John Ellis, James Ellis and George Ellis

The trade directories also show a G Ellis with retail premises at 15 Temple Street for 1831-36.  However the rate books show George Ellis with a residential property in Temple Street (near Counterslip) for 1830-31 only.  George Ellis voted from Temple Parish, as a China Dealer, in 1832 and 1835. John Ellis was originally a retailer of glass, china and earthenware at 14 Bath Street, in Temple Parish.  Trade directories list him there for 1846-48, although he took out an insurance policy of the business in 1844.  The policy states that he was a dealer in china and glass, the household goods were insured for 75 pounds and the stock, utensils and fixtures for 525 pounds.  The rate books show him paying rates on a property in Temple Street, at the junction with Bath Street for 1844 only.  He voted in 1840 from 14 Bath Street (no trade given), which suggests that he was a tenant.  The following appeared in the Bristol Gazette on 18th November 1845:  "John Ellis and Company, 14 Bath Street, beg respectfully to inform their friends and the public generally that they have commenced selling their valuable and extensive stock of glass, china and earthenware, at the lowest wholesale prices, as the whole must soon be cleared off.  J E and Co. assure the public that their best goods, such as decanters, wines, cut crofts and tumblers, water bottles, best burnished tea sets, table services, and fancy stone jugs, will be sold at an immense sacrifice, as they do not intend keeping such goods at their manufactory.  J E and Co. beg to inform their friends that they have taken those spacious premises, 57 Thomas Street, lately occupied by Mr Croome as an iron foundry, where they intend to carry on the manufacture of red stone and other ware".  Trade directories only list him at 57 Thomas Street for 1848-49, however there is no record of him paying rates on any property in Thomas Street, and the only pottery in Thomas Street was that of Charles Price.  This pottery does not seem to have ever existed.  The shop continued for some time as the following appeared in the Bristol Mirror on 18th March 1848: "Unreserved sale of china, galss and earthenware, to be sold by auction, by Mr James Gibbs.  The whole stock of John Ellis and Co's immense stock of china, glass and earthenware, 14 Bath Street (opposite the old porter brewery), Bristol, on this present Saturday, March 18 1848, and following days of business, until the whole is sold.  The sale will commence each day at eleven o'clock.  The premises to let, and may be entered upon at quarter day".  The nature of the sale suggests that he was in financial trouble. By 1853 he is listed at the Redcross Street pottery, whcih he had taken over from the White family, who run it from at least 1823.  The Redcross Street site it listed as having been been owned by John Ellis between 1853 and 1870, but was taken over by the Victoria Pottery Co. Ltd. in 1865, and is not mentioned in their 1868 accounts, so it must have closed by then.  A listing for 1856 refers to a pottery in Barton Hill (a possible connection to William Hutchings) and 1856-58 shows a partnership with a person called Hawley, who may be J G Hawley.  Ellis was initially described as a manufacturer of "Egyptian black and Rockingham tea pot, stone jug and ware" and by 1861 as a "manufacturer of stone and earthenware".  The rate books show a rather different history for the Redcross Street site.  A Joseph Ellis paid rates for 1852-66, it was void in 1867, John Ellis & Co paid rates for 1868-71, and William Nation paid rates for 1872 to at least 1877 (there are no further rate books).  William Nation's pottery does not appear in the trade directories.  A Joseph Ellis is listed in the 1841 census as residing in Glass House Court, Temple parish, the trade being a porter or potter.  He is presumably the same Joseph Ellis who paid rates on a house in Church Street, Temple Parish, for 1857-52, and voted as an Earthenware Dealer from Chruch Street, Temple Parish, in 1852.  He does not appear in the trade directories as an earthenware dealer, so presumably worked for or was in partnership with someone else.  It is not known what relation he was to John. John Ellis was also involved with the Victoria Pottery and the Crown Pottery.