(1734 - 95), s. of Henry Ellison of Gateshead Park, Durham; Clare Camb. 1752; suc. uncle 1785 to estates in Hebburn.
1764 Rome (by 25 Apr. - ), Naples (May), Capua (23 May), Rome (27 May - 18 Jun.), Florence (6 Jul. - 1 Aug.), Bologna (9 - 12 Aug.)
Ellison travelled in Italy with Dr Wilkinson Blanshard (who wished 'not to have his profession noticed'1). They were in Rome by 25 April 1764, enjoying the celebrations held for the visit of the Duke of York.2 On 23 May they passed through Capua,3 presumably returning from Naples, since on 27 May James Martin met them in Rome. On 18 June they visited Tivoli with Martin and James Byres.4 While at Rome Ellison sat to Batoni, the portrait dated 1764 (priv. coll.; Clark/Bowron 267). On 6 July they arrived in Florence, where they dined with Edward Gibbon at Horace Mann's; on 30 July Gibbon again dined with them and noted that Ellison was a kinsman of Lord Ravensworth (formerly Sir Henry Liddell); 'c'est un homme de m?rite. Il poss?de le bon sens, des connoissances et un caract?re qui paroit doux et tranquille. Blanchard est m?decin, comme il a ?t? malade ici je le connois beaucoup moins que son compagnon'. They later went with Lord Palmerston 'to sup at a country house Charles [Hadfield] has about a mile out of Florence'.5 They left Florence on 1 August6 and again met James Martin in Bologna on 9 August; on the 12th they all went 'to a Villa abt. 6 miles from Bologna where we were entertained with a Horse race, Fireworks, a Tragedy, a Comedy, & Dancing - stayed all Night'.7
1. Wal.Corr., 38:442 and n4. 2. Ellison MSS, a/22/3 (C. Ellison, 12 May 1764). 3. ASN cra 1277. 4. Martin jnl.MSS (27 May, 18 Jun. 1764). 5. Gibbon Journey, 143, 187 and n5. 6. Ibid., 191. 7. Martin jnl.MSS.