Stanley Ivan Russell OBE (1906-2005) Mayor of Nelson, New Zealand

Nelson, New Zealand

Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....

 from 1956 to 1962. Director of G P Russell and Son, Chair of the YMCA

YMCA

The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...

. Labour Party

New Zealand Labour Party

The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....

 supporter.

Russell was born in Christchurch on 26 March 1906, the son of George Philip Russell. His family moved to the King Country

King Country

The King Country is a region of the western North Island of New Zealand. It extends approximately from the Kawhia Harbour and the town of Otorohanga in the north to the upper reaches of the Whanganui River in the south, and from the Hauhungaroa and Rangitoto Ranges in the east to near the Tasman...

, then Motueka

Motueka

The town of Motueka in the South Island of New Zealand lies close to the mouth of the Motueka River, on the western shore of Tasman Bay. It is, after Nelson and Richmond, the third largest centre in the Tasman Region, with a population of 7125...

 and Takaka before settling in Nelson in 1919. He was educated at Nelson College

Nelson College

Nelson College is a boys-only state secondary school in Nelson, New Zealand. It teaches from years 9 to 13. In addition, it runs a private Preparatory School for year 7 and 8 boys...

 from 1920 to 1923.

In 1929 his father founded G P Russell and Sons (now Russells Curtains and Blinds) as a new and used furniture business located at 176 Bridge Street, Nelson. Russell worked in the family business, eventually becoming its Managing Direstor.

Political career

His father was on the City Council until 1944. Russell was elected to Council that same year. He remained on the City Council until 1965 and was the mayor of Nelson from 1956 to 1962.

While there he campaigned for pensioner flats resulting in the "Russell Flats" in Waimea Road being constructed. He was also involved in establishing the Nelson Civic Trust in the early 1973.

Russell supported his fellow Council member, Sonja Davies, in seeking to have the Nelson Institute library transferred to the Nelson City Council

Nelson City Council

Nelson City Council is a Unitary Authority that administers the Nelson Tasman or "Top of the South" region alongside Tasman District Council. Nelson City Council is one of only five Unitary Authorities in the country...

. The Institute finally agreed in 1964. A fee was charged for taking out books until the 1972 when it became free.

Russell died at Nelson aged 99 on 29 November 2005.