Ruth Ainsworth

Ruth Gallard Ainsworth[1] (16 October 1908 – 16 May 1984) was a British writer, of over seventy children's books and numerous radio scripts.

Ruth Ainsworth
Born
Ruth Gallard Ainsworth

(1908-10-16)16 October 1908
Manchester, England
Died16 May 1984(1984-05-16) (aged 75)
NationalityBritish
Alma materIpswich High School
OccupationWriter
Known forAuthor of children's books, Radio Script writer
Parent(s)Percy Clough Ainsworth and Gertrude Fisk
RelativesGeoffrey Clough Ainsworth (brother)

Life

Ainsworth was born in Manchester, in 1908, the second child (and first daughter) of Methodist minister Rev. Percy Clough Ainsworth and Gertrude Fisk of Pendleton, her older brother being mycologist Geoffrey Clough Ainsworth.[2]

Ainsworth's father died on 1 July 1909 from typhoid aged 36. Soon after the family moved to 2 High Cliff Villas, Cobbold Road, Felixstowe. Ainsworth enrolled at Ipswich High School, Woolverstone where she studied between September 1924 and July 1926.[2] She later attended the Froebel Training Centre in Leicester.[3]

On 29 March 1935 she married chemist Frank Lathe Gilbert in Leicester. On 7 September 1936 she gave birth to twin sons: Christopher Gallard Gilbert (furniture historian and museum curator)[4] and Oliver Lathe Gilbert (ecologist and lichenologist).[5] She had a third son Richard Frank Gilbert.

The Gilberts initially settled in London, but their house was bombed in World War II. They relocated to Porthmadog. Latterly theGilberts lived in Corbridge, Northumberland.[2]

Ainsworth died in 1984 aged 75. Her ashes were scattered in a stream in Wasdale.[2]

Work

Ainsworth re-told classic fairy tales, as well as new stories of her own.[6]

Ainsworth was a scriptwriter for Listen with Mother, a popular BBC children's programme.[7] Some were published as Ruth Ainsworth's Listen with Mother Tales. Astrid Walford (illustrator). William Heinemann. 1951.CS1 maint: others (link).

Some of her stories were televised as marionette plays.[2]

Bibliography

The series "Books for me to read", written with Ronald Ridout, has the secondary title "A book for me to read" on each cover.

It is not clear if the color sub-series ("Red book 1" etc.) is used throughout its history. Some or all of the books were republished with slightly different titles, for example Pony Pony (London: Bancroft, 1965) as Pony, pony : my sixth reading book (Bristol: Purnell, 1983) while still in "Books for me to read. Blue series." Most or all of these books were published in the initial teaching alphabet.

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
  • Tales about Tony. London: Epworth Press. 1936.
  • The Gingerbread House. London: Epworth Press. 1938.
  • Mr. Popcorn's Friends. London: Epworth Press. 1938.
  • The Ragamuffins. London: Epworth Press. 1939.
  • Richard's First Term. A school story. London: Epworth Press. 1940.
  • All Different. Poems for children ... Linda Bramley (illustrator). London ; Toronto: William Heinemann. 1947.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Five and a Dog. London: Epworth Press. 1949.
  • Ruth Ainsworth's Listen with Mother Tales. Astrid Walford (illustrator). London: William Heinemann. 1951.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Rufty Tufty the Golliwog ... Dorothy Craigie (illustrator). London: William Heinemann. 1952.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • The Ruth Ainsworth Readers. London: William Heinemann. 1953.
  • The Evening listens. [Poems.] London: William Heinemann. 1953.
  • More about Charles, and other stories. From "Listen with Mother" ... Sheila Hawkins (illustrator). London: William Heinemann. 1954.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Rufty Tufty at the Seaside ... Dorothy Craigie (illustrator). London: William Heinemann. 1954.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Charles Stories, and others. From "Listen with Mother" ... Sheila Hawkins (illustrator). London: William Heinemann. 1954.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Three Little Mushrooms. Four puppet plays ... London: William Heinemann. 1955.
  • More Little Mushrooms. Four puppet plays ... London: William Heinemann. 1955.
  • The Snow Bear, etc. London: William Heinemann. 1956.
  • Rufty Tufty goes camping ... Dorothy Craigie (illustrator). London: William Heinemann. 1956.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • with Ronald Ridout (1956–58). The Look ahead Readers ... bk. 1, 3-8. John Mackay (illustrator). London: William Heinemann.
  • with Ronald Ridout (1956). Look ahead Supplementary Readers. London: William Heinemann.-
  • Five Listen with Mother Tales about Charles ... Matvyn Wright (illustrator). London: Adprint. 1957.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Rufty Tufty runs away. Dorothy Craigie (illustrator). London: Heinemann. 1957.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Nine Drummers drumming. John Mackay (illustrator). London: William Heinemann. 1958.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Rufty Tufty flies high ... D. G. Valentine (illustrator). London: Heinemann. 1959.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Rufty Tufty's Island. D. G. Valentine (illustrator). London: Heinemann. 1960.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Cherry Stones. A book of fairy stories. Pat Humphreys (illustrator). London: Heinemann. 1960.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Lucky dip : a selection of stories and verses. Geraldine Spence (illustrator). London: Penguin. 1961.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Rufty Tufty and Hattie. D. G. Valentine (illustrator). London: Heinemann. 1962.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Far-Away Children. Felice Trentin (illustrator). London: Heinemann. 1963.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • The Wolf who was Sorry. Doritie Kettlewell (illustrator). London: Heinemann. 1964.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Red book 1, Jill and Peter. Books for me to read. Ingeborg Meyer-Rey (illustrator). London; printed in Holland: Bancroft & Co. 1964.CS1 maint: others (link)-
  • Rufty Tufty makes a House. D. G. Valentine (illustrator). London: Heinemann. 1965.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Lucky dip. A selection of stories and verses by Ruth Ainsworth. Geraldine Spence (illustrator). Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. 1965.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Daisy the cow ... Sarah Garland (illustrator). London: Hamish Hamilton. 1966.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Books for me to read: Green Series - Susan's House. London, printed in Holland: Initial Teaching Publishing Co. 1966.
  • Books for me to read: Green Series - Huff the Hedgehog. London, printed in Holland: Initial Teaching Publishing Co. 1966.
  • Horse on wheels. Janet Duchesne (illustrator). Hamish Hamilton. 1966.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Jack Frost. Jane Paton (illustrator). Heinemann. 1966.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • In woods and fields;. Jennie Corbett (illustrator). London: Heinemann. 1967.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Down the lane. Jennie Corbett (illustrator). London; Santa Cruz de Tenerife printed: Heinemann. 1967.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Roly the railway mouse ... Leslie Atkinson (illustrator). London; Santa Cruz de Tenerife printed: Heinemann. 1967.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • More tales of Shellover. Antony Maitland (illustrator). London: André Deutsch. 1968.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • The bicycle wheel. Shirley Hughes (illustrator). London: Hamish Hamilton. 1969.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • In the park. Jennie Corbett (illustrator). London: Heinemann. 1969.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • My monarch book of Snow White and the seven dwarfs. London: Purnell. 1969.
  • In your garden. Jennie Corbett (illustrator). London: Heinemann. 1969.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • My monarch book of Puss in Boots. London: Purnell. 1969.
  • My monarch book of Beauty and the Beast. London: Purnell. 1969.
  • My Monarch book of colours and sounds. Paulton, Somerset: Purnell. c. 1969.
  • By pond and stream. Jennie Corbett (illustrator). London: Heinemann. 1969.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • The Noah's ark. Elsie Wrigley (illustrator). London: Lutterworth Press. 1969.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Llyfrau lliw cyfres y brython. Jennie Tomas (translator). Liverpool: Hugh Evans. 1969.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Look, do and listen. Bernadette Watts (illustrator). London: Heinemann. 1969.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • The Ruth Ainsworth Book. Shirley Hughes (illustrator). London: Heinemann. 1970.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • The phantom cyclist, and other stories. Antony Maitland (illustrator). London: Deutsch. 1971.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Fairy gold : favourite fairy tales retold for the very young. Barbara Hope Steinberg (illustrator). London: Heinemann. 1972.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Another lucky dip. Shirley Hughes (illustrator). Harmondsworth: Penguin. 1973.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Three's company. Prudence Seward (illustrator). Guildford: Lutterworth Press. 1974.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • The phantom fisherboy : tales of mystery and magic. Shirley Hughes (illustrator). London: Deutsch. 1974.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • compiled by Ruth Ainsworth (1975). Three bags full. Sally Long (illustrator). London: Heinemann.
  • More tales of Shellover. Antony Maitland (illustrator). Harmondsworth: Puffin Books. 1976.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • The bear who liked hugging people, and other stories. Antony Maitland (illustrator). London: Heinemann. 1976.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Up the airy mountain : stories of magic. Eileen Browne (illustrator). London: Heinemann. 1977.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Puss in boots. Maidenhead: Purnell. 1977.
  • Little Red Riding Hood. Maidenhead: Purnell. 1977.
  • Beauty and the beast. Maidenhead: Purnell. 1977.
  • The sleeping beauty. Maidenhead: Purnell. 1977.
  • Jack and the beanstalk. Maidenhead: Purnell. 1977.
  • Snow White. Maidenhead: Purnell. 1977.
  • Mr Jumble's toy shop. Paul Wrigley (illustrator). Guildford: Lutterworth Press. 1978.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • The talking rock. Joanna Stubbs (illustrator). London: Deutsch. 1979.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Goldilocks and the three bears. Maidenhead: Purnell. 1980.
  • The mysterious Baba and her magic caravan : two stories. Joan Hickson (illustrator). London: Deutsch. 1980.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Mermaids' tales. Dandi Palmer (illustrator). Guildford: Lutterworth Press. 1980.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • The three little pigs. Maidenhead: Purnell. 1980.
  • The pirate ship : and other stories. Shirley Hughes (illustrator). London: Heinemann. 1980.CS1 maint: others (link)
  • Cinderella. Maidenhead: Purnell. 1980.
  • Rumplestiltskin. Maidenhead: Purnell. 1980.
  • Hansel and Gretel. Maidenhead: Purnell. 1980.
  • The phantom roundabout : and other ghostly tales. Shirley Hughes (illustrator). [Sevenoaks]: Knight. 1981 [c 1977].CS1 maint: others (link)
  • The mysterious Baba ; and, Her Magic caravan. Joan Hickson (illustrator). London: Beaver. 1982 [c 1980].CS1 maint: others (link)
  • with Ronald Ridout. (1983) [c 1965]. A pram and a bicycle : my fifth reading book. Bristol: Purnell.
  • with Ronald Ridout. (1983) [c 1965]. A name of my own : my fourth reading book. Bristol: Purnell.
  • with Ronald Ridout. (1983) [c 1965]. Jill and Peter : my first reading book. Bristol: Purnell.
  • The ten tales of Shellover. Antony Maitland (illustrator). Harmondsworth: Puffin. 1967 [c 1963].CS1 maint: others (link)
  • with Ronald Ridout. (1983) [c 1965]. The house of hay : my second reading book. Bristol: Purnell.
  • with Ronald Ridout. (1983) [c 1965]. Come and play : my third reading book. Bristol: Purnell.
  • The little yellow taxi and his friends. Gary Inwood (illustrator). London: Hippo. 1989 [c 1982].CS1 maint: others (link)
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References
  1. Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature, vol. 2, R. Reginald, 1979, pg 792
  2. "Ruth Ainsworth biography". ruthainsworth.co.uk. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  3. R. Reginald (2010). Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature, Volume 2. Douglas Menville, Mary A. Burgess (editors). Wildside Press LLC. p. 792. ISBN 9780941028776.
  4. "Obituary: Christopher Gilbert". The Independent. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  5. "Oliver Gilbert". The Independent. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  6. Jack Zipes (2002). The Oxford Companion to Fairy Tales. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780198605096.
  7. Jack Zipes, ed. (2006). The Oxford Encyclopedia of Children's Literature. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195146561.
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