Markman Ellis

Professor Markman Ellis is a scholar of eighteenth-century literature and culture at Queen Mary University of London, where he has taught since 1992 and serves as Director of the Queen Mary Centre for Eighteenth-Century Studies. He holds an MA from the University of Auckland and a PhD from the University of Cambridge. His research spans interdisciplinary topics including the cultural history of coffee and tea, Gothic fiction, women’s writing, slavery and empire, and the sociability of science and literature in the Republic of Letters.

Education: He earned his BA in English, History, and Philosophy at the University of Auckland, followed by an MA in English with a dissertation on Laurence Sterne under Jonathan Lamb. He completed his PhD at Cambridge, focusing on the sentimental novel in the mid-eighteenth century under Marilyn Butler.

Research Interests: Ellis’s work explores the intersection of literature, science, and society in the eighteenth century, with particular attention to public spaces like coffee-houses and tea-tables as sites of intellectual exchange. He investigates how these venues shaped political, financial, and cultural developments, alongside themes such as authorship, gender, and colonialism. Recent projects include studies of Elizabeth Montagu’s correspondence networks and Thomas Birch’s role in scientific communication at the Royal Society.

Publications and Engagement: Ellis has authored or co-edited numerous books, including The Coffee-House: A Cultural History and Empire of Tea. He frequently engages with broader audiences through BBC Radio 4, public exhibitions, and international academic collaborations. His work bridges historical scholarship with accessible public narratives.

Advising and Grants: Ellis has supervised over a dozen PhD students, many of whom focused on topics such as eighteenth-century literature, cultural history, and gender studies. He collaborates on editorial projects like the Elizabeth Montagu Correspondence Online and serves as General Editor for the Eighteenth-Century Connections series with Cambridge University Press. His research has been supported by fellowships at institutions including the Folger Shakespeare Library, the Huntington Library, and the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales.

Labs and Teams: As Director of the Queen Mary Centre for Eighteenth-Century Studies, he oversees a vibrant research community hosting regular seminars. He collaborates with global partners, such as the History of Tea Project and the Bluestocking studies group, to explore transnational cultural exchanges and intellectual networks.