George Ellis (1863-1943) was born in Sheffield.  He was the son of silversmith George Ellis (1838-1887) and his wife, Priscilla.  The family worked and lived in the Shoreham Street area.  George Sen. died on 30 May 1887, when he was a spoon and fork filer, living at Alexandra Road.  His unconsecrated burial was at City Road Cemetery.

According to a later advertisement, George Ellis was founded in 1893.  In 1902 a silver mark (‘GE’) was registered from 100a Charles Street.  George Ellis supplied the usual range of silver and electro-plate fish eaters, carvers, desserts, spoons, ‘to the trade’.   Before the First World War, his residential address was Chippinghouse Road.  In 1932, the business became George Ellis (Silversmiths) Limited, based at 107-109 Arundel Street.  Capital was £1,000 and George Ellis was the permanent director.  His son, Gordon Victor Guest Ellis (1897-1969), was manager.  

George Ellis, of Dalewood Road, died in Sheffield on 12 December 1943, leaving £3,464.  His son, Gordon, continued the business in Arundel Street.  Table cutlery was branded ‘Wild Rose’, ‘Lady Rosemary’, and ‘Sweet Briar’.  Gordon V. G. Ellis died on 2 May 1969, leaving £7,689.  The firm was not listed after 1971 and was formally liquidated in 1986.  The building had become derelict by the 1990s.   It has since been renovated and the ‘George Ellis’ lettering can still be seen on the factory frontage, next to Venture Works of Slater.  Sheffield Museums & Galleries Trust has a collection of Ellis’s silverware.