John Edward Ellis (15 October 1841 – 5 December 1910), was a British colliery owner and Liberal politician. Ellis was born in Leicester to a wealthy Quaker family, his grand-father (also named John Ellis) being chair of the Midland Railway Company. John was educated at a boarding school in Hereford, then in Kendal, following which he went to America with his father to study railway engineering.Returning to the UK, he worked as an engineer, then in 1861 organised the opening of Hucknall Colliery.