Patricia Russell

Patricia Russell, Countess Russell (1910 – 2004) was the third wife of philosopher Bertrand Russell and a significant contributor to his book A History of Western Philosophy.[1]

For the American activist and politician, see Pat Russell.

Lady Russell was born Marjorie Helen Spence in 1910. As her parents had always wanted a boy, she was known as 'Peter', a nickname she retained throughout her life.[2][3] She met Bertrand Russell in 1930, when he was 58 and she was a 21-year-old undergraduate at the University of Oxford, hired by Russell's second wife Dora Black as a governess. They had an affair and were married at the Midhurst register office on 18 January 1936. They had one son, Conrad Sebastian Robert Russell, 5th Earl Russell, who became a prominent historian and one of the leading figures in the Liberal Democrat party. They had an acrimonious separation in 1949.[4]

Patricia was a member of the first board of the Harlow Development Corporation, serving from 1947 to 1950.[5]

Notes
  1. Russell p. 8
  2. Monk p. 119
  3. Gibberd et al. p. 59
  4. Monk p. 306
  5. Gibberd et al. p. 378

References
  • Ray Monk, Bertrand Russell. The Ghost of Madness. New York: Free Press. 2000.
  • Gibberd, Frederick et al. Harlow: the story of a new town. Stevenage: Publications for Companies. 1980.
  • Russell, Bertrand. A History of Western Philosophy. London: Unwin Paperbacks. 1984.
  • "Patricia Helen (née Spence), Countess Russell, Third wife of 3rd Earl Russell; daughter of Harry Evelyn Spence". National Portrait Gallery. Details of 12 portraits, 8 of them reproduced


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