Sir William Russell, 2nd Baronet
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-General Sir William Russell, 2nd Baronet (5 April 1822 – 19 March 1892), 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, and for Norwich
from 1860 to 1874.
After taking the degree of M.D. at Edinburgh, he migrated to Calcutta, where he acquired a large practice. Returning to London before 1832, he distinguished himself in that year by his energy during the cholera epidemic, and was for his services created a baronet.
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
. He received a medal and clasp, and was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath
(CB) in 1859.
as a Member of Parliament
(MP) for Dover
, but lost the seat at the 1859 general election
. He returned to the House of Commons the following year when he was elected at a by-election in March 1860 as one of the two MPs for Norwich
, after an election petition
had led to the 1859 election in Norwich being declared void. He was re-elected in 1865
and in 1868
, and held the seat until he retired from Parliament
at the 1874 general election
.
in 1839, and on his death in 1892, aged 69, he was succeeded in the title by his own son William Russell (1865–1915), on whose death the title became extinct.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer who served in the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
and in the suppression of the Indian Rebellion of 1857
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
, and then became a 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...
politician. He was a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Dover
Dover (UK Parliament constituency)
Dover is a 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:...
from 1857 to 1859, and for Norwich
Norwich (UK Parliament constituency)
Norwich was a borough constituency which was represented in the House of Commons of England from 1298 to 1707, in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 until it was abolished for the 1950 general election...
from 1860 to 1874.
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.After taking the degree of M.D. at Edinburgh, he migrated to Calcutta, where he acquired a large practice. Returning to London before 1832, he distinguished himself in that year by his energy during the cholera epidemic, and was for his services created a baronet.
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. He served in the Crimean WarCrimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
and during the Indian Rebellion of 1857
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
he served at Alumbagh and at the Siege of Lucknow
Siege of Lucknow
The Siege of Lucknow was the prolonged defense of the Residency within the city of Lucknow during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. After two successive relief attempts had reached the city, the defenders and civilians were evacuated from the Residency, which was abandoned.Lucknow was the capital of...
, and commanded the 7th Hussars on further operations in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
. He received a medal and clasp, and was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(CB) in 1859.
Political career
He was elected at the 1857 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1857
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *...
as a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Dover
Dover (UK Parliament constituency)
Dover is a 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:...
, but lost the seat at the 1859 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1859
In the 1859 United Kingdom general election, the Whigs, led by Lord Palmerston, held their majority in the House of Commons over the Earl of Derby's Conservatives...
. He returned to the House of Commons the following year when he was elected at a by-election in March 1860 as one of the two MPs for Norwich
Norwich (UK Parliament constituency)
Norwich was a borough constituency which was represented in the House of Commons of England from 1298 to 1707, in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 until it was abolished for the 1950 general election...
, after an election petition
Election petition
An election petition refers to the procedure for challenging the result of a Parliamentary election or local government election in the United Kingdom and in Hong Kong.- Outcomes :...
had led to the 1859 election in Norwich being declared void. He was re-elected in 1865
United Kingdom general election, 1865
The 1865 United Kingdom general election saw the Liberals, led by Lord Palmerston, increase their large majority over the Earl of Derby's Conservatives to more than 80. The Whig Party changed its name to the Liberal Party between the previous election and this one.Palmerston died later in the same...
and in 1868
United Kingdom general election, 1868
The 1868 United Kingdom general election was the first after passage of the Reform Act 1867, which enfranchised many male householders, thus greatly increasing the number of men who could vote in elections in the United Kingdom...
, and held the seat until he retired from Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
at the 1874 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1874
-Seats summary:-References:* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *...
.
Family
In 1863, Russell married Margaret Wilson, the only child of Robert Wilson. By 1870 they had two children: William (born 28 Sept 1865) and Maragret Jane (born 21 August 1867).Titles
Russell succeeded to his father's baronetcyRussell Baronets
There have been seven Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Russell, three in the Baronetage of England and four in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom....
in 1839, and on his death in 1892, aged 69, he was succeeded in the title by his own son William Russell (1865–1915), on whose death the title became extinct.
Further reading
- Dictionary of National BiographyDictionary of National BiographyThe Dictionary of National Biography is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published from 1885...
, Russell, Sir William (1822–1892), lieutenant-general, by E. M. Lloyd. Published 1897.