The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-06-01 00:00:00

DEATH or THE DUKE OF BEDFORD.

(Frnp) The Time,' )

_
Under ordinary cironmstances the death of the head
of the historic house of Russell would be a matter of
general interest, and indeed almost of public concern;
but the Duke of Bedford who has just passed away
from atnong us was, unlike, it may almost be said, all
his predecessors, no politician. It is true that he was
for several years a member of the Lower House of the
Legislature, but even there he was in no way distin-
guished ; and since his elevation to the Peerage by his
father's death, some ten years ago, he has lived almost
whdly in retirement, and, mainly owing to infirm
health, has taken no part in pu'9lic life.
William Russell, Duke of Bedford, Marquis of Tavi-
stock, in Devonshire, Earl of Bedford, Lord Russell of
Thornhaugh, and Lord Howland of Streatham, in
the county of Surrey, in the Peerage of Eng-
land, was the only son of Francis, late and seventh
Duke, KG., &c., by Lady Anna Maria Stanhope,
eldest daughter of Charles, third Earl of Har-
rington. He was horn in Grosvenor.square on the
let of July, 1609, ani was educated at Eton, where
he had among his schoolfellows Mr Gladstone, the
Duke of Buceleuch, Sir Francis H. Doyle, and Lords
Bandon, Selkirk, Abingdon, Romney, Morley, Craven,
Dillon, Frankfort, &c. He entered Parliament
at the General Election of 1832, as one of the
members for Tavistock, a borough in which, as Dod
informs us in his Electoral Parts, the interest of
the Ducal house of Russell was pa „aount. lie
was re-chosen after each dissolution down to that of
1041, when he retired, and be never afterwards sought
a seat in the House of Commons. His father's death,
in the year 1861, elevated him to the House of Peery.

It is almost needless to add that, so far as he took any
part in politics, he supported those Liberal principlen
which. as history tells us, have been hereditary in the
Russell family. Ile was a magistrate for Bedford-
shire, but we believe be never held any other public
elice or appointment
For the origin of the Russells, Sir Bernard Burke
and the Heralds refer us to John Russell, who wan
Constable of Corfe Castle, Dorsetahire, in A.D. 1221,
and a gentleman of landed property in that county,
and who, these authorities assert, could prowe his
descent from the ancient and noble house of the Du
Rozells of Normandy. Be this, however, as it maye
it is certain that Lis grandson, Sir William Russell, of
Kingston Russell, in Dareetshire, sat in the reign of
;ofbuthte his il
Commons Edward 11. as member for the county of South-
ouse of
arupton. lineal descendant, in the fifth or sixth gene-
ration.,mniotir John fln-'eii, woo ol.eaker
son, John Russell, of Kin,...ete.n Russell and Bereeekas
n eer Bridport, in Boretchare, who bore the reputation
of being one of the most accomplished gentlemen of
his day, was the real founder of the fortunes of the
family. Ills stay, as told by Sir Bernard Burke,
forma an interesting chapter in the " Vicissitudes of
Families." It runs as follows :--
Mr Russell obtained a favourable introduction to Court
through uSe of those unexpected incidents which may be
attriouted solely to good fortune, In the gist of Henry VII.
(1500), the Archduke Philip of Austria, only son of the
Emperor Alaxinillian I. and husband of Joanna, daughter
of Ferdinand and I Jabel,ll andOneen of Castile and Aragon.
harlot: enconutered a violent hurricane in his passage teem
Flail len to Spain, was driven into Weymouth, where be
landed, and was hospitably received by Sir [booms Trencher&
knight, a gentleman of rank in the neighbourhood Sir Thomas
immediately apprized the Court of the circumstance and
In the Interim, while waiting for instructions what course to
adopt, invited his tint cousin, Air. Bernell, then recently
returned from his travels, to wait upon the Prince. His
imperial Highness, fascinated by Mr. Russell's companion-
able qualieesj desired that he should accompany him to
Windsor, whalier the King had invited his Hight:mem to
repair; on the' jiit"nuer we are Informed that the Archduke
became still more p'sesselt with ids attendant a ' learned
discourse and generous deportment,' and recommended
him strongly to the Kink:. Mr. Russell was, in con-
sequence. taken immediately into Royal favour, and ap
pointed one of the gentienien of the Privy Chamber.
Recoming subsequently a favourite of Henry Ull., and a
conipanion of that Monarch in his Frensh wars. AI r Russell
was appointed to several high and confidential °dice., and
finally elevated to the peerage on the 9th of March. 11.38-P.
In the dignity of Lord Ruasell, Baron Russell, of Cheney'.
county Buckingham. in the sent year, ibt when the great
monasteries were dissolved, his Lordship obtained a grant
himself, and his wife and their heirs, of the site of the Abbe/
of Tavistock, and of gltensive possessions belonging thereto.
After the accession orEdward VI., Lord Russell had a grant
of the Monastery of Woburn, in Bedfordshire, and war.
created Earl of Bedford, January 9, MO..
in Mary's time, notwithstanding these grants of monastic
spoils, the favour of the Court continued; his Lordship ob-
tained a-new patent for the office of Lord Privy seal, and
eventually was appointed Ambassador from Ller Majesty to
tiopaiir;, order consort,4,7sconnodnuctrtelra.,
t second ttfl7.,,At e
shores
member of the Privy Council, and in other ways aleo
person of eminence and influence uuder Elisaledh. The
fifth Earl, who was raised to the Marquisate of Tavistock
and the Dukedom of Bedford in 1696, was the
,ather of the celebrated patriot, William, Lord Russell,
whose execution for high treason in 1653 has rendered Lin-
coln'a.inistielde as its scene, historical ground_ The son of
William Lord Russell, Wriothesly Russell, succeeded as
receed Duke, and added much to the family wealth by his
marriage with the heiress of the Howlands of Streatham
lie was the father of Jahn, fourth Duke, who was Lord
Lieutenant of Ireland in the reign of George 11., and subse•
quen ly Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of France, In
a Met character he signed at Fontainebleau, on tile part of
England, the preliminaries of peace between France and
Spam His grandson, John, sixth Duke, was the greed( ether
of the uubleniati whose decease inflow recorded.
As the late Duke has died unmarried, the ducal honours
and estates and the representation of the house of Remelt
devolve upon his Grace's cousin, Mr. ILudings Rumen,
the eldest son of the late Major-General Lord George
William Russell, sometime Envoy Extraordivary and
Minister Pleuipotentiary to the Court of Lorin.
The new Duke, who was born in ISf 1, and was for-
merly Captain in the Grenadier Guards, has eat as
member for Bedfordshire in the Liberal interest since
the year 1847. Ile is a magistrate and Deputy Lieutenant
for that connly, and Lieutenant-Colonel of the Bedfordshire
Rine Volunteers. Hs married, 111 1844, Lady Elizabeth
West, eldest dattehter of George John. late Lord De Is Warr.
by whom she has, with other issue, a an, George William
Francis Sackville, a Commoner of KOWA College, DOW Mar-
quis of Tavistock and heir to the family hollow*, who was
born in 1622.