John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford, KG, PC, FSA (6 July 1766 – 20 October 1839), known as Lord John Russell until 1802, was a British Whig politician who notably served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in the Ministry of All the Talents. He was the father of Prime Minister John Russell, 1st Earl Russell.[1]
His Grace The Duke of Bedford KG PC FSA | |
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Lord Lieutenant of Ireland | |
In office 12 March 1806 – 11 April 1807 | |
Monarch | George III |
Prime Minister | The Lord Grenville |
Preceded by | The Earl of Powis |
Succeeded by | The Duke of Richmond |
Member of Parliament for Tavistock | |
In office 1790–1802 | |
Succeeded by | Lord Robert Spencer |
In office 1788–1790 | |
Preceded by | Richard Rigby |
Personal details | |
Born | 6 July 1766 |
Died | 20 October 1839(1839-10-20) (aged 73) |
Spouse(s) | Hon. Georgiana Byng Lady Georgiana Gordon |
Children | 14, including: Francis Russell, 7th Duke of Bedford Major-General Lord George William Russell John Russell, 1st Earl Russell Lord Wriothesley Russell Lord Edward Russell Lord Charles James Fox Russell Louisa Hamilton, Duchess of Abercorn Lord Alexander Russell |
Parent(s) | Francis Russell, Marquess of Tavistock Lady Elizabeth Keppel |
Bedford was a younger son of Francis Russell, Marquess of Tavistock, eldest son and heir of John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford. His mother was Lady Elizabeth, youngest child of Willem van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle and Lady Anne Lennox.[2]
Like most Russells, Bedford was a Whig in politics. He sat as Member of Parliament for Tavistock[lower-alpha 1] from 1788 to June 1790 and from December 1790 to 1802, when he was automatically elevated to the Lords on the death of his brother. He served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland during the Whig government of 1806–1807. He became, as did many of his party who were strong followers of Bonapartism, opposed to the Peninsular War, believing that it neither could nor should be won. He funded, along with his son, many anti-war publications. Bedford was sworn of the Privy Council in 1806 and appointed a Knight of the Garter in 1830.
Bedford married firstly the Hon. Georgiana Byng, daughter of George Byng, 4th Viscount Torrington, in 1786. The marriage lasted 15 years and they had three sons:
After Georgiana's early death in October 1801, Bedford married secondly Lady Georgiana, daughter of Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke of Gordon, in 1803.[3] They had ten children, including:
The Duchess of Bedford was a great patroness of the arts, and had a longstanding relationship with the painter Sir Edwin Landseer, a man twenty years her junior. The Bedfords' marriage was nevertheless considered to be a very happy one.[5] Bedford was succeeded by his eldest son from his first marriage, Francis. The Duchess of Bedford died in February 1853, aged 71.[citation needed]
In 1823 the 6th Duke of Bedford was looking for a house in London and took the lease of one of the seven houses designed and built by John Tasker on Campden Hill, Kensington, for the sum of £5,250.[6] The lodge, previously occupied by General Sir John Fraser and then a Major Colegrave, was a simple Regency villa. The Duke employed his architect Jeffry Wyatt, who had worked for him on Woburn Abbey, to enlarge the villa. After these developments were completed, for several years Bedford Lodge was valued more highly for rating purposes than Holland House. After the Duke's death in 1839 the Dowager Duchess continued to live at Bedford Lodge and made it a famous centre for social gatherings. Duchess of Bedford's Walk in Kensington is named in her honour. Shortly after her death in 1853 it was taken by the eighth Duke of Argyll, who renamed the house Argyll Lodge and kept it until his death in 1900.
Parliament of Great Britain | ||
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Preceded by Richard Rigby Richard Fitzpatrick |
Member of Parliament for Tavistock 1788–Jun 1790 With: Richard Fitzpatrick |
Succeeded by Richard Fitzpatrick Charles Wyndham |
Preceded by Richard Fitzpatrick Charles Wyndham |
Member of Parliament for Tavistock Dec 1790–1801 With: Richard Fitzpatrick |
Succeeded by Parliament of the United Kingdom |
Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
Preceded by Parliament of Great Britain |
Member of Parliament for Tavistock 1801–1802 With: Richard Fitzpatrick |
Succeeded by Richard Fitzpatrick Lord Robert Spencer |
Political offices | ||
Preceded by The Earl of Powis |
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland 1806–1807 |
Succeeded by |
Peerage of England | ||
Preceded by Francis Russell |
Duke of Bedford 1802–1839 |
Succeeded by Francis Russell |
Baron Howland of Streatham (descended by acceleration) 1802–1833 |
General | |
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National libraries | |
Biographical dictionaries | |
Scientific databases | |
Other |
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