The trial judge instructed the jury to ignore evidence of abuse, as legal defenses for diminished responsibility and loss of control were only introduced into UK law in 1957.
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Ellis's granddaughter Laura Enston spoke of the generational trauma caused by the execution and welcomed the government's acknowledgment.
"Ruth was a victim of sustained and brutal abuse. Her children - our mother and uncle - never recovered," Enston said.
"My uncle took his own life. My mother's trauma left her unable to be the parent we needed," she added.
"The shadow of Ruth's execution has fallen across two generations. We have carried shame that was never ours to bear," Enston said.
She expressed gratitude to the justice secretary for having the courage to act, hoping Ruth's story serves as a lasting reminder that the justice system must reckon with abuse that drives women to the edge.
"This pardon does not undo what happened 71 years ago. It does not restore the lives that were broken – the children left behind, the years lost.
But it says, formally and finally, that Ruth should not have been executed; that the justice system failed her.
That acknowledgement matters profoundly to our family," Enston said.
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Minister for Victims and Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Catherine Atkinson thanked the grandchildren for their determination in bringing the case forward and ensuring her story was finally heard.
