The Ellis Journey is a re-enactment of the journey made in 1895 by the Hon Evelyn Ellis and his passenger Fredrick Simms, they started near Winchester and finished at Ellis’s home in Datchet close to Windsor Castle. The re-enactment follows as near as possible the original route and is an annual event open to Cars, Motor Cycles, Commercial Vehicles and Bicycles manufactured before 1905.
The Ellis Journey is a fantastic opportunity for drivers and spectators some dressed in period costume to drive their veteran vehicles on a summers day through the English countryside. The spectators with cameras at the ready can witness a moving museum of pre 1905 vehicles, with the noises of very primitive engines as they pass through some of the most outstanding English villages and country side. In the final stages of the route the veteran vehicles will be driving alongside the famous River Thames and passing the site of The Hon Evelyn Ellis’s 1895 home “Rosenau”, finishing with a party atmosphere with Jazz on Datchet Village Green.
The History
The history behind ‘The Ellis Journey’ is that on the 5th July 1895 The Hon. Evelyn Ellis set off on his newly acquired French built, 4 horse power Panhard et Levassor, from Micheldever Railway Station. He was accompanied by another motoring pioneer, Frederick Simms. They left the station at precisely 9.26am and Simms recorded every detail of the journey on the old London coaching road, travelling via Basingstoke, Hatch, Blackwater, Bagshot, Virginia Water and Englefield Green. Arriving at Ellis’s riverside home in Datchet at 5.40pm. His journey took 8 hours and 14 minutes.
The Journey was deliberately made in contravention of the legal speed limit as they averaged almost 10mph without the required attendant walking in front of the car with a red flag. They should not have exceeded 4 mph on any part of the journey. Ellis had hoped to be arrested so that he could make a test case and repeal the law. But the police stayed away.
