The William Webb Ellis Story the Link to Upton Upon Severn James Ellis Was Born in 1772 in Upton Upon Severn, Worcestershire

The William Webb Ellis story the link to Upton upon Severn James Ellis was born in 1772 in Upton upon Severn, Worcestershire. When he married in 1804 he was a Lieutenant in 1st Somerset Regt. of Militia.

st 1 Somerset of Militia From “The London Gazette” source: In Nov 1804 he transferred from the 15th regt of Foot to the 18th regt of Foot then transferred to the 7th Dragoons Guard in April 1805 then to the 3rd Dragoon Guards In September 1809 to be Lieutenant, without purchase.

source http://www.armyrugbyunion.org.uk/aru-info/history/: He began his military career as an ensign in Possible marriage of William and Mary the 1st Dragoon Guards and served in Ireland in 1807. A year later he was posted to the regimental depot in Manchester, before proceeding to the Peninsular War in 1809. On 14 September 1809 he bought a commission in the 3rd Dragoon Guards for £735. While fighting in the Peninsular War he was killed on 1.7.1812 at Albuera in Spain.

3rd source: He served in the 18th of Foot (Royal Irish) and later the 1st Dragoon Guards and stationed at William m Mary Thomas m Ann Dundalk, Clonmel and Dublin Ireland. In 1808 he moved to Manchester the regiments depot. In 1809 he WEBB _____ ELLIS _____ bought a commission in the 3rd Dragoon guards for £735 and proceeded to the Peninsular war. Where b. ? b. ? b. ? b. ? he was killed in action at the battle of Albuera on 16th May and was commended for gallantry. d. ? d. ? d. ? d. ?

Ann m James Richard Rouse m Anne WEBB 15.3.1804 ELLIS BLOXHAM 10.4.1796 LAWRENCE b. c1777 St Peter, b. c1772 b. 1765 b. 1767 c. 10.9.1777 Exeter c. 30.11.1772 d. 20.3.1840 London Upton St Leonards Upton upon Severn Rev. Richard Rouse Bloxham was a d. 1835 3rd Dragoon Guards d. 1844 d. 1.7.1812 schoolmaster at Rugby School for 38 years. St Clement Danes, Albuera, Spain London

Elizabeth m Dr. Thomas Rev. William Andrew Matthew Holbeche John Rouse MASON 11.1.1833 ELLIS WEBB BLOXHAM BLOXHAM BLOXHAM b. c1812 Dunchurch b. 12.12.1804 ELLIS b. 22.9.1801 b. 12.5.1805 b. 25.4.1807 Dunchurch c. 13.1.1805 b. 24.11.1806 Rugby Rugby Rugby d. ? St Martin in the Fields, c. 2.1.1807 d. 2.2.1878 d. 24.4.1888 d. 21.1.1891 Westminster Trinity Church, Salford Harborough Brownsover d. 7.12.1868 d. 24.12.1872 Magna buried 11.12.1868 Menton, France half 7th cousins 3 x removed Dunchurch Andrew Bloxham attended Rugby John Rouse Bloxham attended school from 1809 to 1817. Rugby school from 1814.

After the death of James Ellis, Mrs Ellis, was in receipt of an allowance of £30 from His Majesty's Royal Bounty in recognition of her husband's service, decided to move to Rugby, Warwickshire, so that William and his older brother Thomas could receive an education at Rugby School with no cost as a local foundationer (i.e. a pupil living within a radius of 10 miles of the Rugby Clock Tower). William Webb Ellis attended Rugby school from 1816 to 1825.

All six Bloxham brothers attended Rugby school. Mathew Bloxham attended Rugby school from 1813 to 1820, so he most likely knew of William Webb Ellis. After leaving school Matthew Bloxham was apprenticed to George Harris in 1821, a solicitor in Rugby. In 1823 he or one of his brothers could quite possibly have watching the game where one of them saw William invent the game of ‘Rugby’.

In October 1876, in an effort to refute the assertion that carrying the ball had been an ancient tradition, he wrote to The Meteor, the Rugby School magazine, that the change from a kicking game to a handling game had "originated with a town boy or foundationer of the name of Ellis, William Webb Ellis". In December 1880, in another letter to the Meteor, Bloxam elaborated on the story: ………. "A boy of the name Ellis – William Webb Ellis – a town boy and a foundationer, ... whilst playing Bigside at football in that half-year [1823], caught the ball in his arms. This being so, according to the then rules, he ought to have retired back as far as he pleased, without parting with the ball, for the combatants on the opposite side could only advance to the spot where he had caught the ball, and were unable to rush forward till he had either punted it or had placed it for someone else to kick, for it was by means of these placed kicks that most of the goals were in those days kicked, but the moment the ball touched the ground the opposite side might rush on. Ellis, for the first time, disregarded this rule, and on catching the ball, instead of retiring backwards, rushed forwards with the ball in his hands towards the opposite goal, with what result as to the game I know not, neither do I know how this infringement of a well-known rule was followed up, or when it became, as it is now, a standing rule.”

Matthew Holbeche Bloxam became an antiquary and amateur archeologist, author of a popular guide to Gothic architecture.