Jesse Ellis(14 April 1846 – 1916) was an engineer and pioneer of steam wagons.

Personal life

Ellis was born in

Cranbrook, Kent Cranbrook is a town in the civil parish of Cranbrook and Sissinghurst, in the Weald of Kent in South East England. It lies roughly half-way between Maidstone and Hastings, about southeast of central London. The smaller settlements of Sissing ...

, and moved with his parents to

Pembury Pembury is a large village in Kent, in the south east of England, with a population of 6,128 at the 2011 Census. It lies just to the north-east of Royal Tunbridge Wells. The village centre, including the village green and High Street area is a ...

, where he was living at the age of 14. He married Mary Moseley. By 1881 they had six children and three servants and lived in Union Street,

Maidstone Maidstone is the largest Town status in the United Kingdom, town in Kent, England, of which it is the county town. Maidstone is historically important and lies 32 miles (51 km) east-south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the c ...

. More children followed and they moved out to

Barming Barming is a civil parish in the Maidstone District of Kent, England. It lies to the west of Maidstone and at the 2011 census had a population of 2,690. The eastern end of the parish is part of the built-up area of Maidstone, although the remaind ...

, returning in 1901 to 68 London Road, Maidstone. He died in 1914 in

Lambeth Lambeth () is a district in South London, England, in the London Borough of Lambeth, historically in the County of Surrey. It is situated south of Charing Cross. The population of the London Borough of Lambeth was 303,086 in 2011. The area expe ...

aged 70.

Professional life

Ellis trained as an engineer with the

Rochester, Kent Rochester ( ) is a town in the unitary authority of Medway, in Kent, England. It is at the lowest bridging point of the River Medway, about from London. The town forms a conurbation with neighbouring towns Chatham, Rainham, Strood and Gillin ...

, firm of

Aveling and Porter Aveling and Porter was a British agricultural engine and steamroller (road roller) manufacturer. Thomas Aveling and Richard Thomas Porter entered into partnership in 1862, and developed a steam engine three years later in 1865. By the earl ...

, and then formed a partnership with Arthur Fremlin, trading as Jesse Ellis and Co. They were engineers and boiler makers, creating the Invicta Works, Maidstone, where they made a speciality of traction engines. He is probably best known for his steam motor-wagon with special fire-tube boilers, which Ellis personally introduced into Egypt in 1902. Ellis was a founder member of the

Royal Automobile Club The Royal Automobile Club is a British private social and athletic club. It has two clubhouses: one in London at 89 Pall Mall, and the other in the countryside at Woodcote Park, near Epsom in Surrey. Both provide accommodation and a range o ...

in 1897 and a member of the

Royal Agricultural Society of England The Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE) promotes the scientific development of English agriculture. It was established in 1838 with the motto "Practice with Science" and received its Royal Charter from Queen Victoria in 1840. RASE is bas ...

. He was a founder and at the time of his death Vice President of the National Traction Engine and Owners' Association. The firm exhibited at the International Motor Show, Olympia in 1905 and showed a steam vehicle at the Commercial Motor Vehicle and Boat Show at

Olympia (London) Olympia London, sometimes referred to as the Olympia Exhibition Centre, is an exhibition centre, event space and conference centre in West Kensington, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, London, England. A range of international ...

in March 1907. However, Jesse Ellis & Co. Ltd went into liquidation on 30 April 1907 and its premises were advertised for sale. The company Jesse Ellis and Co., with partners Jesse Ellis and R. D. Crosby, was dissolved in 1910.Grace's Guide to British Industrial Histor
Retrieved 3 January 2018.
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ellis, Jesse 1846 births 1916 deaths English mechanical engineers People from Cranbrook, Kent People from Maidstone People from Pembury

External links

Jesse Ellis Wagons of Maidstone