This tribute is to our dad, Brian Ellis, who passed away on 7th September 2021 aged 84.  

Dad spent his early years in Osmondthorpe, East Leeds. On leaving school he joined the Royal Ordinance at Barnbow, Leeds and undertook an engineering apprenticeship there until 1957.  Barnbow was a munitions factory in WW1 and in 1936 became Royal Ordnance Factory (ROF) Leeds, later going on to manufacture the Centurion tank.

Dad met mum, Iris, at the Astoria Ballroom in Leeds in 1955. They became engaged in 1957 and married in September 1961. We arrived in January 1963 and September 1965.

When we were kids, one of dad’s favourite meals was rabbit. However, one of our fave cuddly toys was a rabbit, so there was no way we were ever gonna eat one!   “Hmmm, this meat tastes of bit funny dad, what is it?”  “Get it eaten, it’s chicken” was his reply.  We were very gullible kids!

Dad joined the army in 1958 and was posted to REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) in Woking. While there he passed the qualification exams for the Military Police.  Later in 1958 he was posted to Singapore where he spent 18 months in the Military Police as a Redcap and dog handler.  On returning home in 1960 he joined the police and spent 11 years on the force.  We were only young so we’re unsure what his arrest record was like but we have it on very good authority that he was well known amongst the local criminal fraternity as “Silver Tache”.  He also bore an uncanny likeness to Mr Mackay, the prison warder from Porridge.  

In 1971 having locked up all the local crims dad decided to hang up his truncheon and bought a milk round, getting up at crazy o’clock every morning delivering the daily pinta to the folks of Cross Gates, Leeds.  He would complete his daily round by 9am and began supplementing this by undertaking joinery jobs and building stone fireplaces (which were all the rage back in the 1970s) for local neighbours. Such were his skills that he soon accumulated a 3-month waiting list of eager customers. The success of his joinery work led him to sell his milk round and become a full-time joiner and property repairer, working mostly in the East Leeds area. In 1973 he expanded his repertoire and began building wardrobes and replacing windows, doors and frames as well as carrying out roof repairs. His joinery work and property repair work continued to flourish and his reputation grew. He continued in this trade until his eventual retirement in 2001.

Dad was incredibly skilful with his hands – whether it was innate talent or whether he acquired his skills as part of his engineering apprenticeship we’re not sure but he certainly excelled at joinery and property repairs and spent the remainder of his career in that trade. We were often in awe of his ability to problem solve and fix things – whether it was building extensions or putting in new windows he always did a professional and tidy job. 

He also learnt to play Spanish guitar, keyboards and eventually went for it big time when he bought an organ.  He continued his keyboard playing into his later years and visiting grandkids would often join him at the keyboard for a little tinkle.  

Dad was always very generous with his time, skills and money.  He often did repairs for us – if you live in Leeds maybe he did them for you too?  There are still quite a few houses around Leeds, including our own, which continue to show off dad’s handiwork and that is an ongoing source of comfort to us – his legacy lives on!