Lord Alexander Russell

Lord Alexander Russell
Lord Alexander Russell.
Born	16 September 1821 Woburn, Bedfordshire
Died	10 January 1907 (aged 85) Woodeaton, Oxfordshire
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Rank	General
Unit	Rifle Brigade
Battles/wars	Crimean War
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath

General Lord Alexander George Russell GCB (16 September 1821 – 10 January 1907), was a British Army general. He served during the Siege of Sevastapol in the Crimean War.

Background

Russell was born at Woburn, Bedfordshire, the son of John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford and his second wife, Lady Georgina (or Georgiana) Gordon, daughter of Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke of Gordon, although it has been claimed that Russell's father was actually the Victorian painter Sir Edwin Landseer, who conducted a lengthy affair with the Duchess of Bedford.^[1] He was the half-brother of Francis Russell, 7th Duke of Bedford, Lord George Russell and John Russell, 1st Earl Russell and the full brother of Lord Edward Russell and Lord Charles Russell.^[2]

Military career

Russell joined the Army on 11 July 1839 when he purchased a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Rifle Brigade. Russell was a Colonel in the Rifle Brigade and served during the Siege of Sevastapol in the Crimean War. He became Commander of the British Troops in Canada in 1883^[3] and was advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB), having previously been a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB). He was not however styled Sir Alexander Russell since he already held the higher title of Lord due to his father being first a Marquess and later a Duke.

Life

Russell married Anne Emily Worsley Holmes, daughter of Sir Leonard Worsley Holmes, 9th Baronet, on 3 July 1844. They had two children:

• Alexander Gordon Russell (11 July 1854–4 June 1917); became a Captain in the British Army.
• Leonard George Russell (6 June 1858–7 April 1946; became a Major in the British Army.

Lady Alexander Russell died in October 1906. Russell only survived her by three months and died at Woodeaton, Oxfordshire, in January 1907, aged 85.^[2]

Ancestry

Ancestors of Lord Alexander Russell

16. Wriothesley Russell, 2nd Duke of Bedford               8. John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford                       17. Elizabeth Howland               4. Francis Russell, Marquess of Tavistock                             18. John Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Gower               9. The Hon. Gertrude Leveson-Gower                       19. Lady Evelyn Pierrepont               2. John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford                                   20. Arnold van Keppel, 1st Earl of Albemarle               10. Willem van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle                       21. Geertruid Johanna Quirina van der Duyn               5. Lady Elizabeth Keppel                             22. Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond               11. Lady Anne Lennox                       23. Anne Brudenell               1. Lord Alexander Russell                                         24. Alexander Gordon, 2nd Duke of Gordon               12. Cosmo Gordon, 3rd Duke of Gordon                       25. Lady Henrietta Mordaunt               6. Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke of Gordon                             26. William Gordon, 2nd Earl of Aberdeen               13. Lady Catherine Gordon                       27. Lady Susan Murray               3. Lady Georgina Gordon                                   28. Sir Alexander Maxwell, 2nd Baronet of Monreith, Wigtownshire               14. Sir William Maxwell, 3rd Baronet of Monreith, Wigtownshire                       29. Lady Jean Montgomerie               7. Jane Maxwell                             30. William Blair               15. Magdalen Blair                       31. Catharine Tait

References

1. Campbell Lennie, Landseer: The Victorian Paragon (London: Hamilton, 1976), 28.
2. General Lord Sir Alexander George Russell
3. The London Gazette: no. 25225. p. 2241. 27 April 1883.