Charles Ellis Businessman who helped build £20m company

FORMER company director Charles Ellis was a proud Yorkshireman born and brought up in Almondbury and Skelmanthorpe.

Mr Ellis, who has died aged 76, joined the family furniture business J T Ellis & Co Ltd in the mid 1960s.

As part of a close and successful team with his two brothers and fellow joint managing directors Roger and James, they grew the company into the £20m-turnover business that today employs more than 200 people.

A particularly proud achievement for the three brothers was moving the business from four ‘elderly factories’ at Crown Works, Rookery Mills and Smithy Lane, all in Moldgreen, and Stanley Mills in Marsh to a single 200,000sq ft purpose-built, stateof-the-art factory at its current site in Silver Street, Aspley.

His work was not only a career but a hobby and an intense source of personal pride.

In his younger years, Charles was a keen squash player.

However, away from his family and work his abiding passion was golf and in particular Woodsome Hall where he was a member all of his adult life.

Charles followed in the footsteps of his father Tom Ellis in becoming captain of the club in 1995/6 and had recently been appointed to the honorary position of vice-president.

A lover of music, he played the piano and along with his brothers was a keen supporter of Huddersfield Choral Society. He also enjoyed skiing with his family every Christmas.

Son Tom said: “A perfectionist by nature, he was extremely demanding of those who worked with him, albeit he commanded a deep respect from most. Those he worked with would describe him as being firm but scrupulously fair.

“Outside of work he was a charismatic friend to many and always had a firm and often traditional opinion on matters which he enjoyed sharing with good humour.

“Extremely astute, he was always there to provide helpful advice to those who sought it.

“He will be missed by family, friends and colleagues alike.”

Born in 1940, Charles married his wife Cag in 1971. He had two children, Tom and Kate, and two grandchildren Camilla and Hettie.

Charles attended St David’s Preparatory School at Marsh, now Huddersfield Grammar School, before moving on to Oundle School in Nothants.

After school, he read Natural Sciences at the University of Manchester.

After graduating he worked for four years for Turner & Newall, maker of Ferodo brake pads in Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire, before joining the family business.

There will be a service of thanksgiving at 3pm on Tuesday, January 10 at All Hallows church in Almondbury.