Richard Ellis (librarian)
Encyclopedia
Richard Ellis was a Welsh
librarian and bibliographer, whose main work was to collect materials on the life and work of Edward Lhuyd
.
, studied at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth from 1889 and won a scholarship to Jesus College, Oxford
in 1893. Family reasons meant that he did not take up the place at Oxford until 1898; he was re-awarded a scholarship on the recommendation of the historian Reginald Lane-Poole
. He obtained his BA
in 1902 and his MA in 1908. His main research at Oxford and thereafter was the collection of material on the life and work of Edward Lhuyd
. Some of it was published in 1906/1907 in the Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion
under the title Some incidents in the life of Edward Lhuyd. His work was unfinished at his death, and he left his papers to the university library in Aberystwyth.
In 1907, Ellis was appointed to run the Welsh library at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, and in 1908 he was appointed the principal assistant to Sir John Ballinger
, the first librarian of the National Library of Wales
. He was not happy in this post and returned to Oxford in 1912 with a research scholarship. He also worked at the Codrington Library at All Souls College, Oxford
, and was the only assistant librarian between 1916 and the end of the First World War. In the early 1920s, Ellis returned to Oxford, making trips to Dublin and Oxford for his research. It was on one of these visits to Oxford that he died in 1928; he was buried in Aberystwyth.
, Sir Leoline Jenkins
, Ellis Wynne
, Edward Samuel and Moses Williams
). In 1904, he published An Elizabethan Broadside in the Welsh Language, being a Brief granted in 1591 to Sion Salusburi of Gwyddelwern, Merionethshire. He also wrote some poetry in English.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
librarian and bibliographer, whose main work was to collect materials on the life and work of Edward Lhuyd
Edward Lhuyd
Edward Lhuyd was a Welsh naturalist, botanist, linguist, geographer and antiquary. He is also known by the Latinized form of his name, Eduardus Luidius....
.
Life
Ellis, the son of John Ellis from AberystwythAberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
, studied at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth from 1889 and won a scholarship to Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
in 1893. Family reasons meant that he did not take up the place at Oxford until 1898; he was re-awarded a scholarship on the recommendation of the historian Reginald Lane-Poole
Reginald Lane-Poole
Reginald Lane Poole was a British historian. He was Keeper of the Archives and a lecturer in diplomacy at the University of Oxford, where he gave the Ford Lectures in 1912 on the subject of "The Exchequer in the Twelfth Century"...
. He obtained his BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1902 and his MA in 1908. His main research at Oxford and thereafter was the collection of material on the life and work of Edward Lhuyd
Edward Lhuyd
Edward Lhuyd was a Welsh naturalist, botanist, linguist, geographer and antiquary. He is also known by the Latinized form of his name, Eduardus Luidius....
. Some of it was published in 1906/1907 in the Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion
Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion
The Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion was founded in 1751 as a literary society devoted to the preservation of the Welsh language. It was founded by two brothers, Lewis Morris and Richard Morris, natives of Anglesey...
under the title Some incidents in the life of Edward Lhuyd. His work was unfinished at his death, and he left his papers to the university library in Aberystwyth.
In 1907, Ellis was appointed to run the Welsh library at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, and in 1908 he was appointed the principal assistant to Sir John Ballinger
John Ballinger
Sir John Ballinger CBE was a Welsh librarian, the first librarian at the National Library of Wales. He has been described by the current librarian at the National Library of Wales, Andrew Green, as "one of the most distinguished professional librarians of his time".-Biography:Ballinger was born in...
, the first librarian of the National Library of Wales
National Library of Wales
The National Library of Wales , Aberystwyth, is the national legal deposit library of Wales; one of the Welsh Government sponsored bodies.Welsh is its main medium of communication...
. He was not happy in this post and returned to Oxford in 1912 with a research scholarship. He also worked at the Codrington Library at All Souls College, Oxford
All Souls College, Oxford
The Warden and the College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased in the University of Oxford or All Souls College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England....
, and was the only assistant librarian between 1916 and the end of the First World War. In the early 1920s, Ellis returned to Oxford, making trips to Dublin and Oxford for his research. It was on one of these visits to Oxford that he died in 1928; he was buried in Aberystwyth.
Works
Through his work on Lluyd, Ellis developed a knowledge of other Welshmen at Oxford. This led to Facsimiles of Letters of Oxford Welshmen (the writers including Henry VaughanHenry Vaughan
Henry Vaughan was a Welsh physician and metaphysical poet.Vaughan and his twin brother the hermetic philosopher and alchemist Thomas Vaughan, were the sons of Thomas Vaughan and his wife Denise of 'Trenewydd', Newton, in Brecknockshire, Wales...
, Sir Leoline Jenkins
Leoline Jenkins
Sir Leoline Jenkins was a Welsh academic, jurist and politician. He was a clerical lawyer serving in the Admiralty courts, and diplomat involved in the negotiation of international treaties .-Biography:...
, Ellis Wynne
Ellis Wynne
Ellis Wynne was a Welsh clergyman and author of one of the most important and influential pieces of Welsh language literature....
, Edward Samuel and Moses Williams
Moses Williams
Moses Williams was a Welsh antiquarian scholar.He was born the son of Samuel Williams, Vicar of Llan Dyfriog and Rector of Llan Gynllo, Cardiganshire, and his wife, Margaret, daughter of Jenkin Powell Prytherch, in Y Glaslyn, near Llandysul, Ceredigion, in south-west Wales.He was ordained a deacon...
). In 1904, he published An Elizabethan Broadside in the Welsh Language, being a Brief granted in 1591 to Sion Salusburi of Gwyddelwern, Merionethshire. He also wrote some poetry in English.