James Ellis was the third child of Job Ellis & Ann (Louisa) Bryan born Jan-March 1854 & christened July 9th, 1854 at Pinxton, Derby.
In 1861 James was living with his parents, 3 brothers & 2 sisters at Skegby, Notts.
In 1871 the family had moved to 97 Forest St, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Notts. Like his father, James was a cordwainer.
James married Sarah Ann Kirkham in April-June 1875 at Mansfield General Baptist Chapel. Sarah was born c1850 at Calverton, Notts, the daughter of Ruth Merchant & Thomas Kirkham, a framesmith. In 1871 Sarah Ann was living at home in Mansfield & working as a warehouse girl.
In 1881 James & Sarah were living at 23 Herbert St, Nottingham St Mary & James was a boot maker. They had 2 children – Lucy A (5) & an unnamed daughter 1 month old.
By 1891 James & Sarah had moved to Staffordshire & were living at 14½ Gaolgate St, St Mary & St Chard. James was now an employer & described as shop manager. At home were Lucy, Sarah E (unnamed infant in last census), aged 10, Mary (8) & Arthur J K (4) who was born in Wisbeach, Cambridgeshire.
In 1901 they were still at the same address & James was now a manager of a boot & shoe establishment, working from home. Lucy Ann, Mary & Arthur J K were all at home. Sarah’s widowed mother, Ruth Kirkham (73) was living with them. Daughter Sarah Ellen was working as a boot & shoe shop assistant in South Leicester & was boarding with George Reed, a boot shop manager, & his family at 16 Church Avenue, Leicester.
Daughter Mary married Charles Haddon Ager in 1904 in Stafford.
James & Sarah were still living at 14½ Gaolgate, Stafford in 1911. James was still a manager of a boot shop & he was assisted by his 2 daughters Lucy Ann & Sarah Ellen who were both living at home. They also had another assistant in the business, Alfred Alderson, aged 19, living with them. It was noted on the census that Sarah & James had had 5 children, only 4 of whom were still living. Son Arthur had married Emily Jane Lloyd in 1909 & at the time of the census he & Emily were living at Victoria Rd, Tunstall, Stoke-on Trent where he was a boot shop manager.
Sarah Ann died aged 64 on July 24th, 1915 at 14½ Gaolgate, Stafford.
Son Arthur of 22 Alberta St, Longton, Staffs was declared bankrupt & his business went into receivership on January 16th, 1917. He was described as a leather, grindery & clog factor. (London Gazette January 19th, 1917)
James died aged 65 on June 26th, 1919 at 14A Gaolgate, Stafford.
The 1939 register shows daughter Mary & husband Charles H Ager, bookshop manager, & their family living in Rosslyn Rd, Stoke-on-Trent. With them was Mary’s sister Lucy Ann who was noted as incapacitated.
The children of James Ellis & Sarah Ann Kirkham were:
el.5.8.3.1 Lucy Ann Ellis born March 7th, 1876 at Mansfield, Notts; died Oct-December 1955 in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs
el.5.8.3.2 Sarah Ellen Ellis born April-June 1881 at Nottingham
el.5.8.3.3 Mary Ellis born September 29th, 1882 at Nottingham; died Oct-December 1964 in Stoke-on-Trent
el.5.8.3.4 William Henry Ellis born July-September 1884 at Nottingham; died July-September 1884 at Nottingham
el.5.8.3.5 Arthur James Kirkham Ellis born June 21st, 1886 at Wisbech, Cambridgeshire; died June 17th, 1982 at 41 Cranesbill Rd, Pakefield & cremated at Great Yarmouth Crematorium, Norfolk