Thomas Ainsworth
Thomas Ainsworth (Bolton-le-Moors, December 22, 1795 - Nijverdal, February 13, 1841) was an English textile technician and considered to be the founder of the cotton industry in Twente. biography
After wanderings in Belgium and West Netherlands, he performed assignments in East Netherlands and Westphalia from 1831. An accidental meeting in Hengelo with Willem de Clercq, secretary of the Dutch Trade Society (NHM), led to the creation of a weaving school in Goor in 1833, over which Ainsworth was led (until 1836). Twente weavers were taught to work quickly on Calicot troughs with an improved quick spool. Soon weaving schools were also opened in Diepenheim, Enter and Holten.
The textile engineer Ainsworth began to taste more finer types of cotton such as printcake and cambric. The NHM requested him to set up a model weaving and vlasspinnerij combined with an agency. His choice struck the area of the crossroads of the Zwolle road to Almelo with the River Regge. In a board meeting a name was made for this place: Nijverdal. The first stone for the factory was laid on May 14, 1836. Ainsworth took off in the nearby Old Harzate De Eversberg. He died unexpectedly in 1841. He was buried in the town of Goor, where his grave monument - founded by the local congregation of gratitude - can still be admired at the old municipal cemetery on the Laarstraat - Herman Heijermansstraat.
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