Ted Ellis (1909-1986) was a writer and broadcaster who was one of the most-well known and respected naturalists in East Anglia and beyond.

Ted amongst the reeds
Born in Guernsey of Norfolk parents who returned to Great Yarmouth in 1920, he was the Keeper of Natural History at the Castle Museum in Norwich from 1928-1956 and for forty years he lived with his family at Wheatfen Broad, Surlingham in a remote cottage amongst 130 acres of woodland and fen. Visit the East Anglian Film Archive and watch this 1976 clip to learn more about Ted.
Although he was a naturalist with a national reputation and his research was highly respected by the academic world, he was a man who had the ability to communicate his enthusiasm to everyone.
Ted sadly passed away in 1986, leaving not only a legacy of natural records and fascinating articles, but living proof that being inspired by nature is one of the most wonderful things we can experience.
Such a man deserves to be remembered, and so the Ted Ellis Trust was founded to do just that by preserving Wheatfen, the nature reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest that Ted spent so much time in throughout his life.
One of the Trust’s main aims is to preserve Wheatfen’s rich and fragile ecology, but above all, it wants to keep its land and wildlife accessible for the enjoyment and education of children, students and everyone interested in Nature. Just as Ted would have wanted.
You can read more about the Trust’s history on the about us page.