| 1805 | William Harrison Ainsworth was born in Manchester, February 4. |
| 1817 | A solicitor's son, he entered the Manchester Free Grammar School at age twelve with a view to studying law. |
| 1820 | Began writing plays. |
| 1821 | First appearance in print: The Rivals, a Serio-Comic Tragedy, published under the pseudonym "T. Hall" in the Pocket Magazine. |
| 1822 | Left the Grammar School. Began the study of law. Dedicated his first book, pseudonymously published, to Lamb: The Maid's Revenge; and A Summer's Evening Tale; with Other Poems "By Cheviot Ticheburn." |
| 1824 | After the death of his father, he left Manchester for London to study law. |
| 1826 | Admitted as a qualified solicitor. Publication of his first novel Sir John Chiverton (in collaboration with J. P. Aston). Married Anne Frances ("Fanny") Ebers, a publisher's daughter, on October 11. |
| 1827 | Birth of his first child, Fanny. |
| 1829 | Birth of his second child, Emily. |
| 1830 | Having abandoned publishing, he began the practice of law. Birth of his third child, Anne Blanche. He then began his association with the new Fraser's Magazine. |
| 1834 | Published first significant novel, Rookwood; like six other Ainsworth novels, this was illustrated by George Cruikshank. The tale of highwayman Dick Turpin was so successful that Dickens alluded to it in Sketches by Boz. |
| 1835 | Separation from his wife. |
| 1836 | Probably through John Macrone (1809-37), then editor of Bentley's Miscellany , Ainsworth met Charles Dickens. Ainsworth introduced the younger writer to Count d'Orsay, novelist Sir Edward G. D. Bulwer-Lytton, artist Daniel Maclise, dramatist Thomas N. Talford, and journalist John Forster. For the next four years Forster, Dickens, and Ainsworth were much in company, especially at dinners which Ainsworth hosted at Kensal Lodge. |
| 1837 | Published his second important novel, Crichton. |
| 1838 | Death of his wife, March 6. |
| 1839 | Ainsworth published his best-seller, the Newgate novel Jack Sheppard, illustrated by George Cruikshank. Ainsworth's hero, a housebreaker, jail-breaker, and womanizer, was much admired among the general public for his daring. In March, Ainsworth became editor of Bentley's Miscellany. |
| 1840 | Published The Tower of London, illustrated by Cruikshank; began serial publication of Guy Fawkes. |
| 1841 | Guy Fawkes appeared in volume form. He published Old Saint Paul's. In December, he resigned editorship of Bentley's Miscellany. |
| 1842 | Inception of Ainsworth's Magazine, February. Published The Miser's Daughter, il. Cruikshank. Began serial publication of Windsor Castle, based on the legend of Herne the Hunter. |
| 1843 | Published Windsor Castle in volume form. |
| 1844 | Saint James's. Began serial publication of Auriol under the title Revelations of London. |
| 1845 | Purchased the New Monthly Magazine, in June, and edited it. |
| 1847 | Serial publication of James the Second. |
| 1848 | James the Second appeared in volume form. Serial publication of The Lancashire Witches began. |
| 1849 | The Lancashire Witches appeared in volume form. |
| 1851 | Begins publication in parts of The Life and Adventures of Mervyn Clitheroe. |
| 1853 | Serial publication of The Star-Chamber. Moves from London. The serial publication of The Flitch of Baconbegan. |
| 1854 | Volume editions of The Star-Chamber and The Flitch of Bacon. Purchased Bentley's Miscellany. Ainsworth's Magazine ceased publication. At this time, Ainsworth moved to Brighton. |
| 1855 | The serial publication of The Spendthrift began. Ballads, illustrated by Sir John Gilbert, published. |
| 1857 | Volume edition of The Spendthrift published. |
| 1858 | Volume edition of Mervyn Clitheroe. |
| 1859 | The Combat of the Thirty. Began serial publication of Ovingdean Grange. |
| 1860 | Ovingdean Grange appeared in volume form. |
| 1861 | The Constable of the Tower published. |
| 1862 | The Lord Mayor of London. The serial publication of Cardinal Pole began. |
| 1863 | Cardinal Pole appeared in volume form. The serial publication of John Law began. |
| 1864 | The volume edition of John Law. The serial publication of The Spanish Match as The House of Seven Chimneys began. |
| 1865 | Volume editions of The Spanish Match and Auriol. The serial publication of The Constable de Bourbon began. |
| 1866 | Volume edition of The Constable de Bourbon. The serial publication of Old Court began. |
| 1867 | Volume edition of Old Court. Begins serial publication of Myddleton Pomfret. |
| 1868 | Volume edition of Myddleton Pomfret . He sells Bentley's Miscellany back to Bentley. Serial publication of The South-Sea Bubble . |
| 1869 | Serial publication of Hilary St. Ives. |
| 1870 | Volume edition of Hilary St. Ives. Serial publication of Talbot Harland . Resigns editorship of New Monthly Magazine. |
| 1871 | Tower Hill. Volume editions of The South-Sea Bubble and Talbot Harland. |
| 1872 | Boscobel. |
| 1873 | The Good Old Times, titled The Manchester Rebels of the Fatal'45 in subsequent editions. |
| 1874 | Merry England. Serial publication of The Goldsmith's Wife. |
| 1875 | Volume edition of The Goldsmith's Wife. Preston Fight. |
| 1876 | The Leaguer of Lathom and Chetwynd Calverley. |
| 1877 | The Full of Somerset. |
| 1878 | Beatrice Tyldesley. |
| 1879 | Beau Nash. |
| 1881 | Stanley Brereton. Honored at a banquet in the Manchester Town Hall, September 15. |
| 1882 | William Harrison Ainsworth dies at Reigate, January 3. He is buried at Kensal Green Cemetery, London. |
Created 12 December 2000
Last modified 21 September 2023