John Ellis (Liberal politician)
John Edward Ellis | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age Leicester, England |
| Died | December 5, 1910 (aged 69) |
| Occupation(s) | Industrialist, politician |
| Years active | 1861–1910 |
| Known for | Coal industry, Liberal Party politician, Under-Secretary of State for India |
John Edward Ellis (15 October 1841 – 5 December 1910) was a British industrialist in the coal sector and a politician aligned with the Liberal Party.
Hailing from Leicester, Ellis was born into an affluent Quaker lineage; his grandfather, also named John Ellis, held the position of chairman at the Midland Railway Company. His education took place in Hereford and Kendal, followed by practical studies in railway engineering in the United States alongside his father. Upon returning to Britain, he pursued a career as an engineer and played a key role in launching Hucknall Colliery in 1861.
In 1867, Ellis wed Maria Rowntree, the sister of Joshua Rowntree. Their family included three sons—John, Arthur, and Harold—and twin daughters, Edith and Marian, who became known for their anti-war activism.
Ellis established a Liberal Association in Hucknall in 1870 and was the inaugural president of the local school board until 1882. He secured election as Member of Parliament for the newly formed Rushcliffe constituency in 1885. A proponent of Irish Home Rule, he also chaired various parliamentary committees. During the Second Boer War, he expressed support for the Boers. After 1902, his political engagement diminished due to declining health.
In December 1905, Ellis was appointed Under-Secretary of State for India within Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman’s Liberal administration, a role he fulfilled until 1907. He became a member of the Privy Council in January 1906. Identified as a radical Liberal, he endorsed David Lloyd George’s reformist People's Budget introduced in 1909.
Ellis continued to represent Rushcliffe until 1910 and intended to retire at the general election held that December; however, he passed away unexpectedly shortly before the vote.