Emily Ainsworth

Emily Ainsworth was one of the candidates for the post of cook/housekeeper that was advertised by Len Fairclough in January 1965.

Len hadn't told anyone of his intentions and his advert in the paper caused some hilarity when it appeared with the menfolk seeing dubious intentions behind the move. Another one who had her doubts was Ena Sharples and when Mrs Ainsworth asked directions to Len's house at 15 Mawdsley Street, Ena invited her into the Vestry and after her own interview came to conclusion that the domineering woman would make Len's life a misery. She therefore gave her her own potted history of him and his character and sent her on her way. She then boasted in the Rovers that she had sabotaged the candidate as Len would be finding out right about now...

At that moment, Len opened the door to Mrs Ainsworth who once invited in exploded in righteous rage at his lack of morality, telling him that he was even more disgusting that she'd heard if he expected a God-fearing woman like her to work in his "house of shame". Len was utterly bemused at the diatribe and demanded to know who she'd been talking to. Mrs Ainsworth didn't stop there and shouted at him about his boozing and womanising (Len didn't deny the former charge) and the "non-stop orgies" he held under his roof. Things weren't helped when Irma Ogden, up to some mischief and not knowing what was occurring, sneaked into to house and made suggestive comments about her vital statistics from the half-open doorway to the hall. Seeing her mistake, she made a hasty retreat, just as Len threw Mrs Ainsworth out. Her last word was to promise a leaflet from her sister who was a member of the 17th Salvationers of the Holy Word Gospellers, even though she felt he was probably beyond redemption.


 * Credited as "Mrs Ainsworth", the character's first name was given in dialogue.