Alexander John Sharpe (1814–1825)
Alexander John Ellis (1826–1890)

Phonetician and mathematician. Born Alexander John Sharpe; adopted his mother’s maiden name of Ellis in 1825. BA, Cambridge (Trinity College), 1837. Developed phonetic alphabets and notation to improve English spelling and pronunciation; produced a five-volume history of English pronunciation. Translated Hermann Helmoltz’s work on acoustics. Provisional committee member of the Association of Liberal Thinkers, 1878. FRS 1865.