Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Russell, Edward (1805-1887)
RUSSELL, Lord EDWARD (1805–1887), admiral, born in 1805, second son of John Russell, sixth duke of Bedford by his second wife, Georgiana, fifth daughter of Alexander, fourth duke of Gordon [see under Russell, Lord John, first Earl Russell]. Lord John, first earl Russell [q. v.], was his half-brother. He entered the navy in January 1819; he passed his examination in 1825, and on 18 Oct. 1826 was promoted to be lieutenant of the Philomel brig, in which he was present at the battle of Navarino on 20 Oct. 1827. He was then for a short time in the Dartmouth, but, returning to the Philomel, was promoted from her to the rank of commander on 15 Nov. 1828. In November 1830 he was appointed to the Britomart, but in the following January was moved to the Savage, on the coast of Ireland, and in April 1832 to the Nimrod, on the Lisbon station. He was invalided from her in August 1833, and on 19 Nov. was advanced to post rank. From November 1834 to 1838 he commanded the Actæon in South America. From 1841 to 1847 he was M.P. for Tavistock, and one of the queen's naval aides-de-camp from 1846 to 1850. At this time he was well known in society, and more especially in sporting circles, as a patron of the turf. In 1846 his horse Sting, after proving himself the best two-year old of his year, was for some time favourite for the Derby, in which, however, he was not placed. In January 1851 he commissioned the Vengeance for service in the Mediterranean, and on 17 Oct. 1854 took part in the attack on the sea-forts of Sebastopol. In the summer of 1855 the Vengeance was paid off, and on 5 July Russell was made a C.B. He had no further service, but became in due course rear-admiral on 17 Oct. 1856, vice-admiral on 27 April 1863, and admiral on 20 March 1867. On 1 April 1870 he accepted the new retirement, and died at Cowes on 21 May 1887.
[O'Byrne's Nav. Biogr. Dict.; Times, 26 May 1887; Morning Post, 25, 26 May 1887; Navy Lists.]