Maurice Anderson Ainslie BA RN FRAS (1869 - 1951)

Born 4 Oct 1869 in Corfe, Somerset, England

Ancestors

Husband of Rachel Frances Leir — married 22 Aug 1901 in Ditcheat, Somerset, England

Died 19 Jan 1951 at age 81 in Salsibury, Wiltshire, England

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Biography

Maurice Anderson Ainslie was born in 1869, the son of the Rev. Alexander Colvin Ainslie and Catherine Susan Sadler.^[1][2][3]

1871 census enumeration (England):

• Alexander Colvin Ainslie, head, married, age 40, Vicar of Corfe; born in Hammersmith, London
• Catherine Susan, wife, married, age 37; born in France (British Subject)
• Laura Gertrude, daughter, age 14, Scholar; born in Corfe, Somerset
• Ellen Macan, daughter, age 11, do.; born in do.
• Ralph St John, son, age 10, do.; born in do.
• Cecil Colvin, son, age 3; born in do.
• Maurice Anderson, son, age 1; born in do.
• household servants (3)
• census place: Corfe Road, Corfe, Somerset.^[4]

Maurice attended school at Marlborough, and read Mathematics and Natural Science at Caius College Cambridge (1891).^[5]

In the early part of his career, Mr. Anderson was an assistant schoolmaster at Derby School, and later at Giggleswick School in Yorkshire.^[5]

In 1894, Maurice Anderson, B.A., was elected a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society.^[6]

In the same year, he joined up with the Royal Navy, and was appointed to the rank of Instructor Captain.^[7] In the course of his naval career, Instructor Captain Ainslie “served with the Mediterranean, Channel and Cruiser squadrons, and at the Royal Naval College at Greenwich.”^[5]

On the 22nd August 1901, Maurice married Rachel Frances Leir, daughter of the Rev. Charles Edward Leir, at Ditcheat, Somerset.^[8][9][10]

Issue of the marriage:

• Margaret Joan Ainslie (1904–1984);
• Iris Rachel Ainslie (1905–1986);
• Denis Charles Colvin Ainslie (1909–1920); and
• Robin Alexander Ainslie (1910–1942).

When the 1911 census was enumerated, Maurice Anderson Ainslie was recorded as age 41, married, a Naval Instructor by profession and on board the ship, H.M.S. Indomitable, at Gillingham, Kent.^[11]

From 1917–1932, Mr. Ainslie served as the first Director of the British Astronomical Association, and as the President of same, 1928–1930.^[5]

Instructor Captain Maurice Anderson Ainslie, B.A., R.N., F.R.A.S., died at Salisbury, Wiltshire, in 1951, aged eighty-one years.^[12][13]

Sources

1. ↑ Church of England. Parish of Corfe, Somerset. Baptism of Maurice Anderson Ainslie; son of Alexander Colvin Ainslie, Vicar of Corfe, and Catherine Susan (his wife), 28th October 1869 by A.C. Ainslie, Vicar. Original record: Anglican Parish Registers. Somerset Archives & Local Studies, South West Heritage Trust, Taunton, England (ref. Baptisms in Corfe, 1869, pg. 67, no. 535). Digital image online at ancestry.ca (accessed by Alison Kilpatrick by subscription, 2018-07-26).
2. ↑ Index of civil registrations of births, England. Maurice Anderson Ainslie, 4th quarter ending 31st December 1869, Taunton RD (Somerset), vol. 5c, pg. 355. Original record: General Register Office, Southport. Index online at FreeBMD, www.freebmd.org.uk (accessed by Alison Kilpatrick, 2018-07-29).
3. ↑ 1939 Register (England and Wales). Maurice A. Ainslie, born 4 October 1869, married, Officer R.N. Retired; Rachel F. Ainslie, born 31 March 1877, married, unpaid domestic duties; Talbot Drive, Grenville, Poole, Dorset. Enumeration district WKET, schedule no. 235, sub-schedule no. 1 (ref. RG101/6922D). Digital image online at ancestry.ca (accessed by Alison Kilpatrick by subscription, 2018-07-29).
4. ↑ England 1871 Census. Alexander Colvin Ainslie, age 40, with wife, Catherine Susan (37) and children, in Corfe, Somerset. Original records: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1871 (Kew, Richmond, Surrey: National Archives of the UK, 1871); PRO ref. RG10, piece 2367, folio 71, page 1, household schedule no. 3, registration district: Taunton, subdistrict: Pitminster, enumeration district 6. Digital images of PRO record online at ancestry.ca (accessed by Alison Kilpatrick 2018-07-28, by subscription).
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3} Mobberley, Martin P. “Captain M.A. Ainslie (1868–1951): his observations and telescopes.” Journal of the British Astronomical Association. Vol. 120, No. 1 (2010), pp. 15-32.
6. ↑ Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Vol. LIII, No. 5 (10 March 1893). “Captain W. de W. Abney, C.B., R.E., D.C.L., F.R.S., President, in the Chair. Maurice Anderson Ainslie, B.A., Giggleswick School, near Settle, Yorkshire; … were balloted for and duly elected Fellows of the Society.” (pp 325-6.) Digital copy hosted online by Oxford Academic, watermark.silverchair.com/ (accessed by Alison Kilpatrick, 2018-08-07).
7. ↑ Army and Navy Gazette, 14 July 1894 (pg 13). “The Navy. Admiralty, July 7, 1894. … Maurice Anderson Ainslie, Esq., B.A., has been appointed Naval Instructor in Her Majesty’s Fleet (June 26).” Digital image online at The British Newspaper Archive, britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk (accessed by subscription, and transcribed by Alison Kilpatrick 2018-07-29).
8. ↑ East Anglian Daily Times, 19 August 1901 (pg 5). “A double wedding will take place on Wednesday, at St. Mary Magdalene’s Church, Ditcheat, Somerset, when Mr. Maurice Anderson Ainslie, B.A., R.N., F.R.A.S., youngest son of the Archdeacon of Taunton, the Rev. Alexander Colvin Ainslie, M.A., will marry Miss Rachel Frances Leir, …” Digital image online at The British Newspaper Archive, britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk (accessed by subscription, and transcribed by Alison Kilpatrick 2018-07-26).
9. ↑ Index of civil registrations of marriages, England. Maurice Anderson Ainslie and Rachel Frances Leir, 3rd quarter ending 30th September 1901, Shepton Mallet RD (Somerset), vol. 5c, pg. 833. Original record: General Register Office, Southport. Index online at FreeBMD, www.freebmd.org.uk (accessed by Alison Kilpatrick, 2018-07-29).
10. ↑ Church of England. Parish of Ditcheat, county of Somerset. Marriage of Maurice Anderson Ainslie, age 38, bachelor; Naval Instr’r, H.M. Ship Britannia; residence: H.M.S. Britannia, Dartmouth; son of Alexander Colvin Ainslie, Archdeacon of Taunton; and Rachel Frances Leir, age 24, spinster, resident of Ditcheat; daughter of Charles Edward Leir, Rector of Ditcheat; married 22nd August 1901, according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England by Alex’r Colvin Ainslie, LLd, Archdeacon of Taunton; witnesses: Margaret E Leir, Reginald A Bray. Original record: Somerset Heritage Service; Taunton, Somerset, England; Somerset Parish Records, 1538-1914; Reference Number: D\P\dit/2/1/11. Digital image online at ancestry.ca (accessed by Alison Kilpatrick by subscription, 2018-07-29).
11. ↑ England 1911 Census. Maurice A. Ainslie, age 41, married, Naval Instructor - Miscellaneous; born in Corfe, Somerset; aboard H.M.S. Indomitable, in Gillingham, Kent. Original record: Census Returns for England & Wales, 1911 (Kew, Surrey: National Archives of the UK, 1911), PRO ref. RG 14, piece 3962, registration district Medway, subregistration district: Gillingham, enumeration district no. 36, household schedule no. 106. Digital image online at ancestry.ca (accessed by Alison Kilpatrick 2018-07-29, by subscription).
12. ↑ National Probate Calendar, England and Wales. “AINSLIE, Maurice Anderson, of Ardmore, Ardmore-road, Parkstone, Poole; died 19 January 1951 at The Old Manor, Salisbury; Probate; Winchester, 20 February [1951] to Rachel Frances Ainslie, widow. Effects £523 9s. 2d.” (ref. 1951, pg. 41). Digital image online at ancestry.ca (accessed by Alison Kilpatrick 2018-07-29, by subscription).
13. ↑ Index of civil registrations of deaths, England. Maurice A Ainslie, aged 81 years, 1st quarter ending 31st March 1951, Salisbury RD (Wiltshire), vol. 7c, pg. 717. Original record: General Register Office, Southport. Index online at FreeBMD, www.freebmd.org.uk (accessed by Alison Kilpatrick, 2018-07-29).