George Ellis

George Ellis FSA (19 December 1753 – 10 April 1815) was an English antiquary, satirical poet and Member of Parliament. He is best known for his Specimens of the Early English Poets and Specimens of Early English Metrical Romances, which played an influential part in acquainting the general reading public with Middle English poetry.

Early life

George Ellis was born in Jamaica on 19 December 1753, the posthumous son of a sugar-planter. His grandfather, also called George Ellis, was Chief Justice of Jamaica, and Edward Long, author of The History of Jamaica, was a maternal uncle.

His full name was George Rose Ellis.

He was brought to England in 1755, and according to the ODNB educated at Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge.

He soon made a name for himself in Whig society as a young man of wit, charm and literary talent. Ellis published two volumes of light verse, Bath; Its Beauties and Amusements (1777) and Poetical Tales of Gregory Gander (1778), which gained great popularity not just in the English beau monde but even at Versailles, where Horace Walpole noted that Ellis was "a favourite". He went on to contribute to the anti-Pitt satirical work, The Rolliad (1784–85).

Ellis bought The Cedars, a prominent house in Sunninghill, Berkshire from the politician John Yorke.

Sugar estates in Jamaica

When his father, also named George, died young, the slave estates of the young George Ellis were run by his paternal uncle John Ellis. However, George would later complain to his maternal uncle, Edward Long, about John's avarice. George favoured leasing the Caymanas Park plantation, but John insisted "upon my keeping the Caymanas in my own hands". In the end, John won that battle of wills.