Big Jim Ellis

In the novel A Caribbean Mystery, Big Jim Ellis is the common law husband of Victoria Johnson who worked at the "Golden Palm Hotel" owned by Tim Kendal and his wife Molly. He has two children by Victoria.

After the death of Major Palgrave, Victoria tells Ellis about finding a bottle of pills in the Major's room which was not there before. She intends to talk to Molly Kendal about it, but he advises her not to look for trouble.

Victoria later tells Ellis that she thinks she is on to something, and that it may mean big money. He warns her to be careful, and suggests that he had better tackle whatever it is. Victoria laughs, and tells him to wait and see.

Portrayals
Big Jim Ellis is not featured in the BBC 1989 adaptation of A Caribbean Mystery. Victoria's aunt Aunty Johnson tells Miss Marple during Victoria's funeral that Victoria had a common law husband and they have a child named Mary. However the husband is not named. He might be one of the people attending the funeral but we are never told.

In the 2013 ITV adaptation, Big Jim Ellis is renamed "Errol". Here he is also an employee at the hotel, in this case the barman. He has a larger role in this adaptation than in the original novel. He loves Victoria and is genuinely distraught at the killing of his wife Victoria. He brought Mama Zogbe to see Miss Marple. A voodoo doll had been found near the body of Major Palgrave. Mama Zogbe told Miss Marple that one hotel guest had bought a voodoo doll from her: Canon Prescott. Errol though Prescott might have something to do with Victoria's death and wanted to get at him but Miss Marple urged him to calm down and then sought his help in unmasking the true killer. Miss Marple had found a gun in a drawer next to Molly Kendal's bed and surmised that it might be used to cause harm. She asked Errol to switch the bullets in it for blanks and in so doing, helped to save the life of Molly Kendal and Miss Marple and expose the true killer. Errol is portrayed by Kingsley Ben-Adir.