Thomas Ainsworth
Encyclopedia
Thomas Ainsworth was an Englishman
and the founding father of Nijverdal
, a small town in the Netherlands
, during the 19th century. He laid the basis for the Royal Steam Weaving Mill (KSW) in Nijverdal in 1836 that is still operating today under the name TenCate.
cotton industrialist, Thomas Ainsworth (1758 - 1831) and Grandson of pioneer of chemical bleaching and founder of Halliwell bleach works, Peter Ainsworth (1713 - 1780). Thomas Ainsworth (1795 - 1841) was born in Bolton le Moors
, Lancashire
a textile producing region in England
. He married Jane Bower of West Retford, Nottinghamshire
in 1820 and together they had 5 children.
Thomas Ainsworth was a textile engineer who established synthetic bleach works in Almelo
, Aalten
and Enschede
, eastern Netherlands and later founded the Twente Steam bleach works in Goor
in 1832. He also established a textile school in Overijssel
. His works brought economic prosperity to those regions of the Netherlands.
When the cotton firm of Thomas Ainsworth's father went bankrupt, Thomas and his brother, Edward Ainsworth, moved with their families to France
and later on to Belgium
to work in the cotton industry. Later, in Belgium, Thomas worked in the blast furnace
of John Cockerill in Seraing
.
When the Belgian Revolution
started Thomas moved to the Netherlands and lived for more than a year in the Zaanstreek before he got the idea to go to Elberfeld
, Germany
to work with chemical aspects of the textile industry which he was very much interested in as later found in a book that he worked for Van Gelder, Schouten & Co were they made bleached and colored paper.
On his way towards Germany he passed Twente
, situated in the east of the Netherlands. This was a region that was of particular interest for the Dutch
government for a textile company and therefore Thomas was the chosen man. He also went to textile companies Aalten and Hofkes situated in Almelo to build machines for bleaching.
Charles de Maere, a Belgian textile entrepreneur who came to live in Twente after 1830 wanted the expertise of Thomas Ainsworth and later on in 1832 the secretary of the Nederlandsche Handel-Maatschappij
, Willem de Clercq
talked about their own textile industry in Twente upon which Nijverdal
was founded with the coming of the Royal Steam Weaving Mill (KSW).
Ainsworth died suddenly in 1841. His grave can still be found in the town of Goor
.
Englishman
Englishman may refer to:*English people*Grey Partridge*Jason Englishman, Canadian rock music singer and guitarist*Jenny-Bea Englishman, real name of the Canadien singer Esthero*Erald Briscoe, reggae musician who records under the name Englishman...
and the founding father of Nijverdal
Nijverdal
Nijverdal is a town of approximately 25.000 inhabitants in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is the commercial centre of the municipality Hellendoorn....
, a small town in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, during the 19th century. He laid the basis for the Royal Steam Weaving Mill (KSW) in Nijverdal in 1836 that is still operating today under the name TenCate.
Biography
Son of Betty (née Hargreave) and prominent LancashireLancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
cotton industrialist, Thomas Ainsworth (1758 - 1831) and Grandson of pioneer of chemical bleaching and founder of Halliwell bleach works, Peter Ainsworth (1713 - 1780). Thomas Ainsworth (1795 - 1841) was born in Bolton le Moors
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
a textile producing region in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He married Jane Bower of West Retford, Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
in 1820 and together they had 5 children.
Thomas Ainsworth was a textile engineer who established synthetic bleach works in Almelo
Almelo
Almelo is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands. The main population centres in the town are Aadorp, Almelo, Mariaparochie and Bornerbroek....
, Aalten
Aalten
Aalten is a municipality and a village in the eastern Netherlands. The former municipalities of Bredevoort and Dinxperlo have been merged with Aalten....
and Enschede
Enschede
Enschede , also known as Eanske in the local dialect of Twents, is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands in the province of Overijssel and in the Twente region...
, eastern Netherlands and later founded the Twente Steam bleach works in Goor
Goor
Goor is a town about 26 km south of Almelo in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It received city rights in 1263. The population is about 13,000.Goor was a separate municipality until 2001, when it became a part of Hof van Twente....
in 1832. He also established a textile school in Overijssel
Overijssel
Overijssel is a province of the Netherlands in the central eastern part of the country. The region has a NUTS classification of NL21. The province's name means "Lands across river IJssel". The capital city of Overijssel is Zwolle and the largest city is Enschede...
. His works brought economic prosperity to those regions of the Netherlands.
When the cotton firm of Thomas Ainsworth's father went bankrupt, Thomas and his brother, Edward Ainsworth, moved with their families to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and later on to Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
to work in the cotton industry. Later, in Belgium, Thomas worked in the blast furnace
Blast furnace
A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally iron.In a blast furnace, fuel and ore and flux are continuously supplied through the top of the furnace, while air is blown into the bottom of the chamber, so that the chemical reactions...
of John Cockerill in Seraing
Seraing
Seraing is a Walloon municipality of Belgium in Province of Liege. The municipality of Seraing includes the old communes of Boncelles, Jemeppe-sur-Meuse, and Ougrée. With Liège, Herstal, Saint-Nicolas, Ans, and Flémalle it forms the greater Liège agglomeration...
.
When the Belgian Revolution
Belgian Revolution
The Belgian Revolution was the conflict which led to the secession of the Southern provinces from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and established an independent Kingdom of Belgium....
started Thomas moved to the Netherlands and lived for more than a year in the Zaanstreek before he got the idea to go to Elberfeld
Elberfeld
Elberfeld is a municipal subdivision of the German city of Wuppertal; it was an independent town until 1929.-History:The first official mentioning of the geographic area on the banks of today's Wupper River as "elverfelde" was in a document of 1161...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to work with chemical aspects of the textile industry which he was very much interested in as later found in a book that he worked for Van Gelder, Schouten & Co were they made bleached and colored paper.
On his way towards Germany he passed Twente
Twente
Twente is a non-administrative region in the eastern Netherlands. It encompasses the most urbanised and easternmost part of the province of Overijssel...
, situated in the east of the Netherlands. This was a region that was of particular interest for the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
government for a textile company and therefore Thomas was the chosen man. He also went to textile companies Aalten and Hofkes situated in Almelo to build machines for bleaching.
Charles de Maere, a Belgian textile entrepreneur who came to live in Twente after 1830 wanted the expertise of Thomas Ainsworth and later on in 1832 the secretary of the Nederlandsche Handel-Maatschappij
Nederlandsche Handel-Maatschappij
The Netherlands Trading Society was a Dutch trading company established in 1824 by King Willem I of the Netherlands to promote and develop trade, shipping and agriculture...
, Willem de Clercq
Willem de Clercq
Willem de Clercq was secretary and later director of the Nederlandsche Handel-Maatschappij . He is also known as a poet and as a leader of the Réveil, the Protestant Revival in the Netherlands. He left behind a gigantic diary, with extensive reports of the events he witnessed...
talked about their own textile industry in Twente upon which Nijverdal
Nijverdal
Nijverdal is a town of approximately 25.000 inhabitants in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is the commercial centre of the municipality Hellendoorn....
was founded with the coming of the Royal Steam Weaving Mill (KSW).
Ainsworth died suddenly in 1841. His grave can still be found in the town of Goor
Goor
Goor is a town about 26 km south of Almelo in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It received city rights in 1263. The population is about 13,000.Goor was a separate municipality until 2001, when it became a part of Hof van Twente....
.