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William Ellis (29 August 17949 June 1872) was a British
missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Tho ...
and author. He travelled through the
Society Islands The Society Islands (french: Îles de la Société, officially ''Archipel de la Société;'' ty, Tōtaiete mā) are an archipelago located in the South Pacific Ocean. Politically, they are part of French Polynesia, an overseas country of the F ...
,
Hawaiian Islands The Hawaiian Islands ( haw, Nā Mokupuni o Hawai‘i) are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kur ...
, and
Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...
, and wrote several books describing his experiences.


Early life

He was born in Charles Street, Longacre, London of working-class parents on 29 August 1794. His father (from Norwich) and a short-lived older brother (25 May 17933 December 1793) were also named William. (If a child died young, parents often named another child by the same name, especially if they wanted to pass on a parent's or grandparent's name.) Not much is known of his mother, whose
maiden name When a person (traditionally the wife in many cultures) assumes the family name of their spouse, in some countries that name replaces the person's previous surname, which in the case of the wife is called the maiden name ("birth name" is also used ...
was Sarah Bedborough (1772–1837). She was born in
Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of Letter (alphabet), letters, symbols, etc., especially by Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process invo ...
, England, and her parents Daniel and Mary Bedborough had her baptised on 5 April 1772 in Hurst, Berkshire. She married William Ellis on 13 August 1792, and she died in Wisbech on 15 February 1837 aged 65. Their other children were: Sarah Ellis (born 9 December 1797 in St. Giles, London), Mary Ellis (born 6 January 1803 in Wisbech), Ann Barnard (born Ann Ellis 1 June 1805, Wisbech) and Thomas Ellis (born 26 February 1800, Wisbech). William Jr. and his surviving siblings were all baptised on 4 March 1806 by Richard Wright, Protestant Dissenting Minister in the Unitarian chapel, (previously in Deadman's Lane, Wisbech). His parents brought him, when he was four years old, and his sister Sarah to
Wisbech Wisbech ( ) is a market town, inland Port of Wisbech, port and civil parish in the Fenland District, Fenland district in Cambridgeshire, England. In 2011 it had a population of 31,573. The town lies in the far north-east of Cambridgeshire, bord ...
,
Isle of Ely The Isle of Ely () is a historic region around the city of Ely in Cambridgeshire, England. Between 1889 and 1965, it formed an administrative county. Etymology Its name has been said to mean "island of eels", a reference to the creatures that ...
, Cambridgeshire. Young William developed a love of plants in his youth and became a gardener. He left school by the age of twelve, when he worked first in
Wisbech Wisbech ( ) is a market town, inland Port of Wisbech, port and civil parish in the Fenland District, Fenland district in Cambridgeshire, England. In 2011 it had a population of 31,573. The town lies in the far north-east of Cambridgeshire, bord ...
and then Thorney in the
Isle of Ely The Isle of Ely () is a historic region around the city of Ely in Cambridgeshire, England. Between 1889 and 1965, it formed an administrative county. Etymology Its name has been said to mean "island of eels", a reference to the creatures that ...
, later moving to Outwell to work for Rev. Hardwicke, then at a nursery north of London, and eventually for a wealthy family in
Stoke Newington Stoke Newington is an area occupying the north-west part of the London Borough of Hackney in north-east London, England. It is northeast of Charing Cross. The Manor of Stoke Newington gave its name to Stoke Newington the ancient parish. The ...
. Being of a religious nature, he applied to train as a Christian missionary for the
London Missionary Society The London Missionary Society was an interdenominational evangelical missionary society formed in England in 1795 at the instigation of Welsh Congregationalist minister Edward Williams. It was largely Reformed in outlook, with Congregational miss ...
and was accepted to the school. He began writing at the age of 12, on being urged by a Unitarian minister named Richard Wright at elementary school, who discerned his talent at an early age. Wright was for several years employed as a missionary by the "London Unitarian Fund Society" to spread their doctrine and as a consequence gave up his post in Wisbech—for a while the congregation was without a minister. During a year's training Ellis acquired some knowledge of theology and of various practical arts, such as printing and bookbinding.


Mission to Polynesia

After attending
Homerton College Homerton College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Its first premises were acquired in Homerton, London in 1768, by an informal gathering of Protestant dissenters with origins in the seventeenth century. In 1894, the co ...
, then in Hampstead, Ellis was ordained in 1815. He married Mary Mercy Moor (born 16 October 1793) on 9 November 1815. she was the daughter of Alexander Moor (from Perth, died c1794) and Mary Mercy (died 1799). He was soon posted to the
South Sea Islands Polynesia () "many" and νῆσος () "island"), to, Polinisia; mi, Porinihia; haw, Polenekia; fj, Polinisia; sm, Polenisia; rar, Porinetia; ty, Pōrīnetia; tvl, Polenisia; tkl, Polenihia (, ) is a subregion of Oceania, made up of ...
with his wife, leaving England on 23 January 1816. They arrived at Eimeo, one of the
Windward Islands french: Îles du Vent , image_name = , image_caption = ''Political'' Windward Islands. Clockwise: Dominica, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada. , image_alt = , locator_map = , location = Caribbean SeaNorth ...
, via Sydney, and learned the language there. His daughter Mary (1817–1837) was born. During their stay, several chiefs of nearby Pacific islands who had assisted Pomare in regaining sovereignty of
Tahiti Tahiti (; Tahitian ; ; previously also known as Otaheite) is the largest island of the Windward group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia. It is located in the central part of the Pacific Ocean and the nearest major landmass is Austr ...
, visited Eimeo and welcomed the LMS missionaries (including John Orsmond and
John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (15 November 2022)Classic Connection review ''WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who wa ...
and their wives) to their own islands. All three missionary families went to Huahine, arriving in June 1818, drawing crowds from neighbouring islands, including King Tamatoa of
Raiatea Raiatea or Ra'iatea ( Tahitian: ''Ra‘iātea'') is the second largest of the Society Islands, after Tahiti, in French Polynesia. The island is widely regarded as the "centre" of the eastern islands in ancient Polynesia and it is likely that the ...
. They had four children, Mary (1817–1837), John Eimeo Ellis (born 1818), Elizabeth (1820–1858) and Ann Ellis (1821–1862). Ellis and a small group travelled from Tahiti on the
schooner A schooner () is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than the mainmast. A common variant, the topsail schoon ...
''Mermaid'' to the
Hawaiian Islands The Hawaiian Islands ( haw, Nā Mokupuni o Hawai‘i) are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kur ...
, known then as the Sandwich Islands. On the same voyage, another small schooner called ''Prince Regent'', outfitted with six cannons, was presented to King
Kamehameha II Kamehameha II (November 1797 – July 14, 1824) was the second king of the Kingdom of Hawaii. His birth name was Liholiho and full name was Kalaninui kua Liholiho i ke kapu ʻIolani. It was lengthened to Kalani Kaleiʻaimoku o Kaiwikapu o Laʻ ...
. The party arrived in
Honolulu Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...
on 16 April 1822. Although the plan had been to also visit the
Marquesas Islands The Marquesas Islands (; french: Îles Marquises or ' or '; Marquesan: ' ( North Marquesan) and ' ( South Marquesan), both meaning "the land of men") are a group of volcanic islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in th ...
, it returned to Tahiti on 27 August 1822. Ellis was invited to stay and he arranged for his family to come to Hawaii, where they arrived on the ''Active'' on 4 February 1823. In June 1823 Ellis joined the American Missionaries
Asa Thurston Asa Thurston (October 12, 1787 – March 11, 1868) was a Protestant missionary from the United States who was part of the first company of American Christian missionaries to the Hawaiian Islands with his wife Lucy Goodale Thurston. Asa Thurston ...
, Artemas Bishop, and Joseph Goodrich on a tour of the island of
Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
, to investigate suitable sites for mission stations. On the way he stopped at
Maui The island of Maui (; Hawaiian: ) is the second-largest of the islands of the state of Hawaii at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2) and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is the largest of Maui County's four islands, which ...
and met and baptized Queen
Keōpūolani Kalanikauikaalaneo Kai Keōpūolani-Ahu-i-Kekai-Makuahine-a-Kama-Kalani-Kau-i-Kealaneo (1778–1823) was a queen consort of Hawaii and the highest ranking wife of King Kamehameha I. Early life Keōpuolani was born around 1778 at an area known as ...
. Their first stop was
Kailua-Kona Kailua-Kona is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States. It is also known as Kailua (a name it shares with a community located on the windward side of Oahu), as Kona (a name it shares ...
, where they met the Governor of the island,
Kuakini John Adams Kiiapalaoku Kuakini (1789–1844) was an important adviser to Kamehameha I in the early stages of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He was responsible for contributing to the infrastructure among other changes in the Kona District during this era. ...
, who was known as John Adams. Ellis and his party visited
Kealakekua Bay Kealakekua Bay is located on the Kona coast of the island of Hawaii about south of Kailua-Kona. Settled over a thousand years ago, the surrounding area contains many archeological and historical sites such as religious temples (heiaus) and also ...
, and toured the historic sites nearby, such as the Puuhonoua o Hōnaunau. They travelled south past the
Mauna Loa Mauna Loa ( or ; Hawaiian: ; en, Long Mountain) is one of five volcanoes that form the Island of Hawaii in the U.S. state of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. The largest subaerial volcano (as opposed to subaqueous volcanoes) in both mass and ...
volcano. They were some of the first Europeans to visit the caldera of the
Kīlauea Kīlauea ( , ) is an active shield volcano in the Hawaiian Islands. Located along the southeastern shore of the Big Island of Hawaii, the volcano is between 210,000 and 280,000 years old and emerged above sea level about 100,000 years ago. His ...
volcano, which was active at the time. On the eastern side they visited Hilo and
Waipio Valley Waipio Valley is a valley located in the Hamakua District of the Big Island of Hawaii. "Waipio" means "curved water" in the Hawaiian language. The valley was the capital and permanent residence of many early Hawaiian Aliʻi (chiefs/kings) up ...
, and some of the party continued up snow-covered
Mauna Kea Mauna Kea ( or ; ; abbreviation for ''Mauna a Wākea''); is a dormant volcano on the island of Hawaii. Its peak is above sea level, making it the highest point in the state of Hawaii and second-highest peak of an island on Earth. The peak is ...
. Some of the important missions set up as a result of this trip include
Mokuaikaua Church Mokuaikaua Church, located on the "Big Island" of Hawaii, is the oldest Christian church in the Hawaiian Islands. The congregation dates to 1820 and the building was completed in 1837. History The congregation was first founded in 1820 by Asa ...
, Imiola Church,
Kealakekua Church Kahikolu Church is one of only two stone churches from the 19th century on the island of Hawaii. It was built from 1852–1855 on the site of an earlier building known as Kealakekua Church that was built around 1833 in the Kona district. History ...
, and the
Haili Church The Waiākea Mission Station was the first Christian mission on the eastern side of the Island of Hawaii. Also known as the Hilo Station, the latest structure is now called Haili Church. The first mission The American missionaries Asa Thurston ...
. Returning to Honolulu, Ellis set about learning the
Hawaiian language Hawaiian (', ) is a Polynesian language of the Austronesian language family that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language o ...
. He transcribed the language into a Roman alphabet and helped set up a printing press.


In England

In August 1824 they had to return to England, as Mrs Ellis was in poor health, and so took a ship via America. Back in London, Ellis published his narrative of travels in Hawaii. He was selected as Assistant Foreign Secretary of the
London Missionary Society The London Missionary Society was an interdenominational evangelical missionary society formed in England in 1795 at the instigation of Welsh Congregationalist minister Edward Williams. It was largely Reformed in outlook, with Congregational miss ...
in 1830 and its Chief Foreign Secretary in 1832, holding the office for seven years. His wife Mary, mother of four children, died on 11 January 1835. In 1836, Crocker & Brewster published a biography by her husband, ''Memoir of Mrs. Mary Mercy Ellis''. Ellis remarried two years later to Sarah Stickney (1799–1872) on 23 May, the couple were unable to have a wedding trip as William's eldest daughter was ill, she died in June and was buried in Bunhill Fields burial-ground, next to her mother. She had been brought up a
Quaker Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belie ...
but latterly chosen to become an Independent or Congregationalist, as did many of those involved in the London Missionary Society, albeit a non-denominational one. She shared her husband's love of books and of writing. He had started to become a successful writer about the topography, history, botany, and ethnography of
Polynesia Polynesia () "many" and νῆσος () "island"), to, Polinisia; mi, Porinihia; haw, Polenekia; fj, Polinisia; sm, Polenisia; rar, Porinetia; ty, Pōrīnetia; tvl, Polenisia; tkl, Polenihia (, ) is a subregion of Oceania, made up of ...
since returning from the South Seas. Sarah Ellis gained her own success, primarily with books on women's role in society. Ellis's most important work was ''Polynesian Researches''. This established him as a talented ethnographic and geographical writer, and was reviewed in the ''
Quarterly Review The ''Quarterly Review'' was a literary and political periodical founded in March 1809 by London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River ...
'' by
Robert Southey Robert Southey ( or ; 12 August 1774 – 21 March 1843) was an English poet of the Romantic school, and Poet Laureate from 1813 until his death. Like the other Lake Poets, William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Southey began as a ra ...
: "A more interesting book we have never perused." This and similar acclaim for Ellis's writing from others influenced investors to regard the missionaries more favourably, particularly the LMS missionaries. They had previously been portrayed as naively raising the expectations, educational level, liberty and status of slaves and native peoples, rather than taking a traditionally hard-headed approach to trade and commerce. Ellis was asked by the directors of the LMS to write up his studies of Madagascar, which were published in 1838 as the two-volume ''History of Madagascar''. In 1844 the first volume of his ''History of the London Missionary Society'' was also published. Due to ill health, Ellis resigned from the LMS, wanting also to spend more time with his wife Sarah in their house in the country village of
Hoddesdon Hoddesdon () is a town in the Borough of Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, lying entirely within the London Metropolitan Area and Greater London Urban Area. The area is on the River Lea and the Lee Navigation along with the New River. Hoddesdon is ...
in
Hertfordshire Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is one of the home counties in southern England. It borders Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire to the north, Essex to the east, Greater London to the south, and Buckinghamshire to the west. For govern ...
, twenty miles north of London, which she had set us
Rawdon House Rawdon House is a former residence in the High Street of Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, England. It was built as a house in 1622 by Marmaduke Rawdon, and extended in 1879. The Jacobean and Victorian wings of the building are Listed building, Grade II* ...
in 1840. In 1847, he was offered a post in Hoddesdon as pastor of its
Congregational church Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its ...
.


Mission to Madagascar

After five years, Ellis recovered his health and accepted an LMS offer to travel to
Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...
as their official emissary. Before leaving Ellis sought the help of
Roger Fenton Roger Fenton (28 March 1819 – 8 August 1869) was a British photographer, noted as one of the first war photographers. Fenton was born into a Lancashire merchant family. After graduating from London with an Arts degree, he became interested i ...
to learn photography and obtain the requisite equipment and chemicals. Arriving in 1853, he was rebuffed by officials in attempting to establish a mission and refused permission to go to the capital. Establishing a temporary base in
Mauritius Mauritius ( ; french: Maurice, link=no ; mfe, label=Mauritian Creole, Moris ), officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about off the southeast coast of the African continent, east of Madagascar. It incl ...
, he again sought entry to Madagascar, but was refused. He made a third visit in 1856, but Queen
Ranavalona I Ranavalona I (born Rabodoandrianampoinimerina (also called Ramavo); 1778 – 16 August 1861), also known as Ranavalo-Manjaka I and the “Mad Monarch of Madagascar” was sovereign of the Kingdom of Madagascar from 1828 to 1861. After pos ...
permitted him only a one-month stay. To mark these events he wrote ''Three Visits to Madagascar'' (1858). Ellis returned to Wisbech in April, 1860, delivering an address on Madagascar. A collection was taken and later used to provide a gift of a "Blackie's Imperial Atlas" and a clock to Radama II, King of Madagascar. A photographic portrait of the king in military dress, with his crown on a table, taken by Ellis was displayed at the Wisbech Working Men's Institute. On his fourth attempt in 1862, Ellis was finally permitted entry in May. French influence in the area was said to have been a factor hitherto, as the French did not want other Europeans gaining a toehold on the island. Ellis stayed until 1865, gradually laying the foundations for Christianity. He returned to a great welcome in England in 1865 and was asked to lecture widely about his travels and his religious influence in the islands. Ellis returned to Wisbech in 1867 to give a further talk on Madagascar in the Lecture Room at Wisbech Public Hall. Ellis was a member of Wisbech Working Men's Institute, after his death a fellow member Samuel Smith printed some of his photographs. Local printer and photographer Arthur Balding must have taken this opportunity to photograph Ellis, as the following month he published for sale 'carte de visite size', coloured or plain. It was claimed to be the only photograph of the sitter. A portrait in oils of Ellis was presented to the Working Men's Institute by Mr Johnathan Peckover for display, it is now (2021) in
Wisbech & Fenland Museum The Wisbech & Fenland Museum, located in the town of Wisbech in the Isle of Ely, Cambridgeshire, England, is one of the oldest purpose-built museums in the United Kingdom. The museum logo is W&F. History Initially a member-based organisation ...
. Specimens of costumes and cloth brought back by Ellis were presented to the museum. Four years later, in 1869, Queen
Ranavalona II Ranavalona II (1829 – 13 July 1883) was Queen regnant of Madagascar from 1868 to 1883, succeeding Queen Rasoherina, her first cousin. She is best remembered for Christianizing the royal court during her reign. Early life Ranavalona II was b ...
and the royal court of Madagascar converted to Christianity. Ellis's books about his experiences and the history and geography of the island were ''Madagascar Revisited'' (1867) and ''Martyr Church of Madagascar'' (1870).


Death

Ellis caught cold while on a train journey and died on 9 June 1872. Sarah Ellis died seven days later on 16 June. They had been married for 35 years. Ellis is buried in a venerated spot in the Congregationalists' non-denominational
Abney Park Cemetery Abney Park cemetery is one of the "Magnificent Seven" cemeteries in London, England. Abney Park in Stoke Newington in the London Borough of Hackney is a historic parkland originally laid out in the early 18th century by Lady Mary Abney, D ...
in London, near where
Isaac Watts Isaac Watts (17 July 1674 – 25 November 1748) was an English Congregational minister, hymn writer, theologian, and logician. He was a prolific and popular hymn writer and is credited with some 750 hymns. His works include "When I Survey the ...
once lived. His intricately carved hip tomb is aligned with its chapel. His second wife preferred to be buried near their country home. A biography written by his son John Ellis and
Henry Allon Henry Allon (1818–1892) was an English Nonconformist divine. Life He was born on 13 October 1818 at Welton, Elloughton-cum-Brough, near Hull, in Yorkshire. Under Methodist influence Henry Allon decided to enter the ministry, but, develo ...
was published soon after his death.


Legacy

Ellis donated to the
Wisbech & Fenland Museum The Wisbech & Fenland Museum, located in the town of Wisbech in the Isle of Ely, Cambridgeshire, England, is one of the oldest purpose-built museums in the United Kingdom. The museum logo is W&F. History Initially a member-based organisation ...
specimens he had collected, including two idols, a flint adze, part of a gown of the Queen of the
Sandwich Islands The Hawaiian Islands ( haw, Nā Mokupuni o Hawai‘i) are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Ku ...
and other fabrics. A number of original collodion glass negatives from the William Ellis collection of the Wisbech & Fenland Museum were used in the exhibitions. William Ellis: Photography in Madagascar 1853-1865 was exhibited at the Fine Art Society, London, 3-30 July 1995 followed by Queen's Place, Antananarivo, Madagascar from September, 1995. Other images are included in the Getty collection.


Works

* * * * * * * * * * *


Notes


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ellis, William 1794 births 1872 deaths English memoirists English travel writers English non-fiction outdoors writers English Congregationalist missionaries Congregationalist missionaries in Hawaii Congregationalist missionaries in French Polynesia Congregationalist missionaries in Madagascar Burials at Abney Park Cemetery Alumni of Homerton College, Cambridge British expatriates in French Polynesia British expatriates in Madagascar People from Wisbech