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Richard ELLIS (1832/3–1900)
His wife Mrs Ann ELLIS, née Leak (1831–1918)
Their twin sons George ELLIS (born and died 1869) and Richard ELLIS (1869–1870)
Plus mention of two children who died earlier and were buried elsewhere:
Thomas ELLIS (1864/5–1867) and Catherine ELLIS (1866–1867)
St Giles section: Row 29, Grave K45

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This photograph was taken by Oxford City Conservation Officer John Ashdown on 5 April 1992.

The gravestone, which was possibly carved by Thomas Grimsley, is now lying flat and cannot be read. The above transcription is deduced from Bostock’s notes. The names of the children’s parents are probably there too

Richard Ellis was born in Harlestone, Northamptonshire in 1832/3 and baptised there on 7 April 1833. He was the son of the stonemason Richard Ellis senior and Catherine York, who were married at Harlestone on 6 September 1831.

Ann Leak was born in Leicester in 1831 and baptised at St Mary de Castro Church there on 1 January 1832. She was the daughter of Tenant Leak and his wife Ann. At the time of the 1841 census Ann (9) was living at Montague Place, Leicester with her parents and younger brothers Edward (7) and William (3). By 1851 census Ann (19) was working as a fancy hand and was still living at home in St Mary's parish, Leicester with her widower father Tenant (48), who was a bricklayer and her siblings Edward (17), who was a bricklayer's labourer, and William (14) and George (7), who were at school.

in 1857 (reg. fourth quarter) at Leicester, Richard Ellis married Ann Leak. They had eight children:

• Arthur Ellis (born in Whitwell, Derbyshire in 1858/9 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church, St Ebbe’s on 8 September 1861)
• Fanny Ellis (born in Wantage at the end of 1860 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church, St Ebbe’s on 8 September 1861)
• Ann Louisa Ellis, known as Louisa (born at Nelson Street, Oxford in 1862 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church, St Ebbe's on 18 May)
• Thomas Ellis (born at Bridport Street, St Ebbe’s in 1864 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church, St Ebbe’s on 20 November; died 1865)
• Catherine Ellis (born at Bridport Street, St Ebbe’s in 1866 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church, St Ebbe’s on 27 May; died 1866)
• George Ellis, twin (born at Little Clarendon Street in September 1869 and privately baptised by St Giles’s Church on 22 September; died 1869)
• Richard Ellis, twin (born at Little Clarendon Street in September 1869 and baptised at St Giles’s Church on 7 November; died 1870)
• Richard York Ellis (born in Oxford in early 1871)

Richard Ellis was a stonemason like his father. He and Ann began their married life in Whitwell, Derbyshire, but had moved to Wantage by the end of 1860. By 1861 they had moved to Oxford.

At the time of the 1861 census Richard (28) and Ann (29) were living at 11 Nelson Street in St Ebbe’s with their first two children Arthur (2) and Fanny (four months). Their next daughter, Louisa was born in 1862.

By 1864 the family had moved to Bridport Street in St Ebbe’s, and two of their babies died there in 1865 and 1866. Although they are mentioned on the gravestone in St Sepulchre’s Cemetery, they would not have been buried there:

• † Thomas Ellis died died at Bridport Street, St Ebbe’s at the age of eleven weeks around the end of January 1865 and was buried (presumably at Osney Cemetery, as his burial is recorded in the register of Holy Trinity Church) on 2 February.
• † Catherine Ellis died at Bridport Street, St Ebbe’s at the age of seven months in November 1866 and was buried (presumably at Osney Cemetery, as her burial is recorded in the register of Holy Trinity Church) on 12 November.

Between 1867 and 1869 the family moved to Little Clarendon Street in St Giles’s parish, and in September 1869 Ann gave birth to twins there, both of whom died as babies:

† George Ellis died at Little Clarendon Street at the age of three weeks near the beginning of October 1869 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 5 October (burial recorded in the parish register of St Giles’s Church).

† Richard Ellis died at Jericho at the age of eight months in early June 1870 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 10 June (burial recorded in the parish register of St Sepulchre’s Church).

As Richard was a stonemason, it is possible he knew Thomas Grimsley, who produced this ornate gravestone.

Between the burial of their baby Richard Ellis on 10 June 1870 and the birth of Richard York Ellis in early 1871, the family moved back to St Ebbe’s, and this time lived at No. 46 Nelson Street. Richard and Ann can be seen there in the 1871 census with their four surviving children: Arthur (12), Fanny (10), Louisa (8), and Richard York (two months).

Ann's father tenant Leak died back in Leicester in 1873 at the age of 68.

By 1881 the family had moved to Jericho and was living at 13 Mount Street. Richard (47) was still working as a stonemason, and Ann (49) was now working as a laundress. Three of their children were still at home: Fanny (20), who was a confectioner’s assistant; Louise (18), who was a dressmaker; and Richard York Ellis (10), who was at school.

Richard and Ann were living alone at 7 Allam Street, Jericho in 1891, and Ann was now working as a monthly nurse.

Richard died in 1900, and was almost certainly buried in St Sepulchre’s Cemetery, probably with his his two baby sons:

† Richard Ellis died at 7 Allam Street at the age of 67 in August 1900 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 13 August (burial recorded in the parish register of St Giles’s Church).

At the time of the 1901 census Mrs Ann Ellis (69) was living on her own means at 7 Allam Street with her granddaughter Alice Ellis (15), who was working as a housemaid. In 1911 she was living there alone and described as an old age pensioner: five of her eight children were now dead. She died in 1918:

† Mrs Ann Ellis died at 7 Allam Street at the age of 86 in December 1918 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 6 December (burial recorded in the parish register of St Giles’s Church).