# Capt. J. W. Ellington



## Aberdonian (Apr 7, 2011)

I wonder if any SN maritime researcher can kindly help in finding out more about the seafaring career of my great grandfather Captain John William Ellington who was born in Upwell, now in Norfolk, in 1849.

To date, the sole hard evidence to hand of his sea-going years is an oil painting of one of his ships, the 3-masted barque “Francesa”. All other information has been passed down by word of mouth. Even the name “Francesa” is in doubt since the name in the original oil painting is partly illegible despite restoration by a family friend, an engraver at the Mint. 

It is said that John W. Ellington traded with and owned 3 vessels, “Francesa” (?), “Juno Del Ninente” (?) and “Rosa/Rose something or other”. He was caught smuggling by the Excise. The “Francesa” was seized and he was fined £3,000, a fortune in those days. It is thought he had to sell all three ships to pay the fine. Presumably there are court records somewhere. He seems to have operated out of seaports on the east coast, mainly South Shields. The smuggling episode may explain why he upped stakes at some time between 1888 and 1891 and took his family north to Aberdeen where he became a grocer until his death in 1920. 

Capt. Ellington’s death certificate states that he was a Navy Pensioner, indicating past service in the Royal Navy, probably as a reservist. There is word that he served in a boom-defence vessel at Dover 1914-18 but this has not been verified.

Any further information would be greatly appreciated both by me and a couple of his other elderly, ex-seafaring great grandsons. 

Keith Innes


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