Wynne Ellis
Encyclopedia
Wynne Ellis was a wealthy British haberdasher
, politician and art collector.
, Hertfordshire
, was born at Oundle
, Northamptonshire
, in July 1790, and after receiving a good education came to London
. In 1812 he became a haberdasher
, hosier
, and mercer at 16 Ludgate Street, city of London
, where he gradually created the largest silk
business in London, adding house to house as opportunity occurred of purchasing the property around him, and passing from the retail to a wholesale business in 1830. After his retirement in 1871 his firm assumed the title of John Howell & Co.
ic ward of Castle Baynard
to contest the parliamentary representation of Leicester. As an advanced liberal he sat for Leicester
from May 4, 1831 to December 29, 1834, and again from March 22, 1839 to July 23, 1847. He was an advocate for the total repeal of the corn laws
, of free trade
generally, of reform in bankruptcy
, and of greater freedom in the law of partnership
. In the committees of the House of Commons
he exercised considerable influence. He was a Justice of the Peace
both for Hertfordshire and Kent
, and was pricked to serve as sheriff for the latter county, but was excused in consideration of his having discharged corresponding duties for Hertfordshire in 1851–2.
. He had an intense dislike of betting, horseracing, and gambling, though he was a lover of other sports. He made an extensive collection of ancient and modern pictures, many of which are described in Waagen's
Treasures of Art, ii. 293–8.
He married in 1814 Mary Maria, daughter of John Smith of Lincoln. She died in 1872, and was buried in a mausoleum
designed by Charles Barry
, and built in Whitstable
churchyard. Near this her husband soon after erected almshouse
s to her memory.
He died at his residence, 30 Cadogan Place, Sloane Street, London, November 20, 1875, and was buried with his wife at Whitstable. By his will he left very numerous legacies to charitable and religious institutions, including £50,000. to the trustees of the Simeon Fund. His personalty was proved under £600,000. on January 8, 1876.
selected only 44, which have since been exhibited as the Wynne Ellis collection. The remainder of these ancient pictures, with his modern pictures, water-colour drawings, porcelain, decorative furniture, marbles, &c., were disposed of at Christie, Manson, & Wood's
in five days' sale in May, June, and July 1876, when the total proceeds were £56,098. 2s. 3d. In the sale of 6 May Thomas Gainsborough
's portrait of Georgiana, duchess of Devonshire
, was purchased by Thomas Agnew & Sons for £10,605. The Agnews exhibited the painting at their rooms, 39B Old Bond Street, London, where on the night of 26 May the canvas was cut out and stolen. It was finally recovered in Chicago
in 1901 and purchased by Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan.
Haberdasher
A haberdasher is a person who sells small articles for sewing, such as buttons, ribbons, zips, and other notions. In American English, haberdasher is another term for a men's outfitter. A haberdasher's shop or the items sold therein are called haberdashery.-Origin and use:The word appears in...
, politician and art collector.
Biography
Ellis, son of Thomas Ellis, by Elizabeth Ordway of BarkwayBarkway
Barkway is a long-established village and civil parish in the North Hertfordshire district of Hertfordshire, England, about five miles south-east of Royston,35 miles from London and 15 miles from the centre of Cambridge....
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, was born at Oundle
Oundle
Oundle is an ancient market town on the River Nene in Northamptonshire, England, with a population of 5,345 or 5,674 . It lies some north of London and south-west of Peterborough...
, Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
, in July 1790, and after receiving a good education came to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. In 1812 he became a haberdasher
Haberdasher
A haberdasher is a person who sells small articles for sewing, such as buttons, ribbons, zips, and other notions. In American English, haberdasher is another term for a men's outfitter. A haberdasher's shop or the items sold therein are called haberdashery.-Origin and use:The word appears in...
, hosier
Hosiery
Hosiery, also referred to as legwear, describes garments worn directly on the feet and legs. The term originated as the collective term for products of which a maker or seller is termed a hosier; and those products are also known generically as hose...
, and mercer at 16 Ludgate Street, city of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, where he gradually created the largest silk
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
business in London, adding house to house as opportunity occurred of purchasing the property around him, and passing from the retail to a wholesale business in 1830. After his retirement in 1871 his firm assumed the title of John Howell & Co.
Political life
In 1831 he withdrew his candidature for the aldermanAlderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
ic ward of Castle Baynard
Baynard's Castle
Baynard's Castle refers to buildings on two neighbouring sites in London, between where Blackfriars station and St Paul's Cathedral now stand. The first was a Norman fortification constructed by Ralph Baynard and demolished by King John in 1213. The second was a medieval palace built a short...
to contest the parliamentary representation of Leicester. As an advanced liberal he sat for Leicester
Leicester (UK Parliament constituency)
Leicester was a parliamentary borough in Leicestershire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1295 until 1918, when it was split into three single-member divisions.-History:...
from May 4, 1831 to December 29, 1834, and again from March 22, 1839 to July 23, 1847. He was an advocate for the total repeal of the corn laws
Corn Laws
The Corn Laws were trade barriers designed to protect cereal producers in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland against competition from less expensive foreign imports between 1815 and 1846. The barriers were introduced by the Importation Act 1815 and repealed by the Importation Act 1846...
, of free trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
generally, of reform in bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
, and of greater freedom in the law of partnership
Partnership
A partnership is an arrangement where parties agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests.Since humans are social beings, partnerships between individuals, businesses, interest-based organizations, schools, governments, and varied combinations thereof, have always been and remain commonplace...
. In the committees of the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
he exercised considerable influence. He was a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
both for Hertfordshire and Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, and was pricked to serve as sheriff for the latter county, but was excused in consideration of his having discharged corresponding duties for Hertfordshire in 1851–2.
Personal life
He purchased the manor of Ponsborne Park, Hertfordshire, in 1836, but sold it in May 1875. He also owned Tankerton Tower, near CanterburyCanterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
. He had an intense dislike of betting, horseracing, and gambling, though he was a lover of other sports. He made an extensive collection of ancient and modern pictures, many of which are described in Waagen's
Gustav Friedrich Waagen
Gustav Friedrich Waagen was a German art historian.Waagen was born in Hamburg, the son of a painter and nephew of the poet Ludwig Tieck. Having passed through the college of Hirschberg, he volunteered for service in the Napoleonic campaign of 1813-1814, and on his return attended the lectures at...
Treasures of Art, ii. 293–8.
He married in 1814 Mary Maria, daughter of John Smith of Lincoln. She died in 1872, and was buried in a mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
designed by Charles Barry
Charles Barry
Sir Charles Barry FRS was an English architect, best known for his role in the rebuilding of the Palace of Westminster in London during the mid-19th century, but also responsible for numerous other buildings and gardens.- Background and training :Born on 23 May 1795 in Bridge Street, Westminster...
, and built in Whitstable
Whitstable
Whitstable is a seaside town in Northeast Kent, Southeast England. It is approximately north of the city of Canterbury and approximately west of the seaside town of Herne Bay. It is part of the City of Canterbury district and has a population of about 30,000.Whitstable is famous for its oysters,...
churchyard. Near this her husband soon after erected almshouse
Almshouse
Almshouses are charitable housing provided to enable people to live in a particular community...
s to her memory.
He died at his residence, 30 Cadogan Place, Sloane Street, London, November 20, 1875, and was buried with his wife at Whitstable. By his will he left very numerous legacies to charitable and religious institutions, including £50,000. to the trustees of the Simeon Fund. His personalty was proved under £600,000. on January 8, 1876.
Art collection
His ancient pictures, 402 in number, he left to the English nation, but of these the trustees of the National GalleryNational Gallery, London
The National Gallery is an art museum on Trafalgar Square, London, United Kingdom. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The gallery is an exempt charity, and a non-departmental public body of the Department for Culture, Media...
selected only 44, which have since been exhibited as the Wynne Ellis collection. The remainder of these ancient pictures, with his modern pictures, water-colour drawings, porcelain, decorative furniture, marbles, &c., were disposed of at Christie, Manson, & Wood's
Christie's
Christie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
in five days' sale in May, June, and July 1876, when the total proceeds were £56,098. 2s. 3d. In the sale of 6 May Thomas Gainsborough
Thomas Gainsborough
Thomas Gainsborough was an English portrait and landscape painter.-Suffolk:Thomas Gainsborough was born in Sudbury, Suffolk. He was the youngest son of John Gainsborough, a weaver and maker of woolen goods. At the age of thirteen he impressed his father with his penciling skills so that he let...
's portrait of Georgiana, duchess of Devonshire
Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire
Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire , formerly Lady Georgiana Spencer, was the first wife of the 5th Duke of Devonshire, and mother of the 6th Duke of Devonshire. Her father, the 1st Earl Spencer, was a great-grandson of the 1st Duke of Marlborough. Her niece was Lady Caroline Lamb...
, was purchased by Thomas Agnew & Sons for £10,605. The Agnews exhibited the painting at their rooms, 39B Old Bond Street, London, where on the night of 26 May the canvas was cut out and stolen. It was finally recovered in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in 1901 and purchased by Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan.