Rodney Fryer Russell
Encyclopedia
Rodney Fryer Russell was a well known West Country
watercolourist
and portrait painter and poet. Born in Dorset
, England, he was the great-great-great grandson of Isaac Gulliver
and the second cousin of Dame Sybil Thorndike. In 1950 he won a scholarship to Paris and lived in London, West Sussex
, Spain and Dorset. Having half completed an architectural degree at the Royal Institute of British Architects
(RIBA) by 1939, he commanded an ML
off the coast of Britain and saw service in the Far East. It was while on active service in the north of England that he met the artist Edward Seago
at Leighton Hall
, becoming a life-long admirer of his work. He had a brother Christopher who died before the war and was survived by his sister Joan. Joan married Major David Liddell MC
, who with his brother Ian Oswald Liddell
VC, was decorated for outstanding valour in the Second World War. Russell married Elizabeth Shettle, with whom he had a daughter Virginia and two sons James and David. On Elizabeth's death he married the Argentine Doreen Gildea, with whom he had a single child, the art historian Anthony Russell
. His last wife Pamela Till, with whom he lived at Manston
House in Dorset, was also a portrait and landscape painter and the pupil of Pietro Annigoni
, living still in Dorset.
West Country
The West Country is an informal term for the area of south western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region. It is often defined to encompass the historic counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset and the City of Bristol, while the counties of...
watercolourist
Watercolor painting
Watercolor or watercolour , also aquarelle from French, is a painting method. A watercolor is the medium or the resulting artwork in which the paints are made of pigments suspended in a water-soluble vehicle...
and portrait painter and poet. Born in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, England, he was the great-great-great grandson of Isaac Gulliver
Isaac Gulliver
The name of three generations of Gullivers from Semington in Wiltshire, England during the 18th and early 19th century; Isaac Gulliver was so successful as a smuggler on the south coast that he came to control its length from Lymington on The Solent in Hampshire, through Dorset to Torbay on the...
and the second cousin of Dame Sybil Thorndike. In 1950 he won a scholarship to Paris and lived in London, West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
, Spain and Dorset. Having half completed an architectural degree at the Royal Institute of British Architects
Royal Institute of British Architects
The Royal Institute of British Architects is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally.-History:...
(RIBA) by 1939, he commanded an ML
Motor Launch
A Motor Launch is a small military vessel in British navy service. It was designed for harbour defence and submarine chasing or for armed high speed air-sea rescue....
off the coast of Britain and saw service in the Far East. It was while on active service in the north of England that he met the artist Edward Seago
Edward Seago
Edward Brian Seago RBA ARWS RWS was an English artist who painted in both oils and watercolours.The son of a coal merchant, born in Norwich, Seago was a self-taught artist, , and enjoyed a wide range of admirers from the British Royal family and the Aga Khan to the common man...
at Leighton Hall
Leighton Hall
Leighton Hall may refer to:*Leighton Hall, Lancashire*Leighton Hall, Powys...
, becoming a life-long admirer of his work. He had a brother Christopher who died before the war and was survived by his sister Joan. Joan married Major David Liddell MC
David Liddell
Major David Liddell, MC was a Scottish soldier, insurance broker and farmer.A British Army World War II commander awarded an immediate MC for his outstanding service in Italy while serving with the 12th Battalion Cameronians...
, who with his brother Ian Oswald Liddell
Ian Oswald Liddell
Ian Oswald Liddell VC was a British recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Biography:...
VC, was decorated for outstanding valour in the Second World War. Russell married Elizabeth Shettle, with whom he had a daughter Virginia and two sons James and David. On Elizabeth's death he married the Argentine Doreen Gildea, with whom he had a single child, the art historian Anthony Russell
Anthony Chandos Russell
Anthony Russell is a British art historian, social commentator and artist.He is the son of the artist Rodney F Russell and his third wife, the Argentine Doreen Gildea-Keereweer, attending Bryanston School and read art history at Oxford Brookes, before joining Lawrence Fine Art in the West Country...
. His last wife Pamela Till, with whom he lived at Manston
Manston, Dorset
Manston is a village in north Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale two miles east of Sturminster Newton. The village has a population of 135 .-External links:*...
House in Dorset, was also a portrait and landscape painter and the pupil of Pietro Annigoni
Pietro Annigoni
Pietro Annigoni was an Italian portrait and fresco painter, who became world famous after painting Queen Elizabeth II in 1956.-Life:Born in Milan in 1910, Annigoni was a painter who was influenced by the Italian Renaissance....
, living still in Dorset.