Henry Stuart Russell

Henry Stuart Russell

Henry Stuart Russell (16 March 1818 – 5 March 1889)[1] was an explorer, politician and pastoralist, best known for establishing the Cecil Plains Station around the Condamine River area.[2]

Early life

Russell was born in Halliford, Middlesex, England, the son of an East India Company officer. He was educated at Harrow and Oxford. He migrated to Sydney, Australia in 1840, where he stayed at a New England station belonging to Arthur Hodgson, his second cousin.[1]

Career

The three men from the Stuart Russell family

In May 1842, Russell joined an exploration party in search of sheep country in Wide Bay. The party discovered the river, later named Mary. They also found and brought back two escaped convicts from the penal settlement. Russell made a subsequent journey in November 1842, where he discovered and named Boyne River. This expedition resulted in Russell taking up Burrandowan station.[1]

Russell sold Burrandowan in 1847 to Philip Friell. His pastoral career ended in 1849. In January 1853, he was elected to the Legislative Council of New South Wales for Stanley Boroughs.[3] In 1859, his interest in Cecil Plains was sold to James Taylor. He returned to Sydney, living at Mosman Bay for the following seven years. Suffering financial setbacks, he sailed for England in 1888. Also in 1888, he published a book, The Genesis of Queensland, detailing the early settlement and the growth of the pastoral industry in the area. He died at Ottery St. Mary, Devon, on 5 March 1889.[1]

Personal life

Mrs. Stuart Russell, mother of Henry Stuart Russell

Russell was married twice. His first marriage was in 1851 to Charlotte, sister of Philip Pinnock, a senior police magistrate and sheriff of Queensland. In 1874, he married Selina Oakes, whom survived him with five sons from the first marriage, and a daughter from the second.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Lack, Clem;, Austin, C. G. "Russell, Henry Stuart (1818–1889)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. 2. Canberra: Australian National University. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
  2. ↑ "Cecil Plains". Sydney Morning Herald (Travel section). 8 February 2004. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
  3. ↑ "Mr Henry Stuart Russell (1818–1889)". Former Members. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 16 September 2014.

Media related to Henry Stuart Russell at Wikimedia Commons

New South Wales Legislative Council
Preceded by
Richard Jones		 Member for Stanley Boroughs
Jan 1853 – Aug 1855 		Succeeded by
John Richardson
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