Welcome to the Website of The Bracknell Ellis Schools of Traditional Aikido

A  Brief History

British Aikido incepted in 1955 by the legendary Budo master Kenshiro Abbe Sensei.  Aikido later started it's humble beginnings at the now famous Hut Dojo in West Drayton Road, Hillingdon, West London.

Henry Ellis was a student of Judo before starting Aikido in 1957 at the Hut Dojo which was later named the "Abbe School of Budo". As a direct result of Ellis’ dedication and constant hard training he was promoted to assistant to Sensei Ken Williams, the now National Coach for British Aikido and Kenshiro Abbe’s organisation the British Aikido Council.

Ellis at this time was living in Hayes Middlesex, moving to Bracknell in 1964, Bracknell was then still a small town, when one could still drive down the old high street with many quaint old shops and pubs which still retained that village or small country town atmosphere. That was until the town planning department for inspiration visited San Francisco and saw Alkatraz, the future vision of Bracknell New Town was hence born. Many old buildings were demolished to make way for visionary sculptured blocks of concrete.

Despite the changes Ellis settled into Bracknell Town, and in 1966 became the first dan grade (black belt) from the original dan grades of the famous Hut Dojo to open a dojo (training hall) outside of the Hut Dojo.  This new dojo was in the Victoria Hall next to an old Church in Church Road, which was later demolished and stood near the beautiful and inspirational Oracle Office Block. Click here for newspaper cuttings of the first opening of the Bracknell Dojo.

The Victoria Hall dojo opened in March 1966 with many of the Hut Dojo dan grades present along with the local press. Sensei Ken Williams the National Coach demonstrated to a packed hall and the Bracknell Aikido Club was born.

There has been Ellis Aikido in Bracknell ever since the introduction with the dojo moving to various locations starting next to a Church Hall behind the Post Office on the Binfield Road.  A later move to the hall at the Bracknell Football Club,  a few years later to the larger Hall at the Bracknell Rugby Club, and now finally to our present location at the Coopers Hill Youth Centre.