Ellen Jane Kell was born on 31st March 1852 Islington, Middlesex to Thomas and Lucy Kell (nee Roblow).
40 King Street, Covent Garden, London
Ellen's father Thomas, was a Parliamentary, Engineering and general Lithographer and Publisher, with offices at 40 King Street, Covent Garden, London, which he had operated from since the 1870s. Later he ran the business with his Son Frederick.
An advert was placed in the Daily Telegraph 29th August 1874 - "To Lithographers - Good Map and Plan Writers and Draughtsmen WANTED - Apply to Mr Thomas Kell, 40 King Street, Convent Garden. None but efficient hands need apply."
The business would have produced lithographed images of plans such as building and engineering plans. Some of these plans included a proposed route of a railway from Horsham to Dorking through 25 miles of Surrey countryside in 1896 and a lithograph of a floating Harbour and Portishead railway on the Somerset side of the River Avon.
Worthing pier in c.1890, showing the pavilion end of the pier
Also, a lithograph of Worthing Pier in 1889, (Picture is of Worthing pier dated c. 1890) the plan
A lithograph of Worthing Pier in 1889
showed the widening of the pier at the shore end and the intended concert hall at the seaward end.
In 1892 Thomas retired from the business and his son Frederick Kell took over. An announcement was published in The London Gazette on 11th November 1892 - "Notice is hereby given, that the Partnership which has for some time been carried on by Thomas Kell and Frederick William Kell, under the firm of Thomas Kell and Son, at 40 King Street, Covent Garden, in the county of London, in the trade or business of Lithographers, was this day dissolved by mutual consent. The business will in future be carried on under the same style by the said Frederick William Kell alone. - Dated this 8th Day of November 1892. Thos. Kell. Fred. W. Kell."
After Thomas's death an announcement was published in the Daily News dated October 25th 1904, to say that they were still carrying on the business at 40 King street Covent Garden, under the same name, and "NO CONNECTION whatsoever with any other FIRM bearing a SIMILAR NAME."
Ellen herself did not marry and lived with her Parents until their death (her Father died in 1902 and her mother died in 1903). After this she moved to Worthing and lived at Brookhurst Heene Road, Worthing.
Ellen died on 2nd March 1920 and left £4180 0s 2d (£121460 in 2020) to Lucy Mary Cairnie and Jessie Marion Bindloss (sisters