was a public-spirited businessman. In the mid-19th century, Ellis founded a number of schools (named Birkbeck Schools after George Birkbeck, adult education pioneer and founder of Birkbeck University, London) and inspired many teachers to promote his educational ideas.

Ellis wanted children to be taught "useful" subjects such as science (including "Social Science"), and to develop the faculty of reason; this was in contrast to the learning by rote of religious tracts,