Monarch George III Name John 6th | Preceded by The Earl of Powis | |
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Died October 20, 1839, Doune, United Kingdom Parents Francis Russell, Marquess of Tavistock Children Francis Russell, 7th Duke of Bedford Siblings Francis Russell, 5th Duke of Bedford, Lord William Russell Grandchildren Lord George Hamilton, Lord Claud Hamilton Grandparents John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford | ||
Prime Minister The Lord Grenville Succeeded by The Duke of Richmond | ||
John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford (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.
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Background
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.
Political career
Like most Russells, Bedford was a Whig in politics. He sat as Member of Parliament for Tavistock from 1788 to June 1790 and from December 1790 to 1802, when he was elevated to the Upper House 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.
Family
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:
There is evidence to suggest that Bedford also kept a mistress named Elizabeth Charlewood and had one child by her in 1797:
After Georgiana's early death in October 1801, Bedford married secondly Lady Georgiana, daughter of Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke of Gordon, in 1803. 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. Bedford was succeeded by his eldest son from his first marriage, Francis. The Duchess of Bedford died in February 1853, aged 71.