But more than 40 years later Ellen has retired after a long and fulfilling career of caring for others.
"I always knew I wanted to work with people and my school tried to persuade me to go into teaching. But I couldn't wait to leave school at 16 and start my training as a nursery nurse," said Ellen.
During her 33-year career in the NHS she has become a friend to hundreds of mums and babies in Calderdale as well as to the elderly and sick she cared for as a community nursing auxiliary.
For 20 years she was a community nursing auxiliary with the evening service based at Lawson Road Health Centre in Brighouse and for the past 16 years she has also worked as a health care assistant at the mums' and babies' clinic at Ellen Royd Health Centre in Elland. She also worked all over Calderdale with the Marie Curie nurses, helping to care for the terminally ill in their own homes.
"At one time I had three jobs," said 59-year-old Ellen. "My career has been very fulfilling. I've really enjoyed working with people and with patients and their families."
Ellen's first job, after her nursery nurse training, was at the newly-opened Laura Mitchell Health Centre in Halifax. She was 18 when the building was opened by the Duchess of Kent. "I thought it was fantastic, at the start of my career, to be working in a brand new building with brand new equipment which was supplied by readers of the 'Halifax Courier'."
After 1974, the care of young children came under education and social services and the children's nursery at the Laura Mitchell centre was closed. By then, married to her husband Malcolm, Ellen took a job on the Arthur and Ada Ward – the children's ward – at the Royal Halifax Infirmary for 12 months before giving up work for eight years to look after her two daughters.
"Having two young children it really suited me to work evenings so I came to work at Lawson Road Health Centre in Brighouse. I was part of the evening service and I worked with the district nurses visiting sick patients of all ages and providing care in their own homes.
Some patients were recovering from surgery, some were terminally ill. It was a privilege to do that kind of work and we were really appreciated," said Ellen, who lives in Cleckheaton.
For the past 16 years Ellen has worked with mums and babies, helping out at baby clinics and running baby massage classes. "It's an absolute joy working with mums and babies. There's never been a day when I haven't wanted to come to work.
"Occasionally I have parents coming to the clinics with their babies who I first saw when they were babies themselves. I've got a good memory for names and I remember them even after all these years."
Ellen is now a grandmother herself and one of her daughters lives in Toronto which gives her regular opportunities to indulge her love of travelling. She also enjoys photography and listening to music.
"I've been lucky in having a job I've really enjoyed. My work has been very rewarding and I've been lucky enough to be part of a strong team," said Ellen who celebrated her retirement with a lunch with past and present colleagues.
Clinic manager Myra Prideaux praised Ellen's contribution. "She will be missed by her colleagues and by all the families who know her."