He was born in Laisterdyke, Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, the son of Bill Kellett, a renowned Bradford engineer, and Sarah Kellett.
In 1875 the Great Northern Railway opened its Shipley, West Yorkshire Branch railway, a six mile double track branch line from Quarry Gap junction near Laisterdyke to Shipley and Windhill railway station, passing Eccleshill and Idle railway stations and Thackley railway station.