, Mary E 2 Cheshire Daughter
Hough, Dennis 22 Cheshire Lodger Chemical Labourer

Source information: RG12/2833
Registration district: Runcorn
Sub registration district: Runcorn
ED, institution, or vessel: 17
Folio: 85A
Page: 24

Trish

[Trish]

Do you have the information on James from the 1871 census? I think I see him -- a 6-year old living with his stepfather, mother, maternal grandfather and 2 stepbrothers in Northwich, Cheshire.

Also possibly Mary AINSWORTH in 1871 -- as a 7 year old, with baby brother Thomas, living with grandparents, parents and other sibings in Frodsham Lordship, Cheshire.

Can give you the details if you like...

Trish

[CanadianJP]

Wow! Thanks for all the information including the 1871 and 1891 census info. It's greatly appreciated! I only discovered this message board yesterday and already it has provided great help with my search. Trish, I'm not sure if these are my James and Mary (from 1871 census) but I'll take you up on your offer of the information (for reference as I go forward). Again, thanks for your help. Have a great day!

[Trish]

Wow! Thanks for all the information including the 1871 and 1891 census info. It's greatly appreciated! I only discovered this message board yesterday and already it has provided great help with my search. Trish, I'm not sure if these are my James and Mary (from 1871 census) but I'll take you up on your offer of the information (for reference as I go forward). Again, thanks for your help. Have a great day!You're most welcome.

Here are the details for 6-year-old James Beckett and his family from the 1871 census -- living on Middlewich Road in Clive, Cheshire:

Name / Age / Birthplace / Relationship / Occupation
William Lea 32 Prover, Cheshire, England Head Salt Boiler
Sarah E Lea 30 Over, Cheshire, England Wife Salt Boiler's Wife
James Beckett 6 Clive, Cheshire, England Stepson Scholar
George Lea 3 Clive, Cheshire, England Son
William Lea 1 Clive, Cheshire, England Son
George Beckett 61 Sproston, Cheshire, England Father-in-law Salt Boiler

Source information: RG10/3699
Registration district: Northwich
Sub-registration district: Over
ED, institution, or vessel: 14
Folio: 60
Page: 4
Household schedule number: 18

More to follow...

[Trish]

The James Beckett that I just gave you from the 1871 census is the only James BECKETT of around that age [5 to 7 years] who might fit your profile.

Here are the details for 7-year-old Mary AINSWORTH and her family from the 1871 census -- living in Overton, Frodsham Lordship, Cheshire:

Name / Age / Birthplace / Relationship / Occupation
John Ainsworth 65 Netherton, Cheshire, England Head Labourer on Railway
Elizabeth Ainsworth 65 Sutton, Cheshire, England Wife
John Ainsworth Junr 28 Netherton, Cheshire, England Son Labourer on Railway
Sarah Ainsworth 24 Five Crosses, Cheshire, England Daughter-in-law
George E Ainsworth 14 Netherton, Cheshire, England Grandson Agricultural Labourer
Mary A Ainsworth 7 Netherton, Cheshire, England Granddaughter Scholar
Mary Jane Ainsworth 2 Overton, Cheshire, England [note: relationship left blank]Scholar
Thomas Ainsworth 4 months Overton, Cheshire, England Grandson

Source information: RG10/3693
Registration district: Runcorn
Sub-registration district: Frodsham
ED, institution, or vessel: 2
Folio: 24
Page: 23
Household schedule number: 108

There's only one other Mary AINSWORTH listed in the 1871 census who comes close to your profile but she is 10 years old and she doesn't have a younger relative [brother, cousin?] Thomas -- at least not in 1871.

Hope this all helps. Good luck!

Trish

[Trish]

Have you looked at the 1881 census? It may help you in determining if the [1871] 7-year-old Mary A. AINSWORTH is the right one. It looks to me like the same Mary is enumerated as Mary Alice AINSWORTH in 1881 -- same family members, same address and so on. I'd say this was a match for your Mary.

[CanadianJP]

Trish,
I think this is the correct Mary Alice Ainsworth. It looks like Mary was living with her grandparents in 1871. To this point in my search, Mary Alice was the only child of Alice Ainsworth and Father Unknown. John Ainsworth was one of Alice's brothers so it's possible the younger children in the house may belong to John & Sarah Ainsworth (and would be Mary Alice's cousins). But that doesn't seem to work with George E Ainsworth as he's listed as 14 which seems too old to be a child of John & Sarah's. Also, where is Alice? I have no knowledge at this point if she ever married, if she had more children than Mary Alice or when/where she died. I think I need to find more information on Alice before being able to figure this family out. I'll hang onto this information until I do. Thanks again for your help.

[Trish]

...where is Alice? I have no knowledge at this point if she ever married, if she had more children than Mary Alice or when/where she died...Forgive me for continuing to meddle in your research but, in doing so, I'm managing to successfully avoid my own brick walls!

There is a marriage record on the Civil Registration Index for an Alice AINSWORTH in the June quarter of 1868 in Northwich, Cheshire. One of the two possible bridegrooms listed is a James HOUGH. In the 1871 census, there's the following James and Alice HOUGH living at [looks like...] Fower Meadow Bank, Over, Cheshire:

Name / Age / Birthplace / Relationship / Occupation
James Hough 27 Over, Cheshire, England Head Salt Maker
Alice Hough 26 Netherton, Cheshire, England Wife
Martha Ellen Hough 5 Netherton, Cheshire, England Daughter
Amos Hough 2 Over, Cheshire, England Son

Source information: RG10/3698
Registration district: Northwich
Sub-registration district: Over
ED, institution, or vessel: 5
Folio: 90
Page: 6
Household schedule number: 33

At 26, this Alice is old enough to be the mother of Mary Alice AINSWORTH but she's a tad young to be the mother of George.

To add to the intrigue, there's an IGI entry for an Alice AINSWORTH, born in Frodsham in 1844 to John and Betsy [Elizabeth?] AINSWORTH.

Netherton, Over, Frodsham... I don't know if all these placenames are close by each other and/or interchangeable, do you?

[Trish]

Here's Alice HOUGH in 1891 living at 146 Station Road, Wharton, Cheshire. No James or Amos, but what's quite interesting is that she has 2 granddaughters with the surname AINSWORTH -- and born in Overton -- living with her:

Name / Age / Birthplace / Relationship / Occupation
Hough, Alice 46 Netherton, Cheshire Head
Bowker, Martha E 26 Overton, Cheshire Daughter
Bowker, Richard 26 Over, Cheshire Son-in-law Labourer on Railway
Bowker, John J 2 Wharton, Cheshire Grandson
Ainsworth, Lissey 7 Overton, Cheshire Granddaughter
Ainsworth, Catherine 6 Wharton, Cheshire Granddaughter

Source information: RG12/2841
Registration district: Northwich
Sub registration district: Over
ED, institution, or vessel: 17
Folio: 82
Page: 13

It looks like Alice HOUGH has died by 1901 but James is back -- at 175 Station Road, Wharton, Cheshire:

Name / Age / Birthplace / Relationship / Occupation
James Hough 59 Winsford, Cheshire, England Head [Widow] Farm Labourer
Leslie [sic] Ainsworth 17 Overton, Cheshire, England Granddaughter
Noah Robinson 55 Winsford, Cheshire, England Boarder General Labourer

Source information: RG13/3343
Registration district: Northwich
Sub-registration district: Over
ED, institution, or vessel: 16
Folio: 175
Page: 21
Household schedule number: 114

Trish

[Trish]

...George E Ainsworth as he's listed as 14... seems too old to be a child of John & Sarah's... Here's George E. in later censuses:

1891: Ship Street, Frodsham, Cheshire:
Name / Age / Birthplace / Relationship / Occupation
Ainsworth, George E 32 Frodsham, Cheshire Head Chemical Labourer
Ainsworth, Eleanor 26 Bromborough, Cheshire Wife
Ainsworth, Elsie 7 Frodsham, Cheshire Daughter Scholar
Ainsworth, Ernest 5 Frodsham, Cheshire Son Scholar
Ainsworth, Lenonard 4 Frodsham, Cheshire Son

Source information: RG12/2834
Registration district: Runcorn
Sub registration district: Frodsham
ED, institution, or vessel: 3
Folio: 45
Page: 18

1901: Ship Street, Frodsham, Cheshire:
Name / Age / Birthplace / Relationship / Occupation
George E Ainsworth 41 Frodsham Lordship, Cheshire, England Head ???man, ??? Works
Eleanor Ainsworth 36 Bromborough, Cheshire, England Wife
Leonard Ainsworth 14 Frodsham, Cheshire, England Son Second ???man, ??? Works
Hilda M Ainsworth 8 Frodsham, Cheshire, England Daughter
Henry E Ainsworth 3 Frodsham, Cheshire, England Son

Source information: RG13/3337
Registration district: Runcorn
Sub-registration district: Frodsham
ED, institution, or vessel: 2

[CanadianJP]

Trish
You are definitely not meddling. It looks like these people all fit together somehow. I'm trying to absorb it all and make it make sense but right now my head is swimming. If Alice Hough in the 1891 Census is Alice Ainsworth Hough, how could her grandchildren's last name be Ainsworth unless she had another child(s) beside Mary Alice prior to her marrying James Hough who had children out of wedlock. I think researching this family could be a challenge!

I'm not very familiar with Cheshire so am not sure if Netherton, Over, Frodsham are close or interchangeable as you asked. I definitely need to obtain a map of Cheshire. I also have to obtain some birth/marriage/ death registration records to confirm some of these people and dates. As I mentioned, I have little confirmed information past Mary Alice Ainsworth, just her mother's name - Alice Ainsworth. I do not have her father's name but have not researched greatly for it, at this point.

You mentioned the IGI listing for Alice. I suspect this is correct according to some information I was given (none of which I've confirmed). I can add even more intrigue - if the information I've been given is correct, the original last name of this family was Unsworth and later changed to Ainsworth. If the information is correct, Alice Ainsworth's father was John Ainsworth who also went by John Unsworth. (Did I mention my head is swimming???)

You mentioned that helping me with this is helping avoid your own brick walls. Are you researching the same name?
Janette

[Trish]

...If Alice Hough in the 1891 Census is Alice Ainsworth Hough, how could her grandchildren's last name be Ainsworth unless she had another child(s) beside Mary Alice prior to her marrying James Hough who had children out of wedlock... I know. I wondered about that, too. Another possibility is that Mary Alice, in turn, had children out of wedlock... One last consideration is that AINSWORTH isn't Alice's maiden name -- that she was a widow with children when she married James HOUGH. But, then, I think that that hypothsis would mean this isn't your Alice, right?


...I'm not very familiar with Cheshire so am not sure if Netherton, Over, Frodsham are close or interchangeable as you asked. I definitely need to obtain a map of Cheshire... Try www.streetmap.co.uk -- this is an excellent site for locating UK placenames.


...I can add even more intrigue - if the information I've been given is correct, the original last name of this family was Unsworth and later changed to Ainsworth. If the information is correct, Alice Ainsworth's father was John Ainsworth who also went by John Unsworth. (Did I mention my head is swimming???)... Oh yes, I'm sure your head is swimming. Mine would be, too, at this point. You'll be pleased to know that there are a few hundred UNSWORTHs popping up in the censuses -- including a handful in the Frodsham area [but no Johns].


...You mentioned that helping me with this is helping avoid your own brick walls. Are you researching the same name? No, not even close. And I have no connections to Cheshire at all. Well, not that I know of, yet. But I have been helped so much by others that I'm trying to do the same in return. And, I have to admit, It's sort of addictive. [Like I don't have anything better to do!]

Janette, you're in Canada?

Trish
Toronto

[Trish]

Janette, the following might be of use somewhere down the line in your family research:

From Pallot's Marriage Index for England: 1780 - 1837:

Name / Spouse / Marriage Date / Parish
Jas Unsworth Nancy Hurstfield 1794 Frodsham
Sarah Unsworth Jas Frier 1800 P R Frodsham
Jane Ainsworth Wm Evans 1802 P R Frodsham
James Unsworth Mary Harnett 1807 P R Frodsham
Betty Unsworth Thos Clarke 1812 P R Frodsham

Trish

[CanadianJP]

Hi Trish
Thanks for the info. It will definitely help as I move along with the search. I am going to order some birth registration records to confirm who's who. I need to determine if Alice Ainworth ever married, and if so, who did she marry. It very well could turn out to be Hough. And did she have more children either prior to marriage or after? Once I get this information I think things (and people) will start to fall into place.

Yes, I am from Canada. I see you are as well! How's the weather out east? It's been nasty here (I'm in Central Alberta) for the last while, averaging -22 to -24C since Boxing day. The past 2 days have been somewhat warmer, -12 to -15C, but always with a wind.

I can concur that this genealogy thing is very addictive. I've been on holidays since Dec 23 and have spent hours and hours on the family history. Mind you, I'm actively searching two of the lines on my father's side (alot of the searching I'm doing now is in Ontario and the Isle of Man) and two of my mom's lines (both in England). It seems like I've discovered alot of information in a very short while. Just keeping it organized is a full time job! On top of that, I recently volunteered to be the Alberta Coordinator of CanadaGenWeb Cemetery Project. It's at www.continue.to/cgwcem if you'd like to check it out.

I'm curious how you have access to this information so quickly? Also, what part of England are you searching in, Trish?
Janette

[Wirral]

We also have Ainsworths from Runcorn in the mid to late 19thC. Although I haven't found any match with yours, I did find the marriage of Alice Ainsworth to James Hough at St Mary, Whitegate 1866-1870 on the cheshirebmd.org.uk site. The records are held at Cheshire Central Register Office.

Alison

[Wirral]

I know it is nearly a year since the last posting, but wonder if you have this info now from the 1851 census?

HO107/2164 page 11 folio 701, Netherton, Frodsham Lordship, Cheshire
John Ainsworth head M 44 agricultural labourer, Cheshire Frodsham Lordship
Elizabeth Ainsworth wife 43 Cheshire Sutton
Ann Ainsworth dau 14 Cheshire Frodsham Lordship
Edward Ainsworth son 11 scholar Cheshire Frodsham Lordship
John Ainsworth son 9 scholar Cheshire Frodsham Lordship
Alice Ainsworth dau 6 scholar Cheshire Frodsham Lordship

[Pearsey]

I believe I am related to you if you're descended from the James Beckett b.ca.1865 to Sarah E. (Beckett) Lea of Middlewich, Cheshire. Sarah E. Beckett was daughter of George Beckett (1810-73) a salt boiler of Middlewich. He was a brother of my great-grandfather William Beckett (1811-43) of the Middlewich region. I still need proof of this but both men lived in Sproston, a town in Middlewich at the same time. Their parents were John Beckett and Hannah (ca.1777-1853 Brereton, Cheshire.

I'm very interested in corresponding with you or anyone else related to these lines.