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DENNIS WILLIAM CAKEBREAD
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PETER AINSWORTH
1711 - 1780
(Known as "Peter of the Moss")

BOLTON, LANCASHIRE

Relationship to me: 5 Gts.Grandfather

Parents: Peter AINSWORTH, a Master bleacher and Mary (nee Hilton).
For descent from John Ainsworth see position in Chart.

Peter was born in Bolton in about 1711 and christened at St.Peter's on 12.1.1715.

Early Years: He was the elder son and was brought up with his brother Richard at The Holcroft near St.George's Church, Bolton.

Occupation: He was apprenticed to his father at an early age and like his father Peter became a Bleacher in his own right. He was a pioneer of chemical bleaching and founded Halliwell Bleachworks in about 1739.
In 1743 he received a bequest in the will of his uncle, Robert AINSWORTH, of London.

Marriage: Peter married Alice Galland (Gaylon / Gallen). One authority states this was at Darwen on 1.6.1729 when they were both about seventeen years old, but others say it was at Bolton in 1737.

Children: The couple had 11 children:

Note: Most of the information below is from other people's research but is produced as a guide for further research and verification.
Peter 1736
Married Alice Aspinall on 17.7.1761. They had one surviving child, Richard. Peter became known as "The Opulent Bleacher".
Ann 1738 Chr. 5.8.1739 St.Peter's, Married John Cort on 29.11.1768 . They had 4 children: Edward, Peter, Ann Ainsworth, and Thomas.
Mary 1742 Chr. 31.1.1742 St.Mary's, Deane, She drowned by falling into the Holy Well at age of 3 years.
Richard 1743 Chr. 13.10.1743 .St.Mary's, Deane Married Betty Morris at St.Peter's in 1765. They had 6 children: Robert, James, Nancy, Peter, Alice and Beatrice.
Robert 1     Died at eight weeks old.
John 1746
Married Betty Nield at Manchester Cathedral in 1768. Children not known
James 1748 Chr.16.12.1748 at St.Mary's, Deane Married:
1. Betty Mason on 18.6.1771.
2. Molly Green. They had a son James.
3. Molly Burgess. They had a son John.
4. Betty Nuttall on 4.3.1780. They had 4 children: Charles, Thomas, Alice, and Ann.
Robert 2 1751
Died aged 8.
Alice 1754 Chr. 20.2.1754 St.Mary's Married:
1.Charles Charlton at St.Peter's 1774. They had 4 children: James, Thomas, Jane, and Robert.
2. Thomas Parkinson, also at St.Peter's, on 2.3.1783. They had a daughter Alice.
3. Thomas Cocksey, at St.Peter's on 7.3.1790. They had Ann, and Thomas.
Jenny 1756 Chr.9.5.1756 St.Peter's Married Thomas Hanby at St.Peter's. They had 5 children: Joseph, Jane, Sophia, Miranda, and Josiah.
Thomas 1759 Chr. 12.1.1759 St. Mary's Married Betty Wraith, second daughter of the Rev. James Wraith, Minister of Bolton Independent Church, on 16.1.1782 at St.Peter's.
They had 14 children: Amelia, Richard, Elizabeth, Thomas, Dorothea, William, Mary, Alicia, Edward, Harriett, Ellen, Thomas (2), and Peter.


Known Places of Residence:
As a child Peter lived at The Holcroft. After his marriage the couple moved the house adjoining the Barn at Halliwell Moss. Later after receiving a bequest from a relative they moved to Lightbounds House a short distance away.

Death of Wife: Alice died in 1767

Death: Peter died in 1780. His estate passed to his eldest son Peter.
Burial: He was buried in the family vault on the south side of Bolton Parish Church. (Re-interred at Tongue Cemetary in 1902)

Inscription taken from Records held at Bolton Archives:

Here rest the remains of Mary daughter of Peter and Alice Ainsworth of the Moss Halliwell who was interred July 10th 1743, aged 3 years. Also Robert son of Peter and Alice Ainsworth who was interred June 21st 1751, aged 8 years. Here also rest the remains of Peter Ainsworth of the Moss Halliwell, who died April 12th 1780 in the 67th year of his age.
Farewell vain world I've seen enough of thee
And now I'm careless what thou sayst of me
Thy smiles I court not nor thy frowns I fear
My cares are past my head lies quiet here
What faults thou'st see in me take care to shun
Go home and look enough is to be done
Where ere I lived or died it matters not
To whom related or by whom begot
I was I am not ask no more of me
Tis all I am and all that thou shalt be.
Here rest the remains of Alice wife of Peter Ainsworth, who died December 28th 1787 in the 75th year of her age.
Also of Ann wife of John Cort of Great Bolton and daughter of Peter and Alice Ainsworth, who died August 1789, in the 50th year of her age. Also John Cort of Great Bolton, who died April 30th 1791.

We must all die A.D. 1842



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