shire, in 1851–2. He purchased the manor of Ponsbourne Park, Hertfordshire in 1836, but sold it in May 1875. He also owned Tankerton Tower, near Canterbury. He had an intense dislike to betting, horseracing, and gambling, though he was a lover of manly sports. He made an extensive collection of ancient and modern pictures, many of which are described in Waagen's ‘Treasures of Art,’ ii. 293–8. He married in 1814 Mary Maria, daughter of John Smith of Lincoln. She died in 1872, and was buried in a mausoleum designed by Barry, and built in Whitstable churchyard. Near this her husband soon after erected almshouses to her memory. He died at his residence, 30 Cadogan Place, Sloane Street, London, 20 Nov. 1875, and was buried with his wife at Whitstable. By his will he left very numerous legacies to charitable and religious institutions, including 50,000l. to the trustees of the Simeon Fund. His personalty was proved under 600,000l. on 8 Jan. 1876. His ancient pictures, 402 in number, he left to the English nation, but of these the trustees of the National Gallery selected only 44, which have since been exhibited as the Wynne Ellis collection. The remainder of these ancient pictures, with his modern pictures, water-colour drawings, porcelain, decorative furniture, marbles, &c., were disposed of at Christie, Manson, & Wood's in five days' sale in May, June, and July 1876, when the total proceeds were 56,098l. 2s. 3d. In the sale of 6 May Gainsborough's portrait of Elizabeth, duchess of Devonshire, was purchased by Thomas Agnew & Sons for 10,605l. The Agnews exhibited the painting at their rooms, 39B Old Bond Street, London, where on the night of 26 May the canvas was cut out and stolen. It was finally recovered in Chicago in 1901 and purchased by Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan.
[Warehousemen and Drapers' Trade Journal, 27 Nov. 1875, p. 618, 11 Dec. p. 641, and 25 Dec. p. 660; Illustrated London News, 8 Jan. 1876, pp. 35, 37, 38 with portrait, 13 May, p. 475, 20 May, p. 500, and 3 June, p. 550; Times, 25 Nov. 1875, 5, 8, 19, 22, 27, 29 May, 20 June, 18 and 19 July 1876; Cussans's Hertfordshire (1874), ii. part iii. 271; Annual Register, 1876, p. 402, and Chronicle, p. 51.]
ELLISTON, HENRY TWISELTON (1801?–1864), musical composer and inventor, born in or about 1801, was the second son of Robert William Elliston [q. v.], and resided during most of his life at Leamington, where his father had formerly leased the theatre. Having decided on adopting music
as his profession, he received a careful training, and became a sound theoretical musician, and an able performer on the organ and several other instruments. On his father presenting an organ to the parish church of Leamington, Elliston was elected organist, and held the post till his death. In the subsequent enlargement of the organ he exhibited considerable mechanical ingenuity, and invented a transposing piano on a new and simple plan. He was an early member of the choral society of Leamington, and whilst he was associated with it the society produced the 'Messiah' and other great works during a three days' musical festival. Elliston himself built the music hall in Bath Street, With his brother William, who emigrated to Australia, be established the County Library. During the time that he and his brother were in partnership they gave concerts on an extensive scale. Subsequently Elliston was leasee of the royal assembly rooms. Beyond some admired church services he composed little. In September 1683 he was appointed librarian of the free public library at Leamington. He died at Leamington 19 April 1864, aged 63, and was buried in the cemetery.
[Gent. Mag. 3rd ser. xvi. 807–8.]
ELLISTON, ROBERT WILLIAM (1774–1831), actor, was born 7 April 1774 in Orange Street, Bloomsbury, where his father, Robert Elliston, who subsequently removed to Charles Street, Long Acre, was in business as a watchmaker. His grandfather was a farmer at Gedgrave, near Orford, Suffolk. Robert Elliston the elder was a man of indolent habits and low pursuits, and the charge of the education of his son at St. Paul's School, Covent Garden, devolved upon his brother, William Elliston, LL.D., master of Sidney College, Cambridge. The youth, who passed his holidays in Cambridge with his uncle, Dr. Elliston, or with his uncle by marriage, the Rev. Thomas Martyn, professor of botany at Sidney College, was intended for the church. While at school about 1790 at an evening academy kept by a Madame Cotterille, at which he studied French, he made in a private building a species of histrionic essay, playing Pyrrhus in 'The Distressed Mother,' to the Phœnix of Charles Mathews, and Chamont in 'The Orphan.' More ambitious efforts followed at the Lyceum Rooms, where he enacted Young Norval, Pierre, and other characters in tragedy. Early in 1791 he ran away from home with an introduction to Dimond, manager of the Bath Theatre, Failing to obtain on engagement he accepted a situation as clerk to a lottery office. On 14 April 1791,according to Genest, who describes him 'as a young gentleman, his first appearance on any stage,' he played Tressel in 'Richard III' at the Bath Theatre. This character he repeated with the
