Thomas Hainsworth (Ainsworth) (b. 1840 - d. 1909)

11th December 2019 Karen Mackie

Thomas Hainsworth was born on 20th December 1840 (1). His parents David and Esther Hainsworth had him baptised on 21st March at Leeds Parish Church (2) (this is St Peters, now Leeds Minster) (3). As a child he lived on Byron Street in Leeds (4). He had an older brother and sister, William and Mary (5). His birth and death records show his name as Hainsworth, but during most of his time in the workhouse his surname is recorded as Ainsworth on official records.

In September 1850, when he was only nine years old, his mother, Esther died and was buried in Beckett St Cemetery (6). The following year his father, David, remarried (7). Around 1856, when Thomas was 16, he entered the Leeds Union Workhouse (8). However, his older brother was still living in the family home and remained there at least until the age of 25 (9). His father and stepmother remained local to Leeds, living at Penn St; and in Thorner at David’s death in 1886 (10). We do not have a discharge record to confirm whether Thomas remained in the workhouse for the remainder of his life.

The 1871 census describes him as an imbecile from birth and this may explain his admission at a young age (11). He is described as having paralysis in the long-term inmates list of 1861 (12). Nonetheless, he worked as a labourer and coal miner throughout much of his life (13). In 1891, Thomas was described as a hawker and was placed in the infirmary at the workhouse (14).

In 1900, Hannah Whitehead received permission for “Tom Ainsworth” to spend Christmas with her (15). This potentially was the housemaid at the Moral and Industrial School at Leeds workhouse (identified as working there on 1861 census) (16). If so, they may have met at the workhouse and developed a long-term friendship; an example of kindness shown to a vulnerable adult inmate by a member of the workhouse staff.

Although Thomas seems to be a long-term inmate, he may have left the workhouse later in life as the 1901 census shows a Thomas Hainsworth living in a large boarding house on Wharf Street, in the centre of Leeds and working as a yarn bleacher (17). At his death he is shown as living at Woodman Terrace in Leeds (18). His entry in the register of Leeds Beckett St Cemetery is however confused with the entry above, leaving open the possibility that he died in the workhouse (19).

Reference List: 1) ‘Thomas Hainsworth’ (1840) Civil Registration of Birth: Leeds, vol: 23, p. 393. Available at: www.freebmd.org.uk/ (Accessed 28 /10/2019).

More Than Oliver Twist ACE Funded SSN Project Workhouse Network Thomas Ainsworth – Leeds Union Workhouse 2) ‘Thomas Hainsworth’ (1841), Leeds Parish Church Register of Baptism, P68 3a 12 page 366, (no.375). Available at: www.ancestry.co.uk (Accessed: 28/10/ 2019). 3) www.leedsminster.org/About-Us/History/ (accessed 11/12/2019). 4) ‘Thomas Hainsworth’ (1841) Census Returns of England and Wales, Public Record Office (PRO), 1841. HO107; Piece: 1346; Book: 10; Civil Parish: Leeds Town; County: Yorkshire; Enumeration District: 10; Folio: 22; Page: 8; Line: 6; GSU roll: 464289. Available at: www.ancestry.co.uk (Accessed: 28/11 2019). 5) ‘William and Mary Hainsworth’ (1851) Census Returns of England and Wales, Public Record Office (PRO), 1851. Class: HO107; Piece: 2320; Folio: 400; Page: 14. Available at: www.ancestry.co.uk (Accessed: 28/10/ 2019). 6) ‘Esther Hainsworth’ (1850) Burial Register for Leeds Burial Ground, plot 16173, entry 1751. Available at: www.ancestry.co.uk (accessed 28/11/2019). And ‘Esther Hainsworth’ (1850), Register of Death, District: Leeds, vol: 23, p. 312. Available at: www.freebmd.org.uk (accessed 11/12/2019). His mother’s maiden name was White as shown on Leeds Parish Church marriage register 16th August 1835WYAS P68/4/22/1. Available at: www.ancestry.co.uk (Accessed: 28/11 2019). 7) ‘David Hainsworth’ (1851) District Leeds, vol 23, p. 524. Available at: www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi (accessed 11/12/2019) 8) ‘Thomas Ainsworth’ (1856) Long Term Inmates list, 1861. Available at: www.workhouses.org.uk/Leeds/LeedsLT.shtml (accessed 11/12/2019). ‘Thomas Ainsworth’ (1861) Census Returns of England and Wales, Public Record Office (PRO), 1861. Class: RG 9; Piece: 3386; Folio: 87; Page: 1; GSU roll: 543123. Available at: www.ancestry.co.uk 9) ‘William Hainsworth’ (1861) Census return for 1, Strode Street. Census Returns of England and Wales, Public Record Office (PRO), 1861. Class: RG 9; Piece: 3384; Folio: 97; Page: 12; GSU roll: 543124. Available at: www.ancestry.co.uk (Accessed: 28/11/ 2019). 10) ‘David and Sarah Hainsworth’ (1871) Census return for Leeds; Class: RG10; Folio: 128; Piece: 4556; Page: 41; GSU roll: 847138. Available at: www.ancestry.co.uk (Accessed: 11/12/ 2019). ‘David Hainsworth’ (1886) Register of Burial, LC/CEM (B)/1/8, Numbers 18750-38800, 1873-1889, Leeds, England, Beckett Street Cemetery, 1845-1987. Available at: www.ancestry.co.uk (accessed 11/12/2019) 11) ‘Thomas Hainsworth’ (1871) Census return, Public Record Office (PRO), England Census; Class: RG10; Piece: 4558; Folio: 109; Page: 11; GSU roll: 847139. Available at: www.ancestry.co.uk (Accessed: 28/10/2019). 12) ‘Thomas Ainsworth’ (1861) Long Term Inmates list, 1861. Available at: www.workhouses.org.uk/Leeds/LeedsLT.shtml (accessed 11/12/2019) 13) ‘Thomas Ainsworth/Hainsworth’ (1861) Census Returns of England and Wales, Public Record Office (PRO). Class: RG 9; Piece: 3386; Folio: 87; Page: 1; GSU roll: 543124. Available at: www.ancestry.co.uk (accessed 11/12/2019). ‘Thomas Ainsworth’ (1871) Census return, Public Record Office (PRO), England Census; Class: RG10; Piece: 4558; Folio: 109; Page: 11. Available at: www.ancestry.co.uk (Accessed: 28/10/2019). ‘Thomas Ainsworth’ (1881) Census return for Leeds Union Workhouse,

More Than Oliver Twist ACE Funded SSN Project Workhouse Network Thomas Ainsworth – Leeds Union Workhouse Returns of England and Wales, Public Record Office (PRO): RG11; 4524; 98; 1; GSU roll: 1342086. Available at: www.ancestry.co.uk (Accessed: 28/11 2019). ‘Thomas Ainsworth’ (1909) Register of burial, Leeds, England, Beckett Street Cemetery, 1845- 1987 Digitized registers. West Yorkshire Archive Service, Leeds, England. register of death unconsecrated burials. Available at: http://www.ancestry.co.uk (Accessed: 25/11/2019). 14) ‘Thomas Ainsworth’ (1891) Census return for Leeds union workhouse and infirmary, Returns of England and Wales, Public Record Office (PRO): Class: RG12; Piece: 3696; Folio: 117; Page: 6. Available at: www.ancestry.co.uk (Accessed: 28/10/2019). 15) West Yorkshire Archive Service, Leeds. WYAS Letter book 16) ‘Hannah Whitehead’ (1861) Census Returns of England and Wales, Public Record Office (PRO): Class: RG 9; Piece: 3386 Folio: 98; p. 1. Available at: www.ancestry.co.uk (accessed 11/11/2019) 17) ‘Thomas Hainsworth’ (1901) Census return for Wharf Street, Leeds. Returns of England and Wales, 1901. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives. Class: RG13; Piece: 4215; Folio: 130; Page: 24. Available at: www.ancestry.co.uk (Accessed: 25/11/2019). 18) ‘Thomas Hainsworth’ (1909) Register of Burial, Leeds, England, Beckett Street Cemetery, 1845-1987 Digitized registers. West Yorkshire Archive Service, Leeds, England. register of death unconsecrated burials. Available at: http://www.ancestry.co.uk(Accessed: 25/11/2019). 19) ‘Thomas Hainsworth’ (1909) Register of Burial, Leeds, England, Beckett Street Cemetery, 1845-1987 Digitized registers. West Yorkshire Archive Service, Leeds, England. register of death unconsecrated burials. Available at: http://www.ancestry.co.uk(Accessed: 25/11/2019).

More Than Oliver Twist ACE Funded SSN Project Workhouse Network Thomas Ainsworth – Leeds Union Workhouse