William Hodgson Ellis

Born in Bakewell, Derbyshire, on November 23, 1845, William Hodgson Ellis later settled in Canada and built a long career at the University of Toronto. He became Professor of Applied Chemistry in 1878 and eventually served as Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering from 1914 until his retirement in 1919.

Alongside his academic life, he was also a writer. His book Wayside Weeds, published in 1914, shows a more personal and literary side, pairing close observation with wit and an evident pleasure in the natural world. That blend of science and reflection gives his writing a distinctive charm.

Ellis is also remembered as an amateur photographer of note, and archival records connect him with early photographic societies in Toronto. Taken together, his work suggests a curious, wide-ranging mind: part scientist, part observer, and part man of letters.