Ellen Joyce

The Hon. Ellen Joyce CBE CStJ born Ellen Rice (12 January 1832 – 21 May 1924) was a British organiser of women's emigration from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. She started and ran the British Women's Emigration Association.

Life Rice was born In Fairford, Gloucestershire - the eldest child of Francis Rice, 5th Baron Dynevor and Harriett Ives Barker. Her younger brother was Arthur Rice, 6th Baron Dynevor. Her father was an Anglican clergyman and the vicar of Fairford.

Ellen Rice married the Reverend James Gerald Joyce (1819–78) on 20 September 1855. He and Ellen had one son Arthur Gerald Joyce in 1856.

Joyce was able to decide who were the right type of emigrants as she saw that the emigration could create a better British Empire. She would speak at Church congresses noting the Christianising and moral improvement made possible by the new women emigrants sent by her organisation. This mission led the organisation to send fewer women as they tried to identify the very best emigrants who could assist in improving the country to which they were emigrating.

Joyce led the United British Women's Emigration Association, but her role in the GFS continued.

She died in Winchester in 1924.