The Descendants of William Ellers, circa 1750

66 F i. Hilda ROBINSON [94044] was born on 4 Jan 1915 and died in 1936 at age 21.

41. Bernard Comber ROBINSON [94042] (Sarah RICKARDS¹⁶, Marianne Ellors BEE⁷, Marianne ELLORS³, Thomas¹) was born on 25 Mar 1897.

70 F i. Gillian Margaret ROBINSON [94050] was born on 25 Dec 1924 and died on 6 Apr 2002 in Bromley Kent England at age 77.

• Residence at Death: at Clairleigh Nursing Home, 6 Apr 2002, Bromley Kent England.

42. Florence Tarleton RICKARDS [94052] (Henry Samuel RICKARDS²⁰, Marianne Ellors BEE⁷, Marianne ELLORS³, Thomas¹) was born on 15 Nov 1889 in Sydney Colony of New South Wales.

Florence married Cecil John CONNOR [94056] [MRIN: 31359] on 19 Apr 1919 in Johannesburg Transvaal South Africa. Cecil was born in Melbourne Colony of Victoria.

45. Jack Tatham Tarleton RICKARDS [94055] (Henry Samuel RICKARDS²⁰, Marianne Ellors BEE⁷, Marianne ELLORS³, Thomas¹) was born on 18 Nov 1907 and died on 12 Oct 1943 at age 35.

General Notes: In a CD received from Juliet [Rickards] Ross in June 2011 it included:
Jack was apprenticed in Wolverhampton in the 1920s. He lodged with the Lesters whose eldest daughter Lilian agreed to marry him. He returned home to S.Africa in about 1929.
In 1934, Jack's parents visited England and took Lilian back to marry him.
In 1938, Harry and Liz visited UK (brother Ernest Herbert's diary survives). They visited Somerset and saw new baby Susan - Ernest's 1^st grandchild. Harry said "when she grows up tell her that I came all the way from South Africa to see her". On passenger lists Henry is described as an Accountant.

Jack married Lilian LESTER [94064] [MRIN: 31451] on 31 Dec 1934. The marriage ended in divorce.

50. Arthur Ellors RICKARDS [94080] (Frederick Thomas RICKARDS²⁴, Marianne Ellors BEE⁷, Marianne ELLORS³, Thomas¹) was born on 29 Apr 1899 in Coolgardie Colony of Western Australia and died after 1947.

General Notes: In a CD received from Juliet [Rickards] Ross in June 2011 it included:
With health "below par" since birth, Arthur enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy in April 1914, and remained with them throughout the war and for next six years
In 1924:
He was a Sheriff's Officer of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, in Sydney and other country areas until 1939 when war was declared and joined Army.
In 1939:
He was a Captain in the Australian Army an Quartermaster in New South Wales.
Subsequently, He enlisted 5th August 1942 in Australian Army NX114181 (N75467) at Charlestown, NSW. With a Rank of Captain.
He was discharged from Army 21st January 1947. Then stationed at Lismore in New South Wales.
On November the 9th, 1953, Arthur wrote to his Cousin Hedley Joseph Rickards as follows:
It will probably be common knowledge that my Father, Frederick Thomas Rickards, came to Australia, for health reasons in the early 90's of last century, and was for some years employed by Australian Joint Stock or some other bank of like nature until the bank smash some years later…In or about the year 1896 he married Edith Mary Tewsley in Wilcannia on the Darling River in Western New South Wales, and shortly after, in company with his brother-in-law, Fred Tewsley, also a victim of the Bank Smash, left for the Gold Diggings in Western Australia, and on the 29th April, 1899 I was born and christened Arthur Ellors …Had I any say in the matter the name would have been plain Tom, Dick or Harry, but at that tender age I was not in a position to register a protest and so Arthur Ellors it remains to this day. Some four years later, to be precise on the 19th July, 1903, at Kalgoorlie some 20 miles north of my birth place, Coolgardie, my brother Clive Harold was born. He was the last child born to my parents and he is still living and in Sydney …Of that more later…
My father who was a brilliant man had little difficulty in mastering anything he set his mind to…He was in turn accountant, Assayer, Music Teacher and Teacher of Maths and any other subject required in the Local School if Mines wherever he happened to be on the goldfields. He was a great cove loved by his wife and adored by his kids, but looking back I realise that he had little application and most times had his head in the clouds. He had little idea of keeping a position for any length of time and was absolutely unpractical…However we battled through and now he's passed on and left nothing but fond and kindly memories…About the year 1913 he left the fields and tried his hand at Pearl Fishing. At Broome still in W.A. where large fortunes were being made by the few, he found his luck little better than on the Gold Fields. He finally left this industry by virtue of a very thorough and painful ship wreck on the shores of Portuguese Timor. From there he gravitated to Soerabaya in Java and there, except for short vacations in Australia he remained until his death in 1932.
Mother's health - never robust - was not up to the tropics so she remains with her two sons in Sydney N.S.W. to which salubrious spot we had journeyed towards the end of 1913.
Arthur also summarized his Life as follows:
Early in 1914 my health also below par since birth, looked like cracking up…On the advice of a dear old gentleman who I imagine didn't like me much, I was enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy in April 1914, in which occupation I remained through the War and for six years thereafter.
Except for a little excitement during the War years when I was serving on a coffin ship on the East Indian, China, East African and Persian Gulf stations, my years of Navy service were uneventful…The greatest fright I had in all the ten years was when we were sent out to hunt the Raider Wolf, an armed Merchantman armed with modern 5 inch guns…As our guns were obsolete 4 inch with upper dick torpedo tubes not larger than 14 inches I was always glad that we didn't meet up with her…In a week she sank five merchantmen around Ceylon and then skipped West for the African Coast and thence back to the Australian Station…There she sank two more ships…Later the Brisbane a modern 6 inch cruiser was sent after the Wolf and we saw or heard of her no more in those waters.
There is one thin that I have to thank the life at sea for…Today at fifty four I have few or any ills and can hold my own physically with men twenty years my junior…This after serving 3 years in New Guinea in the last war where I was the only officer in the Divisional H.Q. who didn't have a days sickness in the period on active service.
In 1924 I decided that there was no future in the Post War Navy, so on expiration of my 10 years paid off with no regrets and £200 in deferred pay…On shore I quickly discovered that there was not much of an opening for a Gunnery Man who could hit a picket Handkerchief at 10,000 yards with a six inch gun.
On being offered a job as a Sheriff's Officer of the Supreme Court of N.S.Wales I accepted thankfully and held this position at Head Office in Sydney and in several country areas until 1939, when War being declared I joined up in an Army unit at my then Headquarters at Tamworth.
I served with an Infantry Battalion in this State until 1943 when some Brass Hat discovered that I was 44 years old and much too ancient to hold down the post of Captain Quartermaster in N.S.Wales…I was thereon transferred to the Amenities, or as the British Army knew it the Welfare Service, and sent to a Divisional H.Q. in New Guinea…There I soldiered on until cessation of hostilities and from there took over the same job with the British Occupation Force in Japan…This lasted for 12 months and then, Home, Leave, and demob and return to the old grind.
I am now stationed and have been since the War at Lismore in the far North Eastern corner of this State…We are only 20 miles from our Port of Ballina. This place is in the centre of the Dairying and Beef Cattle region of the State with secondary industry of Pineapple and Banana Growing…In our area is the largest Meat Preserving Works and the Largest Dairy Factory in the Southern Hemisphere. The climate is to some, trying, but I love it. The summer is hot, wet and humid but only lasts three months. The rest of the year is mild and balmy. Being, as I have previously stated, only 20 miles from the sea-board we get the sea breezes and enjoy the best winter climate in the world.
My district is approximately 10,000 square miles and stretches from 50 miles south of here to the Queensland Border, West to Drake on the fringe of the Northern Tablelands and Eastwards to the sea. In that area are resident some 200,000 souls, including a few heels, the latter being my special worry.
Although it is 30 years since I last saw my Father I still remember distinctly his tales of doings of himself and his family in England. I have not seen any of the Clan over the years, as in neither war was it my good luck to serve in English War Theatre. I have been as close as Gibralter but never to England. Hope to make it before I die. The only record I have is a photo of some of the cousins who were for some years in South Africa. Uncle Harry's family I imagine. It was quite a thrill to see names in print that I had forgotten ever existed.
Well that's that and do hope I haven't bored you too much. In about four years time I go on extended leave prior to retirement. This job, although not of the type I would have picked if I had been trained for anything better, has fed and clothed me and the family over the years. It now brings me in nearly £1100 a year and promises me a retiring pension of £10 a week. By then I will have all the kids off my hands and there will be only the two of us to keep. I should own my own home by then so all in all should be quite comfortable if not affluent in our old age. Until then, soldier on, an occasional beer with old war cronies at the club, and the rest of the time happily spent in my garden. In the last three years the Department has given me an assistant so that makes things a lot easier and gives me more leisure. Until last year I was playing quite good tennis but owing to a knee injury caused by a fall have had to give that up. Thinking of taking up Bowls next year. As I'm only quarter Scotch have never taken to Golf and don't suppose I will at this stage.
The whole family have always been Swimming cranks and two or three of the kids at one time showed distinct promise. I still take an interest in the sport and train the Water Polo teams, Water Polo being the one sport that I played well although I tried the lot at different times.
In 1925 at Sydney I married Kathleen Alexandra, the daughter of Frederick William Rose, Civil Servant in the N.S.W. Government Service. She has presented me with four daughters and one son. Josephine, the eldest was born on the 26th February at Cooma in New South Wales, Clive Beresford in the same town on the 12th April 1927 and Frances Eleanor born in Singleton on 6th June 1928. Allison came along on the 17th August 1933 and Christina on the 19th September 1938.

Arthur married Kathleen Alexandra ROSE [94082] [MRIN: 31372], daughter of Frederick William ROSE [94278] and Unknown,.

51. Clive Harold RICKARDS [94081] (Frederick Thomas RICKARDS²⁴, Marianne Ellors BEE⁷, Marianne ELLORS³, Thomas¹) was born on 19 Jul 1903 in Kalgoorlie WA Australia.

52. Hedley Joseph RICKARDS [94096] (Ernest Herbert RICKARDS²⁵, Marianne Ellors BEE⁷, Marianne ELLORS³, Thomas¹) was born on 9 Jul 1901 in Clapham Surrey England and died in 1975 at age 74.

• Education: Peterhouse College [Cambridge], Cambridge Cambridgeshire England.

• Occupation: a Solicitor with Carter & Barber [London and Dorking], 3 Clements Inn London England.

Hedley married Ellen Myra HUTCHINSON [94101] [MRIN: 31376], daughter of Harold James HUTCHINSON [94321] and Unknown, on 11 Apr 1942 in St Minver Cornwall England. Ellen was born on 18 Mar 1903.

81 M i. David Hedley Ernest Harold RICKARDS [94102] was born on 11 Aug 1944 and died on 24 Apr 1975 in Brockham Green Surrey England at age 30.

54. Ernest Stanley RICKARDS [91318] (Ernest Herbert RICKARDS²⁵, Marianne Ellors BEE⁷, Marianne ELLORS³, Thomas¹) was born on 25 May 1907 in Carshalton Surrey England and died on 15 Jan 1979 in Trull Somerset England at age 71.

General Notes: In a CD received from Juliet [Rickards] Ross in June 2011 it included:
Ernest [Rix] was a Solicitor
Clerk of Somerset County Council
Clerk of the Peace for Somerset
Clerk to the Lieutenancy of Somerset
Music lover - played violin
He was a Sportsman, Coxed Peterhouse "Eight" and enjoyed golf.
1911 Census:
He was Living at "Blythburgh", Grosvenor Avenue, Wallington, Surrey, with his parents, and brothers Hedley (9), Ellors (5), Leonard (under 1 month).
In 1927 he obtained his "Articles" in his Brother's Law Firm, Carter & Barber.
On his Retirement as Clerk to the County Council of Somerset, was written,
Tribute on Retirement - May 1972
At sic minutes past five on Wednesday afternoon, a reign notable for the benevolence came to an end at County Hall, Taunton. On the eve of his 65^th birthday, Ernest Stanley Rickards, diminutive of stature, sharp of wit, ready as ever to see the funny side, vacated for the last time the lofty, panelled room that houses the Clerk of Somerset County Council. It's doubtful if there has been a more popular chief offer with Somerset or any other county council.
Certainly well liked by his staff, by the Council members - and by the Press for that matter - he will be missed, for courtesy, fair-mindedness, patience and good humour are not always associated with those who hold positions of power in local government.
E. S. Rickards, son of a jute merchant in the City of London who was also a member of Surrey County Council, went to a private school in Hastings and to Cambridge at the early age of 17. He had his law degree at 20 and found his way as a "temporary" into Surrey County Council's legal department.
After 15 months spent buying up land for road-works, he was made redundant! But a permanent post as assistant solicitor with the North Riding County Council soon followed.
Looking back over his career in local government, including nearly 20 years in Somerset's top post, he has no doubt he made the right choice. "It suited my temperament" he says. "I've never fancied dealing with people's problems, which I would have had to do as a solicitor in private practice".
Of course, there have been vast changes in the size and scope of the county administration since E. S. Rickards took over from Harold King. Until after the last war, the county committees had practically no delegated powers; only in the last 15 years or so have the chief officers been given authority to act on their own initiative in certain areas.
"What you want, and what we have here, is a very good senior staff that you can tell to get on with it," he says. "The chief officer can't hope to know all that's going on. For several years now I have acted more or less as a consultant. Normally speaking one knows what are the pressing problems of the moment and discusses them with the staff. You come to conclusions and sometimes there is disagreement but they are the people who are running the show and you say "All right, do it your way."
Those familiar with the working of the county authority as a part of the machinery of democratic government are not always impressed with its efficiency nor, as a debating forum, with the standards displayed there. Mr Rickards agrees that, taking a cynical view, democracy and efficiency do not work together. "You have to have a balance between the two - where it lies is a matter of opinion. I would have thought it is somewhere about right now."
Another criticism of Somerset County Council has always been the apparent disinterest and low-key involvement of a sizeable slab of its members. This has tended to result in a hard core of mostly retired military, with more time (and sometimes more ability) holding the important positions and having the loudest voices. To some observers it has given an impression almost of feudalism but this, too, has been the subject of change. Mr Rickards notes, not without approval, "the back bench people beginning to insist on having a bigger say."
The dismemberment of the administrative county, under the harsh terms of the Local Government Bill is a cause for regret, perhaps even sorrow, for whatever may be said about it, Somerset County Council bears comparison with the other counties. There is bound to be redundancy among the staff and Mr Rickards is undoubtedly glad he will not be involved in such a melancholy exercise.
He has got fun out of most things and, no doubt, will continue to in retirement at Dipford, Trull, where there is much building, repairing and painting to be done on the property he has acquired, and on a trip he and his wife are making this sinter to Australia, where their daughter is living.
There will be time, too, for his musical interests. He is president of Taunton Choral Society and plays violin in the County Orchestra, of which he was formerly secretary.

AND, on his Death,
Tribute January 1979
Somerset's Loss: A Tribute to "Rix"
A correspondent sends this appreciation of the late Mr E. S. Rickards, formerly Clerk of Somerset County Council, who died on January 15^th.
A record of Rix's distinguished service to his county has already been published briefly, but his work as Clerk to the Lieutenancy was hardly mentioned. He held this appointment for 13 years under the late Lord Hilton and for a further ten years under his successor, Col Cecil Mitford-Slade. After retiring from being Clerk to the County Council he continued with the Lieutenancy in a voluntary and honorary capacity for another five years until April 1978. Rix dealt with no less than 36 visits of Royalty during this time which entailed except in the case of a few purely private visits, producing detailed programmes with meticulous accuracy and timing on behalf of the Lord Lieutenant.
Programmes often meant several drafts and months of planning before final approval by the Palace, and Rix became well known and respected by a large number of the Royal Family's equerries, private secretaries and ladies-in-waiting. His charm and abundant sense of humour served him well in his dealings with people in all walks of life, and he never got rattled even in almost exasperating situations.
Rix was also Clerk to the Lord Lieutenant's Advisory Committee for the appointment of magistrates in which the Lord Lieutenant held the position of Custos Rotulorum or Keeper of the Rolls. This entailed confidential and often delicate negotiations and correspondence with the Lord Chancellor's office.
The reduction of petty sessional divisions from 22 to ten, local government reorganisation and liaison with the new county of Avon, all entailed a great deal of little-known extra work for which Rix was largely responsible, supported of course by a devoted staff.
All in all the little man served his Queen and country well, and Somerset is the poorer from the passing-on of a loyal servant who set an example second to none.

• Birth: at "Blythburgh" in Grosvenor Avenue, 25 May 1907, Carshalton Surrey England.

• Education: "Elstree" Preparatory School for Boys at Park Hill, 1911, Carshalton Surrey England.

• Education: Peterhouse College [sat his Law Degree on his 20th Birthday], 1924, Cambridge Cambridgeshire England.

Ernest married Alice Lillian HOWELL [94105] [MRIN: 30403], daughter of Charles Harry HOWELL [94322] and Unknown, on 30 Mar 1937 in Parish Church Wolverley Worcestershire England. Alice was born on 4 Sep 1911 and died on 15 Jan 2005 at age 93.

84 M iii. Jonathan Hugh RICKARDS [94106] was born on 9 May 1951 in West Monkton Somerset England.

• Birth: at Yallands Maternity Home, 9 May 1951, West Monkton Somerset England.

55. Leonard Eddington RICKARDS [94098] (Ernest Herbert RICKARDS²⁵, Marianne Ellors BEE⁷, Marianne ELLORS³, Thomas¹) was born on 11 Mar 1911 and died on 6 Jan 2002 at age 90.

General Notes: In a CD received from Juliet [Rickards] Ross in June 2011 it included:
Leonard was a Solicitor - Nalder Adleshaw & Rickards, Shepton Mallet, Somerset
Registrar to Somerset County Court / President of Somerset Law Society
Music lover - played viola / Enjoyed many sports especially golf.
1911 Census:
He was Living at "Blythburgh", Grosvenor Avenue, Wallington, Surrey, with parents,and brothers, Hedley (9), Ellors (5), Stanley (3),
In 1927,
At the age of 16 won a scholarship to Kings University. Educated at University School Hastings, and King's College, London.
In 1931,
He passed his B.A. and joined his brother Hedley's firm of solicitors, Carter and Barber in London.
In 1936,
He joined Nalder, Littler & Addleshaw, solicitors in Shepton Mallet, Somerset
The Address at Len's Funeral said:
I visited Len's family just a few days ago, I found folk who were bewildered at the loss of a man who had played a massive role in their lives. You know, sometimes when I ask questions regarding a persons life or personality, the information is sparse, or has to be coaxed or prised from peoples memories. It is sometimes difficult to analyse another's life or achievements.
This was not the case with Len. Whether talking to Pat, Jill or Cary the enthusiastic response came bubbling to the surface, stimulating my emotions and leaving me wishing that I too could have been privileged to know this man.
And time after time the information was consistent; Len was the most caring, loving and intellectually vital person that they had ever known.
Pat tells me what she knows of Len's early life; he having been born the youngest of four sons on the 11^th March 1911. At the age of 16 years he had won a scholarship to Kings University where he passed his B.A. in 1931.
Len's chosen career as a solicitor was enhanced by joining his brother's firm the same year. A chance meeting on a cruise line led to him joining Nalder, Littler & Addleshaw in 1936, and a lifetime of dedicated duty to the people of Somerset.
A small part of that duty was his services to the County Court as a registrar and also his Presidency of the Somerset Law Society.
Whilst moulding his career during these early years Len found pleasure in the art of music. As a viola player in the orchestra of an operatic society he met Pat. Regular meetings inevitably led to a deeper feeling and understanding between the couple and when those feelings developed into love the couple planned their marriage at St Peter's church in 1939. Here was born a union of a man and a woman that has lasted nearly 63 years.
Len and Pat were blessed by the birth of Jill in 1941 and their family completed with the birth of Cary a year later. Jill and Cary remember the little things about family life, the large garden where they played for hours and the 6d per week allowance for sweets.
A major factor in their life was the family caravanning holidays to Croyde, Bude and Salcombe. The old series "E" Morris 8 did a stalwart job of towing the caravan. But when dad added a 11ft dinghy on top of the car it was asking a lot from providence. However, in the main it always reached its destination.
Then came the day in gale lashed seas that Len like all dedicated captains, was determined to go down with his stricken craft. The other three crew members plus the family dog were put to their stations to save the vessel. Len lashed himself to the main mast as the yacht capsized; but then fate lent a hand, as they were only in three feet of water and just a few feet away from the harbour wall. Well at least the locals had a good laugh.
Len's activities are legendary. He was extremely proficient in cricket, tennis, badminton and snooker and was a member of the Mendip Golf Club for 50 years. During that time he was made both Captain and President of the Somerset Gold Union and was made an Honourable Life Member of his club in 1985. Sport aside Len continued with activities surrounding his love of music. He also helped form the Shepton Mallet Chamber of Commerce and was active on the Hospital Committee and Alms Houses projects. Further he played an active role in the Mid-Somerset Agricultural Society.
But by far Len's main concern in life was his family and home life. He was immensely proud of the achievements of you all and often talked to Pat about how lucky they were to have such a close knit caring family.
Len and Pat are delighted that their small beginnings have been enhanced by their family. On Jill's side by the continuation of chamber music and by Cary in the art of sail. He had a brilliant legal mind, but, as in his private life, his business life was conducted with honesty and integrity.
Perhaps Len's life could be compared with the dropping of a leaf onto a still lake. The ripples that spread from the movement touched and influenced a myriad of beings.
However far back in your memory you go, it is always in some external manifestation of yourself that you come across your identity - in the work of your hands, in your family, in other people - this is what you are. This is what your consciousness has breathed and lived on and enjoyed throughout your life. Your immortality, your life in others, this will enter the future and become part of it.
We are celebrating today the life of a good man, a man of loyalty and compassion - a man of dignity and strength. But above all here was a man who has made an indelible footprint on life - and that is the best that any of us can hope for.

Leonard married Honor Patricia LUFF [94110] [MRIN: 31380], daughter of George Cary LUFF [94323] and Unknown, on 3 Jun 1939 in Evercreech Somerset England. Honor was born on 26 Feb 1919 in Evercreech Somerset England.

Marriage Notes: This was a Double wedding with Pat's brother George Edward Luff and Anne Iemkje Schuilenga

57. Veronica Caulfield BEE [94153] (Thomas James BEE²⁶, Thomas Ellors BEE⁸, Marianne ELLORS³, Thomas¹) was born on 2 May 1918 in Sidcup Kent England.

Veronica married Lt. Cmdr. Stanley Cecil MINARD [94342] [MRIN: 31477] on 6 Apr 1946. Stanley died on 30 Apr 2007.

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The Descendants of William Ellers, circa 1750

Fifth Generation