Sir Thomas Wallace Russell, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Thomas Wallace Russell, 1st Baronet PC
(28 February 1841 – 2 May 1920), was an Irish
politician and agrarian agitator. Born at Cupar
, Fife
, Scotland
, he moved to County Tyrone
at the age of eighteen. He was secretary and parliamentary agent of the Irish temperance movement
and became well-known as an anti-alcohol campaigner and proprieter of a Temperance Hotel in Dublin.
He unsuccessfully contested Preston
in 1885 as a Liberal
. However, he opposed William Ewart Gladstone
's Home Rule policy and was elected to the House of Commons
of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
as a Liberal Unionist in 1886. He served between 1895 and 1900 as Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government Board
in the Unionist administration of Lord Salisbury
.
However, Russell's views on Home Rule underwent a change around the turn the century and he gradually became a critic of Unionist policies in Ireland. From 1900 put himself at the head of the Farmers and Labourers Union, an Ulster
tenant-farmer protest movement demanding compulsory land purchase, similar to the land and labour movement
in the south. His 1901 book Ireland and the Empire was an attack on the Irish agrarian system
. From 1902 to 1903 he was a key Ulster farmer representative at the Dublin "Land Conference
" which resulted in the passing of the Land Purchase Act of 1903. This defused the Protestant tenant-farmers' revolt.
Russell continued to represent Tyrone South in Parliament, but in 1906
he was re-elected as an "Independent Unionist", one of several candidates referred to as "Russellite Unionist
". He was vice-president of the Irish Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction, in which capacity he displaced Horace Plunkett as head of the Department in 1907.
He rejoined the Liberal Party
and stood as a Liberal candidate at the general election in January 1910, when he lost his seat to the Unionist Andrew Horner. Russell does not appear to have contested the December 1910 general election, but in 1911 he won a by-election in Tyrone North
, a seat he held until the constituency was abolished in 1918.
Russell was sworn of the Irish Privy Council
in 1908 and created a Baronet, of Olney in the County of Durham, in 1917.
He retired from politics in 1918 and died in May 1920, aged 79, when the baronetcy became extinct.
Privy Council of Ireland
The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922...
(28 February 1841 – 2 May 1920), was an Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
politician and agrarian agitator. Born at Cupar
Cupar
Cupar is a town and former royal burgh in Fife, Scotland. The town is situated between Dundee and the New Town of Glenrothes.According to a recent population estimate , Cupar had a population around 8,980 making the town the ninth largest settlement in Fife.-History:The town is believed to have...
, Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, he moved to County Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
at the age of eighteen. He was secretary and parliamentary agent of the Irish temperance movement
Temperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
and became well-known as an anti-alcohol campaigner and proprieter of a Temperance Hotel in Dublin.
He unsuccessfully contested Preston
Preston (UK Parliament constituency)
Preston is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
in 1885 as a Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
. However, he opposed William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
's Home Rule policy and was elected to the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
as a Liberal Unionist in 1886. He served between 1895 and 1900 as Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government Board
Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government Board
The Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government Board was, from 1871 – 1919, a junior ministerial post in the United Kingdom subordinate to the President of the Local Government Board...
in the Unionist administration of Lord Salisbury
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury
Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, KG, GCVO, PC , styled Lord Robert Cecil before 1865 and Viscount Cranborne from June 1865 until April 1868, was a British Conservative statesman and thrice Prime Minister, serving for a total of over 13 years...
.
However, Russell's views on Home Rule underwent a change around the turn the century and he gradually became a critic of Unionist policies in Ireland. From 1900 put himself at the head of the Farmers and Labourers Union, an Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
tenant-farmer protest movement demanding compulsory land purchase, similar to the land and labour movement
Irish Land and Labour Association
The Irish Land and Labour Association was a progressive movement founded in the early 1890s in Munster, Ireland, to organise and pursue political agitation for small tenant farmers' and rural labourers' rights. Its branches also spread into Connacht. The ILLA was known under different names—Land...
in the south. His 1901 book Ireland and the Empire was an attack on the Irish agrarian system
Agrarian system
An agrarian system is a concept used to describe the dynamic set of economic and technological factors that affect agricultural practices. It is premised on the idea that different systems have developed depending on the natural and social conditions specific to a particular region...
. From 1902 to 1903 he was a key Ulster farmer representative at the Dublin "Land Conference
Land Conference
The Land Conference was a successful conciliatory negotiation held in the Mansion House in Dublin, Ireland between 20 December 1902 and 4 January 1903. In a short period it produced a unanimously agreed report recommending an amiable solution to the long waged land war between tenant farmers and...
" which resulted in the passing of the Land Purchase Act of 1903. This defused the Protestant tenant-farmers' revolt.
Russell continued to represent Tyrone South in Parliament, but in 1906
United Kingdom general election, 1906
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
he was re-elected as an "Independent Unionist", one of several candidates referred to as "Russellite Unionist
Russellite Unionist
The Russellite group, were the followers of Thomas Wallace Russell an Irish political leader of the early twentieth century.Russell was the Liberal Unionist MP for South Tyrone. He and some followers left the party in February 1904. They favoured a policy of compulsory land purchase...
". He was vice-president of the Irish Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction, in which capacity he displaced Horace Plunkett as head of the Department in 1907.
He rejoined the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
and stood as a Liberal candidate at the general election in January 1910, when he lost his seat to the Unionist Andrew Horner. Russell does not appear to have contested the December 1910 general election, but in 1911 he won a by-election in Tyrone North
North Tyrone (UK Parliament constituency)
North Tyrone was a UK parliamentary constituency in Ireland. It returned one Member of Parliament to the British House of Commons 1885–1918.Prior to the United Kingdom general election, 1885 the area was part of the Tyrone constituency...
, a seat he held until the constituency was abolished in 1918.
Russell was sworn of the Irish Privy Council
Privy Council of Ireland
The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922...
in 1908 and created a Baronet, of Olney in the County of Durham, in 1917.
He retired from politics in 1918 and died in May 1920, aged 79, when the baronetcy became extinct.