John Reeves Ellerman, 2nd Baronet

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John Reeves Ellerman, 2nd Baronet (born September 21, 1909 , † 1973 ) was an English shipowner and philanthropist .

Life and activity

Ellerman was the only son of the shipowner and investor Sir John Ellerman . His sister was the writer Annie Winifred Ellerman .

He was educated at Malvern College and then joined his father's shipping company. After his father's death, his fortune was estimated at £ 36.685 million, of which Ellerman inherited around £ 20 million, making him one of the richest men in the UK. In the press, he was often referred to as the richest man in the country.

In addition to his work as head of the Ellerman Lines, Ellerman devoted himself to biology, with his main interest in research on rodents, on which he wrote a paper.

In the philanthropic field, Ellerman directed his efforts towards supporting Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany, which led to the Nazi press claiming (incorrectly) that he was himself of Jewish descent. In addition, he was placed on the special wanted list by the National Socialist police in the spring of 1940 , a directory drawn up by the Reich Main Security Office of people who, in the event of a successful invasion and occupation of the British island by the Wehrmacht, would be the priority targets in this country by special SS- Commands that were to follow the armies of occupation should be automatically and prioritized located and arrested.

Ellerman, known for his personal seclusion and public shyness, died of a heart attack in 1973. He left a fortune of £ 52 million. A large part of this money he had placed in the trusts The Moorgate Fund and The New Moorgate Fund, which were combined in 1992 to form the John Ellerman Foundation.

family

Ellerman was married to Esthe de Sola, a Canadian. Since he had no children, the baronetship of his family ended with him.

Fonts

  • Why Do They Like It? (under the pseudonym EL Black)
  • The Families and Genera of Living Rodents , 2 vols. 1940/1941.
  • Checklist of Palaearctic and Indian Mammals, 1758-1946 , 1951.
  • Southern African Mammals, 1758-1951. A Reclassification , 1953.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Entry on John Ellerman on the special wanted list GB (reproduced on the website of the Imperial War Museum in London) .
personal data
SURNAME Ellerman, John Reeves, 2nd Baronet
BRIEF DESCRIPTION English shipowner, philanthropist and zoologist
DATE OF BIRTH September 21, 1909
DATE OF DEATH 1973