Sir William Russell, 2nd Baronet

Lieutenant-General Sir William Russell, 2nd Baronet (5 April 1822 – 19 March 1892),[1] was a British Army officer who served in the Crimean War and in the suppression of the Indian Rebellion of 1857, and then became a Liberal Party politician. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Dover from 1857 to 1859,[2] and for Norwich from 1860 to 1874.[3]

Early life

Russell was the son of Sir William Russell, 1st Baronet of Charlton Park (1773–1839) and his second wife Jane Eliza Russell, daughter of Major-General James Dodington Sherwood.[4]

Russell family vault at Highgate Cemetery (West side)

Military career

Russell entered the army as a Cornet in 1841, became a Lieutenant in February 1846, a captain in April 1857, a Major in August 1857, a lieutenant-colonel in November 1858, and colonel in July 1863.[4]

In April 1854, Sir William of the 7th Hussars was appointed as Aide-de-Camp to the Earl of St Germans, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. He served in the Crimean War and during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 he served at Alumbagh and at the Siege of Lucknow, and commanded the 7th Hussars on further operations in India and Nepal.[4] He received a medal and clasp, and was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB)[4] in 1859.[5]

Political career

He was elected at the 1857 general election as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Dover,[6][7] but lost the seat at the 1859 general election.[7] He returned to the House of Commons the following year when he was elected at a by-election in March 1860[8] as one of the two MPs for Norwich,[9] after an election petition had led to the 1859 election in Norwich being declared void.[8][9] He was re-elected in 1865[10] and in 1868,[11] and held the seat until he retired from Parliament at the 1874 general election.[9]

Family
Tombstone at Highgate Cemetery (West side)

In 1863, Russell married Margaret Wilson, the only child of Robert Wilson.[4] By 1870 they had two children: William (born 28 Sept 1865) and Margaret Jane (born 21 August 1867).[4] They are buried at Highgate Cemetery

Titles

Russell succeeded to his father's baronetcy in 1839,[1] and on his death in 1892, aged 69, he was succeeded in the title by his own son William Russell (1865–1915),[1] on whose death the title became extinct.[1]

References
  1. Leigh Rayment's list of baronets – Baronetcies beginning with "R" (part 2)
  2. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "D" (part 3)
  3. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "N" (part 3)
  4. Mair, Robert Henry (1870). Debrett's Illustrated House of Commons and the Judicial Bench 1870. London: Dean & Son. p. 240.
  5. "No. 22264". The London Gazette. 17 May 1859. p. 1988.
  6. "No. 21983". The London Gazette. 31 March 1857. p. 1180.
  7. Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1977]. British parliamentary election results 1832–1885 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 113. ISBN 0-900178-26-4.
  8. "No. 22373". The London Gazette. 3 April 1860. p. 1325.
  9. Craig, pages 226–227
  10. "No. 22992". The London Gazette. 18 July 1865. p. 3575.
  11. "No. 23443". The London Gazette. 20 November 1868. p. 5999.

Further reading
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