He was born in Eton, Berkshire, on the 3rd of July 1867 and was the son of Major George Augustus Eliott of Cockpen, Midlothian, Scotland (1838-1884) and Helen Janet Julia Jardine Eliott nee Gallen (1844-1876).

His only sibling was Gerald Otho Rousski Eliott O.B.E. (1874- 1955) - who married Lydia Edith Aspden in 1908. He was a Commander in the Royal Naval Regiment who fought in both the Boer War and WW1.

Frances chose a career as a professional soldier and served in the British Forces of South Africa. He fought in the Matabele War of 1893/4 in Rhodesia (today renamed Zimbabwe), and in the Bechuanaland Expedition of late 1884/5 in Botswana and South Africa. He fought in the Boer War between 1899 and 1902, where he was mentioned in despatches twice, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (D.S.O.) in 1907. He became Lieutenant-Colonel of the 3rd Regiment South African Mounted Riflemen in German South-West Africa, and served as a Justice of the Peace (J.P.) in Natal province.

In the First World War he served as a Lieutenant-Colonel in the 4th South African Horse in German East Africa, and was mentioned in despatches twice.

On the 9th of October 1896 he married Evelyn Georgina Stirling Macdermott of Dublin, Ireland (1872-1937), daughter of Richard William Macdermott.

They had five children:

1. Heathfield George Henry Eliott (b.1897) - He fought in the First World War with the South African Artillery and on the 6th of March 1922 married Rhoda Isadora Daly of Johannesburg, South Africa (b.1898). She was the daughter of Frederick William Augustus Daly (1855-1941) and Letitia Daly nee McCalgan (1859-1924).
2. Evelyn Heather Eliott (1898-1996) – In 1923 she married Horace Wellesley Burgess, a Lieutenant in the Dragoon Guards.
3. Marie Ida Eliott (1900-1989) – On the 31st of August 1923 she married William Joseph Merrifield, son of William John Geach Merrifield.
4. Lt. Col. Hugh Herbert Heathfield Eliott (1903-1976) - He was educated at Eastbourne College, Sussex, before attending the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Berkshire. On the 6th of January 1927 he married Barbara Marsh (d.1983), daughter of John Cullen Marsh. He fought in the Second World War, where he was mentioned in despatches, gaining the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Royal Fusiliers. He was Chief Instructor at the School of Infantry in 1943, and Assistant Commandant of the Middle East School of Infantry in 1945. In 1946 he was awarded the OBE. Following the war he became a Director and the General Manager of Sure Form Plastics Ltd and Mould Form Tools Ltd (companies in the Birmid Qualcast Group.) He died, aged 73 years, in 1976 at Evesham, Worcestershire.
5. Dymphna Helen Cynthia Eliott (1906 -2000) – In 1930 she married John Richard Vernon (d.1983) who served in the Nigerian Civil Service.

His wife died in April 1937, whilst Frances died 3 months later at Westminster, London, on the 29th of July 1937, aged 70. His burial took place at Minehead Cemetery on the 31st of July 1937.