The resignation of Sir William Charles Ellis

Abstract

Sir William Ellis (1780–1839) was superintendent of the West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum and Hanwell Asylum. He was a practitioner of moral therapy and non-restraint. He added his own religious aspects to his treatment based on his personal experiences. These interventions were novel and benefitted his patients. However, he is less well known in the present day than his contemporaries who also championed non-restraint. In 1838, he left Hanwell Asylum, as he disagreed with plans to expand patient capacity. The resurgence of Whig politics at the time also played its part in his resignation. Ellis died one year later, his contributions to modern psychiatry remaining in relative obscurity. This paper seeks to shed light on Ellis and analyse his resignation as an example of how politics can affect healthcare.